| (https://i.imgur.com/WaLiGWi.png) | After the success of the Infanterie-Regiment "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler", SS-Verfügungstruppen-Division "Das Reich" and the SS-Division "Totenkopf" during the early war campaigns in Poland and the West, it was decided to expand the number of Waffen SS divisions. Due to the influx of foreign volunteers, particularly from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Belgium, a decision was made to form a volunteer division of the Waffen SS under the command of German officers. This formation, originally organised as the Nordische Division (Nr. 5), was to be made up of Nordic volunteers mixed with ethnic German Waffen SS veterans. To this end, the SS Infantry Regiment Germania in the SS Verfügungstruppe Division was transferred in late 1940 and used as the nucleus of a new division.In December 1940, the new SS motorised formation, was to be designated SS-Division "Germania", but after its formative period, the name was changed, to SS-Division "Wiking". in January 1941. The division was formed around three motorised infantry regiments: Germania; formed mostly from ethnic Germans; Westland, consisting mainly of Dutch and Flemish volunteers; and Nordland, composed mostly of Danes, Norwegians and Swedes. Command of the newly formed division was given to Brigadeführer Felix Steiner, the former commander of the Verfügungstruppe SS Regiment "Deutschland". After formation the division was sent to Heuberg in Germany for training and by April 1941, SS Division "Wiking" was deemed ready for combat. It was ordered east in June 1941, to take part with Army Group South's advance into the Ukraine during Operation Barbarossa, (the invasion of the Soviet Union). In June 1941 the Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS was formed from volunteers from that country. After training, this unit was attached to the SS Regiment "Nordland" in January 1942. About 430 Finns who were veterans of the Winter War served within the SS Division "Wiking" division since the beginning of Operation Barbarossa. In spring 1943, the Finnish battalion was withdrawn and replaced by the Estonian infantry battalion "Narwa." The division was not ready for combat until 29 June 1941, one week after the launch of the operation. During its first action, near Tarnopol in Galicia, Ukraine, the division acquitted itself well. In August, SS Division "Wiking" was ordered to establish a defensive perimeter around a bridgehead across the Dniepr River. Despite determined attacks by the Red Army, the division held the line. Against stiffening resistance, the division continued its advance towards Rostov-on-Don. It took part in the heavy fighting for Rostov before being ordered back to the Mius River line in November. During 1941, the Heer officers in charge of the deployment of the SS Division "Wiking" were sceptical of its fighting abilities and so were hesitant to commit it to any major actions. As the division proved itself again and again in combat, it began to earn the grudging respect of the Heer commanders. After successfully holding the line over the winter of 1941–42, SS Division "Wiking" was ordered to retake Rostov-on-Don and advance into the Caucasus, securing the region's vital oilfields. This attack was known as Operation Maus, and formed a part of Army Group South's offensive Case Blue, aimed at capturing Stalingrad and the Baku oilfields. Launched at the height of summer, the offensive was unexpectedly successful. Within six weeks, Rostov and the entire Don region had been captured, and SS Division "Wiking" was advancing deep into the Caucasus. |