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23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (2nd Croatian)
Active	1944
Country	Nazi Germany
Allegiance	Adolf Hitler
Branch	Waffen SS
Type	Infantry
Role	Mountain troops
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II
Insignia
Identification symbol	Edelweiss

The 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (2nd Croatian) was a military formation composed of Volksdeutsche and Croats in the Waffen-SS during World War II. The numerical designation "23rd" was given to the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Nederland after the division was disbanded in September 1944. There is no mention of the division in the war diary of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces), which suggests that the 'Kama' never saw action or was ever fully established.

History

The Division was activated in January 1944 and on 28 May Adolf Hitler gave his formal approval for the creation of a second Croatian Waffen-SS Division following the modest success of the Handschar Division against Communist insurgents in Bosnia. The formation was initially to be created and trained in Bosnia but Heinrich Himmler, the Reichsführer-SS, following the advice of SS Gruppenführer Karl-Gustav Sauberzweig, agreed to station the men in neighbouring southern Hungary instead. Sauberzweig believed Ustaše interference and Communist subversion would undermine the morale of the recruits. Orders were given to the Handschar Division seconding personnel to the new formation. Hellmuth Raithel, commander of Regiment 28 of Handschar, was appointed the commanding officer.

On 24 September Himmler ordered the 2,000-man Division to Bosnia where it was to be reinforced with further draftees from the Handschar. However this move was delayed when the Russian army attacked southern Hungary and the men were thrown into the battle post-haste. On 17 October divisional personnel began to revolt and desert when they were not returned to their native Bosnia. The Division was formally disbanded on 31 October 1944.

In November, all of the men were sent to the Handschar Division. A few deserted along the way but the majority reported to strengthen Handschar.

Commanders

• SS-Standartenführer Helmuth Raithel (Jul 1944- Sept 1944)
• SS-Oberführer Gustav Lombard (28 Sept - 1 Oct 1944)

Order of battle

• Waffen Gebirgsjäger Regiment der SS 55 (kroatische nr 3)
• Waffen Gebirgsjäger Regiment der SS 56 (kroatische nr 4)
• Waffen Gebirgs Artillerie Regiment der SS 23
• SS Reconnaissance Battalion 23
• SS Flak Batallion 23
• SS Panzerjäger Batallion 23
• SS Nachschub Batallion 23
• SS Pionier Batallion 23
• SS Signals Battalion 23
• SS Field Hospital 23
• SS Medical Battalion 23
• SS Sanitäts Batallion 23
• SS Verwaltungs Batallion 23

See also

• Alpine Infantry
• Waffen-SS
• Division (military)
• Wehrmacht
• List of German military units of World War II

References

1. Stein, George H. (1984). "The Eastern European SS". The Waffen SS: Hitler's elite guard at war, 1939-1945. Cornell University Press. p. 185. ISBN 0-80149-275-0.
2. Bishop, Chris. The Essential Vehicle Identification Guide - Waffen-SS Divisions 1939-1945, Amber Books Ltd. 2007, p 166.
3. Wendal, Marcus. "23. Waffen-Gebirgs-Division der SS Kama (kroatische Nr. 2)". Axis History. Retrieved 2009-03-15.

• Stein, G (1966) 'The Waffen SS: Hitler's Elite Guard at War 1939-1945.' Cornell Uni. Press, London.
• Lepre, George 1997), 'Himmler's Bosnian Division: The Waffen-SS Handschar Division 1943-1945. Schiffer Military History, Algen, P.A.

• Foreign volunteer units of Nazi Germany
• Foreign volunteer units of the Waffen-SS
• Military units and formations of the Waffen-SS
• Military of the Independent State of Croatia
• Mountain divisions of the Waffen-SS
• Military units and formations established in 1944
• Military units and formations disestablished in 1944