Latvia

Having occupied Latvia in summer 1941, German command has created the local voluntary troops (Schutzmannschaft or Schuma), to struggle against the Soviet partisans and to carry out convoy service in concentration camps for Jews and Soviet POWs.

The group of the Latvian auxiliary police known as Arajs Commando, murdered about 26 thousand Jews, mainly in November and December, 1941. On October, 16, 1941 16-th Latvian battalion under command of Karlis Mangulis has been sent on East front to Russia. At the end of December 1941 17-th Latvian Vidzeme battalion has been sent to Belarus. On January, 13, 1942 18-th Kurzeme battalion has started service in Ukraine. On March, 30-th Liepaja battalion has been attached to 21-st to group of German armies "North", sieged Leningrad. In May 1942 two more Latvian battalions have been sent to Ukraine, one to Belarus and one to Leningrad region. The Arajs Commando was a Latvian police unit that participated actively in the killing of Jews during the Holocaust. ...

In 1942-1944 in territory of the Leningrad, Novgorod, Pskov and Vitebsk regions large Latvian police formations together with Lithuanian and Ukrainian Schuma-batallions participated in large punitive operations.

In February - March 1943 in triangle Sebezh - Osveya - Polotsk in Belarus, and also in Pskov region (Russia), German command carried out an anti-partisan operation under the name "Winterzauber" . German military police and ten Schutzmannschaft battalions, manned by Baltic and Ukrainian collaborators (273, 276, 277, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282-nd Latvian batallions, 2-nd Lithuanian, 50-th and 118-th Ukrainian) took part in operation. During this operation 158 settlements have been plundered and burnt down. The inhabitants of 8 villages were massacred. During the operation only in Belarus 3500 civilians have been killed and burnt alive, more than 1000 children are deported in the concentration camp of Salaspils (Latvia). Some thousand civilians were massacred in Russian Pskov region.

By March, 9, 1943 German Command created the 15-th Latvian grenadier division Waffen SS manned by 32.000 volunteers. The division was headed by Minister of Defence of Latvia Rudolf Bangerskis. In November, 1943 the division fighted against Soviet troops near Novosokolniki (Russia). This division has finished its way in April 1945, in Germany, having surrendered to the British.

19-th grenadier division Waffen SS (2-nd Latvian) has been created in March 1944. The division was at war on the Leningrad front.

Estonia

In the beginning of 1944 20-th Estonian grenadier division Waffen SS has been created. The division has been thrown in fight in the middle 1944 near Narva and has finished the way in May, 1945 in Czechoslovakia.

Soldiers of a division carried stripes with the Estonian national colors and images of three lions.

Lithuania

The Lithuanian collaborators (headed by Klimajtis) during the first Kaunas pogrom, on the night of June 26, 1941, killed more than 1500 Jews.

In 1941-1942 German Command created tventy two Lithuanian Schuma-batallions, manned by volunteers.

The Lithuanian battalions took part in punitive operations in territory of Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine, in executions of lithuanian Jews. Nazis and Lithuanian collaborators (battalion headed by Klimaitis) killed 80.000 Jews and Russian POWs in the Ninth Kaunas Fort, 35.000 in the Sixth Fort, 8.000 in the Seventh Fort.

2-nd Lithuanian battalion under command of major Antanas Impuljavichjus has been organized in 1941 in Kaunas. On October, 6, 1941 the battalion has started service in Belarus (Minsk, Borisov and Slutsk regions) to fight against the Soviet guerrillas. In Minsk the battalion shot about 9.000 Soviet POWs, massacred 5.000 Jews in Slutsk. In March, 1942 in Poland the 2-nd Lithuanian battalion carried out convoy service in concentration camp Majdanek.

In July, 1942 2-nd Lithuanian battalion partecipated in deportation of Jews from the Warsaw ghetto in camp of death.

In August - October, 1942 the Lithuanian battalions were in territory of Ukraine: 3-rd - in Molodechno, 4-th - in Donetsk, 7-th-в in Vinnitsa, 11-th- in Korosten, 16-th - in Dnepropetrovsk, 254-th - in Poltava, and 255-th - in Mogilyov (Belarus).

In February - March, 1943 2-nd Lithuanian battalion participated the large antiguerrilla action "Winterzauber" in Belarus, cooperating with several Latvian and 50-th Ukrainian Schuma-batallions. Schuma-batallions burnt down villages suspected in support of Soviet partisans.

3-rd Lithuanian battalion took part in antiguerrilla operation "Marsh fever Southwest", carried out in Baranovich, Berezov, Ivatsevich, Slonim and Ljahovich regions of Belarus in interaction with 24-th Latvian battalion.