Who are these guys with fur cap?

[Xingbake]

Russia solider in German army??

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/rona4.jpg

[mustamato]

Russia solider in German army??

Why not. They had many volunteers from Soviet Union, I´ve read that the
worst atrocities during the uprising in Warszawa was done by these volunteers,
and not actually germans.

[Dalleer]

I recently read about these Russian "Cossacks" that volunteered into the German army during Barbarossa. So it's not really a big "phenomenon" at all, it seems...

http://www.thuringenmilitaria.com/pictures/cossackhat.jpg

Here's a "Papashka" that they wore.

[stateofequilibrium]

Yeah.. didn't they amount to an entire division or something?

The Nazi's also had Indian troops.

And apparently a Korean who was previously a Soviet Fighter and previously a Japanese Soldier :-\

[Hullebullen]

These guys are Cossacks not russians, I believe - but from the soviet union...

[Xingbake]

Yeah.. didn't they amount to an entire division or something?

The Nazi's also had Indian troops.

And apparently a Korean who was previously a Soviet Fighter and previously a Japanese Soldier :-\Are you talking about this poorguy? :lol: :lol:

http://top81.qzwww.com/upfile/20042112229240.jpg

[Hullebullen]

...they had an arab unit as well...

[tony6]

Why not. They had many volunteers from Soviet Union, I´ve read that the worst atrocities during the uprising in Warszawa was done by these volunteers, and not actually germans.
Actually-there were Ukrainians troops.
Also there was a Dirlewanger's brigade of criminals (rapers, murderers, etc.) - they were real bests (even German commanders were demanding to withdraw them from the battle).

There's very good site (Polish language only) with tons of information about Warsaw 1944 uprising:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/

For example-here You have approximately numbers of civilians killed in street executions:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/zbrodnie_w_powstaniu_tabele.htm

[ArmedPacifist]

...they had an arab unit as well...

Yes, quite strange seeing a man with a turban in the German uniform.
1st Mullah they called them.

[REMOV]

Actually-there were Ukrainians troops.Nope. It was 29th Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (russische Nr 1) better known as RONA - Russkaya Ovsoboditelnaya Narodnaya Armija (Russian Army of National Liberation or Russian People's Liberation Army) also called Kaminski's Brigade or SS-Sturmbrigade RONA. They were multinational unit which served many nationalities from Soviet Union but Poles often took them for Ukrainians.

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/rona4.jpg
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/rona1.jpg

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa4/kaminski_bronislav.jpg
Waffen-Brigadeführer B. W. Kaminski


The formation of the brigade began in the town of Lokot, Brasovsky district, Orlov region, in autumn 1942. By the end of 1942 its strength was 10.000 persons and consisted of 14 rifle battalions, armored- division, anti-aircraft battery, destructive company and curfew platoon. Each battalion consisted of 4 rifle companies, mortar and artillery platoons. The armored-division had 8 tanks (KV, two T-34, three BT-7, two BT-5), 3 armored troop carriers (BA-10, two BA-20), 2 tankettes, cars and motor-cycles. B.V.Kaminsky was at the head of the brigade. The brigade was given a free hand and soon cleared from partisans large territory. The 2nd tank army command was satisfied and reorganized the Lokot district into uyezd and later into okrug with 8 districts
of Orlov and Kursk regions in it. Broneslav Kaminsky became oberburgomaster and called his troops Russian Liberation People's Army (in Russian -- RONA). By August the 1st, 1943 it was armed with 500 machine-guns, 40 mortars, about 30 field and anti-tank guns, 10 tanks of various types, armored troop carriers, 2 tankettes and 3 anti-aircraft guns. RONA ensured security during the harvesting, escorted the food special trains, guarded railways and provided the punitive operations in partisan zones. They using often typical Kossacks hats.

n March 1943 RONA took part in the fighting against Red Army attack and suffered essential losses. In July its 5th regiment was passed to German unit and was put into action near Dmitrovsk-Orlovsky. By the end of August the situation in Lokot district became threatening and B.Kaminsky ordered to evacuate RONA and civilians to Byelorussia, the town of Lepel, Vitebsk region. The mission of the brigade in Byelorussia was to guard the rear services of the 3rd tank army. By that time the cases of transition on the partisan side became more frequent and at the beginning of 1944 RONA moved to the town of Djatlovo, Western Byelorussia. In spring 1944 the Germans conducted some anti-partisan operations in the region between Minsk and Lepel. The Kaminsky brigade took part in 'Regensschauer' and 'Frulingsfest' operations. It was included in the complement of fighting group headed by oberggruppenfuhrer SS
Gottberg and had the status of assault brigade. It attacked and with great success on the most difficult sector of the front. B.Kaminsky was decorated with Iron Cross of I degree. The brigade was included in the complement of SS troops and expanded into 29th SS Grenadiers division. Kaminsky received the rank of the brigadenfuhrer SS.

In August 1944 some RONA volunteers came to Warsaw headed by obersturmbannfuhrer Frolov. Their mission was to put down a rising. The brigade sufered great losses during the operation. The discipline began to fall. On the 19th of August the SS tribunal convicted Kaminsky for violance against civilians and robbery and he was executed by shooting. The rest of the Frolov brigade was forced out of Warsaw. In the middle of October the brigade was disarmed and sent to Munsingen where it was included into ROA.

[tony6]

Your right-technically it was Russian unit but many Ukrainians served in this brigade.

[XASA]

[quote]Also there was a Dirlewanger's brigade of criminals (rapers, murderers, etc.) - they were real bests (even German commanders were demanding to withdraw them from the battle).

There's very good site (Polish language only) with tons of information about Warsaw 1944 uprising:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/

For example-here You have approximately numbers of civilians killed in street executions:
http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/zbrodnie_w_powstaniu_tabele.htm

Dirlewanger's unit was a originally a penal battalion that initially enlisted poachers and minor criminals from concentration camps to fight insurgents in Poland and Russia. They were probably the most vicious German unit ever fielded. As noted, their actions in putting down the Warsaw uprising appalled even the German Army although Dirlewanger did win the Knights Cross for his actions. He was captured and beaten to death by Free Poles while in captivity.

[Dave the Dawg]

Caption notwithstanding, the top two pictures REMOV shows are not of RONA, but of the ROA, the Russian Army of Liberation. Note the ROA patch with the Cross of St. Andrew, and compare it to the RONA patch worn by Kaminski with the Cross of St. George.

Despite its name, the ROA was not a separate "army" until the final stages of the war (when it was designated the VS-KONR, or Armed Forces of the Russian Committee for National Liberation). For most of its history, it was an administrative designation for the 500,000+ Russians forming so-called Ostbataillonen, or Eastern battalions, spread out among German units as volunteers. Also, many of these units had been moved to occupation duty in France and elsewhere beginning in October 1943.

The Cossacks, who would eventually form a two-division corps (the XV Cossack Cavalry Corps), were not part of ROA or RONA. Nor were the Turkic troops of the 162. Infanterie-Division or the other various ethnic legions raised on the Russian Front. Nor were the various SS units raised later in the war when the SS' race criteria were thrown out the window.

[duck]

Would any of the Russian members have more on Cossack history? I have the image of them being Russian "cowboys" and sources of law & order in the furthest outposts of the Empire. Persecuted under communism and after 1991 again able to live their lifestyle.

[Dave the Dawg]

Two more ROA pics, from the well-put together but slow-to-load site of Igor Jemeljanenko: http://www.ostbataillon.fromru.com/

http://www.ostbataillon.fromru.com/pharch9.gif

http://www.ostbataillon.by.ru/ROA1.gif

[fantassin]

The Waffen SS
Cossack Units in the Service of the Axis Powers
by Michael W. Lenz

During the 19th century the Don Cossacks became elite cavalry troops in the Russian army and they were often used to suppress peasant unrest and urban disturbances. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 they sought to re-establish political autonomy and fought on the side of the White Russian armies. By 1900, Cossack men wore distinctive military uniforms, with long coats, bullet pouches, and tall Caucasian hats. Invariably they fought on horseback. Strongly independent, the Cossacks, especially the largest contingent along the Don, were bitterly opposed Bolshevism and collectivization and a million of them are estimated to have died in resistance to the Communist system. The Soviet regime disbanded the Don Cossack army units (they were reconstituted during World War II, however) and, from 1929, broke up their communities through the process of collectivization. This was the main reason for so many Cossacks fighting for the German cause during W.W.II. They were mostly involved in anti-partisan warfare and proved invaluable on many occasions. Such was there hatred for communism a large proportion of volunteers came forward to fight alongside the Germans- in all well over 200,000 volunteers came forward.

Cossack troops in the Service of the German Army recieving decorations

Organisation of the Cossack Units in the Service of the German Army

1. Kosaken-Division(August 1943 - November 1944) "1st Cossacks-Division"

1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division(December 1944 - May 1945) "1st Cossacks-Cavalry-Division)"

After forming the division was brought to Yugoslavia in the region of the Fruska Gora in the west of Belgrad. Protection of the railway Belgrad-Zagreb/Agram. Fightings against partisans in Croatia, Bosnia & Serbia. Front-line division in the region of Mohac - Esseg, the river Drau, area of Fünfkirchen. Retreat to Carinthia to the area of Vöcklermarkt. Surrendered to British troops.

2. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division(December 1944 - May 1945) "2nd Cossacks-Cavalry-Division)"

Defending the region of Tuzla - Gradec - Vinkovci - Osijek. Fighting around the town of Virovitica. Small offensive crossing the Drau to Barcs (The first and only Cavallry charge made at night in the history of warfare! This charge (which was made with drawn sabres was led by Major MACH (KC on 30/04/1945). Fighting against Russian and Bulgarian troops. Retreat to the area south of Varazdin. Retreat back to northwest crossing the Drau to Lavamünd/Carinthia. Surrendered in the area round of Sankt Veit.

3. Kosaken-Schützen-Brigade(Plastun) (? - May 1945) "3rd Cossacks-Infantry (Plastun)-Brigade)"

XV. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps (December 1944 - January 1945) "15th Cossacks-Cavalry-Corps"

The XV.Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps was formally transformed into the Waffen-SS on 27/12/1944. But in a list of the Waffen-SS on the 20/12/1944 the XV.Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps was already in the Waffen-SS. The SS in the title was added only from the 01/02/1945.

XV. SS-Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps (1st February 1945 - 27th April 1945) "15th SS-Cossacks-Cavalry-Corps"

? Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps (April 1945 - May 1945) transformed out of the Waffen SS into the ROA (VLASSOV's Army])


Lehr- u. Ersatz Regiment(August 1943 - ??? ) "Training & Replacements-Regiment"

Kosaken Ausbildungs u. Ersatzregiment(??? - February 1944) "Cossacks-Training- &
Replacements-Regiment

Freiwilligen(Kosaken)-Stamm-Regiment 5(February 1944 - ???)/Freiwilligen-Stamm-Division
"Volunteer(Cossacks)-????-Regiment" of the "Volunteer-????-Division"


The units which where used to form the 1. Kosaken-Division were:
(August 1943)

Kavallerie-Abteilung 'Fürst von Urach': *11/05/1942 by Kommando rückwärtige
Dienste at the Don;
Kavallerie-Regiment 'Fürst von Urach': *15/08/1942 from KavAbt 'FvU'
Kavallerie-Regiment 'von Jungschul(t)z': *26/08/1942 from KavRgt 'FvU' (CO
was LtCol v. JUNGSCHUL(T)Z)
OoB: 5-7 mounted squadrons(each w/ 6 mortars, 2 a/t guns)
Kosaken-Regiment 1 'von Jungschul(t)z': *15/02/1943 from KavRgt 'vJ' (CO was
LtCol v. JUNGSCHUL(T)Z)
Reiter-Regiment 3 'Sswodno/Swodnyi': *01/06/1943 from KosRgt 1 'vJ' (CO was LtCol v.
JUNGSCHUL(T)Z)
Kuban-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 3/1.Kosaken-Division


Reiter-Verband 'von Pannwitz': *15/11/1942 at the Heeres-Gruppe A in the Caucasus (CO was Col v. PANNWITZ)
Stab/1. Kosaken-Division
Kosaken-Regiment 'Platow': *28/07/1942 in the Caucasus (CO was Maj THOMSEN)
OoB: 5 mounted squadrones(each with 2-4 x 8,2cm mortars)
1 heavy squadron (4 x 4,5cm a/t guns, 4 x 12cm mortars)
1 artillery squadron( 4 x 7,62cm guns, 2 x 12,2cm howiters)
1 replacement squadron
Ural-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2/1. Kosaken-Division

Kosaken-Regiment 120/102: *??/??/1942 (CO was Maj/LtCol KONONOFF)
Kosaken-Abteilung 600: * ??/12/1942 at the Heeres-Gruppe Mitte (CO was Maj/LtCol KONONOFF)
Don-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 5/1. Kosaken-Division

Units underlined were used for forming 1st Cossacks-Division

means this was the formed unit in the 1st Cossacks-Division

1. Kosaken-Division
(04/08/1943 - 27/11/1944)

CO was Generalmajor von PANNWITZ
Ia was Oberstleutnant von SCHULTZ
Ib was Major ROJAHN
Ic was Major Graf zu ELTZ
IIa was Rittmeister HIMMINGHOFEN
III was Kriegsgerichtsrat Dr. MÜLLER
IVa was Intendanturrat HECHT
IVb was Oberstabsarzt d.R. Dr GRASS
IVc was Stabsveterinär Dr. SCHWERDTFEGER


Aufklärungs-Abteilung 55 (was the only full-German unit!)
CO: Rittmeister WEIL, Friedrich-Wilhelm (04/44 - 11/44)

Kosaken-Pionier-Bataillon 1
11/01/1944 Kosaken-Pionier-Bataillon 55
CO: Major JANS (08/43 - 10/44)

Kosaken-Nachrichten-Abteilung 1
11/01/1944 Kosaken-Nachrichten-Abteilung 55
CO: Hauptmann SCHNEIDER (08/43 - 01/44)
Hauptmann SCHMIDT, Karl-Günther (01/44 - 11/44)

Kosaken-Sanitäts-Abteilung 1
11/01/1944 Kosaken-Sanitäts-Abteilung 55
CO: Oberstabsarzt Dr. GRASS (08/43 - 11/44)

Kdr.Div.Nachschubtruppen 1.KosD
11/01/1944 Kdr.Div.(or der KosD)Nachschubtruppen 55
CO: Rittmeister BRÖCKER (08/43 - 11/44)


Lehr- und Ausbildungs-Regiment der 1. Kosaken-Division
01/02/1944 Freiwilligen(Kosaken)-Stamm-Regiment 5/Freiwilligen-Stamm-Division
CO: Oberstleutnant von WEDEL, Rüdiger (08/43 - 02/44)
Oberst von BOSSE (02/44 - 02/45)
I. Kosaken-Reiter-Brigade Don
11/01/1944 1. Kosaken-Brigade (Don)
CO: Oberstleutnant Freiherr von WOLFF, Hans (08/43 - 01/44)
Oberst von BAATH, Hans-Gert (01/44 - 11/44)

Don-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 1
CO: Oberstleutnant Burggraf zu DOHNA (08/43 - 01/44)
Oberst WAGNER, Constantin (01/44 - 11/44)

Ural-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2
24/08/1943 Sibir-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2
CO: Oberstleutnant Freiherr von NOCKEN (08/43 - 11/44)

Kuban-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 3 "Sswodnyj"
CO: Oberstleutnant JUNGSCHUL(T)Z von ROEBERN (08/43 - 11/44)
11/01/1944 attached to 2. Kosaken-Brigade (Kaukasus)

I./reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Don
11/01/1944 reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Don I./ Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 55
27/04/1944 reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Kuban ?./Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 55
CO: Major GOETZ or Hauptmann von EISENHART-ROTHE


II. Kosaken-Reiter-Brigade Kaukasus
11/01/1944 2. Kosaken-Brigade (Kaukasus)
CO: Oberst von BOSSE (08/43 - 01/44)
Oberstleutnant von SCHULTZ, Hans-Joachim (01/44 - 11/44)

Kuban-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 4
CO: Oberstleutnant Freiherr von WOLFF, Paul (08/43 - 07/44)
Oberstleutnant von KLEIN (07/44 - 11/44)
11/01/1944 attached to 1. Kosaken-Brigade (Don)

Don-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 5
CO: Oberstleutnant KONONOW (08/43 - 11/44)

Terek-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 6
CO: Major von KALBEN, Heinrich-Detloff (08/43 - 06/44 and 07/44 - 10/44)
Oberstleutnant BASSENSPILLER (06/44 - 07/44)
Oberstleutnant Prinz zu SALM-HORSTMAR, Karl Walrad (10/44 - 11/44)

I./reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Kuban
11/01/1944 reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Kuban II./ Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 55
27/04/1944 reitende Kosaken-Artillerie-Abteilung Don ?./Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 55
CO: Hauptmann BORNEMANN, H. (08/43 - 09/44)
Major Graf von KOTTULINSKY, Jaroslaw (09/44 - 11/44)

XV.Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps
(27/11/1944 - 25/02/1945)

XV.SS-Kosaken-Kavallerie-Korps
(25/02/1945 - 27/04/1945)

28/04/45 transformed into the ROA (VLASSOV's Army)

CO was Generalleutnant von PANNWITZ
Chief of Staff was Oberstleutnant i.G. von STEINSDORFF
Ia was Rittmeister d.R. Graf von SCHWEINITZ
Ib was Major i.G. SCHNEIDER
Ic was Major Graf zu ELTZ
IIa was Major HIMMINGHOFEN
III was Kriegsgerichtsrat Dr. MÜLLER
IVa was Intendanturrat HECHT
IVb was Oberfeldarzt d.R. Dr GRASS
IVc was Oberstabsveterinär Dr. SCHWERDTFEGER


Aufklärungs-Abteilung 55 (was the only full-German unit!)
CO: Major WEIL, Friedrich-Wilhelm

Kosaken-Pionier-Bataillon 55
CO: Major JANS

Kosaken-Nachrichten-Abteilung 55
CO: Hauptmann SCHMIDT, Karl-Günther

Kosaken-Sanitäts-Abteilung 55
CO: Oberfeldarzt Dr. GRASS


Kosaken Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Regiment
CO: Oberstleutnant STABANOW (02/45 - 05/45)

1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division (27/11/1944 - 08/05/1945)

CO: Oberst WAGNER (11/44 - 01/45)
Oberst KÖRNER (02/45 - 03/45)
Oberst WAGNER (03/45 - 05/45)

Don-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 1
CO: Major DIENENTHAL (11/44 - 01/45)
Oberst WAGNER (02/45 - 03/45)
Major DIENENTHAL (03/45 - 05/45)

Sibir-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 2
CO: Oberst Freiherr von NOCKEN

Kuban-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 4
CO: Oberstleutnant von KLEIN

Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 1
CO: Major von EISENHART-ROTHE

2. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division (27/11/1944 - 08/05/1945)

CO: Oberst von SCHULTZ, Hans-Joachim

Kuban-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 3
CO: Oberstleutnant d.R. LEHMANN

Don-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 5
forming the 3.Kosaken-Schützen/Infanterie[Plastun]-Brigade
newly formed from 2 independent Cossack-Battallions
CO: Oberst von RENTELN ???
Oberstleutnant BORRISSOW ???
Major Graf zu ELTZ

Terek-Kosaken-Reiter-Regiment 6
CO: Oberstleutnant Prinz zu SALM-HORSTMAR, Karl Walrad (10/44 - 11/44)

Kosaken-Artillerie-Regiment 2
CO: Major Graf von KOTTULINSKY, Jaroslaw (09/44 - 11/44)


·3.Kosaken-Schützen/Infanterie[Plastun]-Brigade (02/45 - 05/45)

CO: Oberst KONONOW
Oberst von RENTELN
Oberstleutnant BORRISSOW

Kosaken-Schützen/Infanterie[Plastun]-Regiment 7
CO: Oberstleutnant BORRISSOW

Kosaken-Schützen/Infanterie[Plastun]-Regiment 8
CO: Major Sacharow

COSSACKS in the Italian 8th Army:

In September 1942 a battallion of Cossacks was formed witn the Italian 8th Army. It was called "Gruppo Autonomo Cossacchi Savoia". This battallion returned with the Italians back to Italy in 1943. In Italy they formed 2 Cavalry-Squadrons with the Regiment "Lanzieri Novara". The Cossacks wore traditional Cossack costume and Russian uniforms. On the right upper arm was a chevron in white/blue/red (the Imperial Russian colors). The "Italian" Cossacks were absorbed into the "Kazacij stan" of MajGen DOMANOV (a "German" unit) This "Kazacij stan" was in the near of Tolmezzo/Northern Italy.



Translations:

Kavallerie-Abteilung ......... Cavalry-Battallion/Section
("Abteilung" were used for cavalry, artillery, signal troops...)

Kavallerie-Regiment ......... Cavalry-Regiment

Reiter-Regiment ........ Mounted-Regiment

Reiter-Verband ........ Mounted-Unit

[Dave the Dawg]

Several articles (in Russian) and a number of photos of Cossacks in the Wehrmacht may be seen here: http://www.geocities.com/terek_kaz/kgw.html

I tried linking to the photos but they don't come up; I assume this is a Geocities thing.

[khukuri]

I wrote about this in another topic.

From what i remember som eof the russian soildiers were called hiwis, which stands for hilfschwillige (volunteers-worker?)

In the book stalingrad they mention this alot. He dont only mention kossacks and people from souther russia but also "normal" russians.

[Russian Texan]

In a nutshell:
There were some russians, ukranians and others who were unhappy with the USSR and aided germans during the war. The roots of this issue go back to the Civil war: reds vs whites. Whites, despite Antanta's help, lost. Those who supported whites saw WW2 as an opportunity to overthrow bolsheviks, they believed that Germany will give them back their lands taken away during "collectivization" by bolsheviks. Plus there were some (I think couple hundred thousand) criminals who were released from prisons by germans and decided to join them.
Support for germans was especially strong in the western Ukraine (extremely nationalistic, anti-russian region).
Anyway you look at it, jews had it the worst: germans wanted to eliminate them, ukranians hated them, russians didn't trust them. They were screwed from all sides. Speaking of kossaks: I don't remember where exactly but I read an article by ex german officer where he stated that cossaks and western ukranians rivaled and exceeded germans in their hatred for jews.

[khukuri]

In a nutshell:
There were some russians, ukranians and others who were unhappy with the USSR and aided germans during the war. The roots of this issue go back to the Civil war: reds vs whites. Whites, despite Antanta's help, lost. Those who supported whites saw WW2 as an opportunity to overthrow bolsheviks, they believed that Germany will give them back their lands taken away during "collectivization" by bolsheviks. Plus there were some (I think couple hundred thousand) criminals who were released from prisons by germans and decided to join them.
Support for germans was especially strong in the western Ukraine (extremely nationalistic, anti-russian region).
Anyway you look at it, jews had it the worst: germans wanted to eliminate them, ukranians hated them, russians didn't trust them. They were screwed from all sides. Speaking of kossaks: I don't remember where exactly but I read an article by ex german officer where he stated that cossaks and western ukranians rivaled and exceeded germans in their hatred for jews.

From what I read is that some fled from the cruel treating they recieved from the NKVD. <--- Soviet Military Police ?

[Russian Texan]

NKVD wasn't known for their manners but I do not think/know that they have contributed.

[Marmot1]

NKVD wasn't known for their manners but I do not think/know that they have contributed.

Hmm in poland it was widely known just like CzeKa before NKVD... and later KGB....

[Russian Texan]

NKVD wasn't known for their manners but I do not think/know that they have contributed.

Hmm in poland it was widely known just like CzeKa before NKVD... and later KGB....

You mean NKVD behaved like a gentleman in Poland? Lucky you.

[REMOV]

NKVD. <--- Soviet Military Police ?Good joke...

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NKVD

The NKVD, or Narodnij Kommisariat Vnutrennih Del - People's Commisariat for Interior Affairs, was the name for the political police in the USSR in one of the stages of its development.

The NKVD was created in early 1918 to handle policing and internal affairs. However, it did not obtain state security functions until it took over the OGPU in July 1934. State security functions were then handled by the NKVD's GUGB ("Glavnoe Upravlenie Gosudarstvennoe Bezopasnosti" or Main Directorate of State Security). On 8 February 1941, the Special Sections of the NKVD (responsible for counter-intelligence in the military) were given to the Army and Navy (NKO and NKVMF) where they became the SMERSH (from Smert' Shpionam or "Death to Spies"). In April 1943, GUGB was removed from NKVD and renamed NKGB.

During World War II, NKVD units were used for rear area security, including halting deserters. On "liberated" territory the NKVD and NKGB carried out mass arrest and deportations, at times forcibly resettling entire populations (650,000+ Crimean Tatars, Chechens, Ingush, and others) or significant parts (Lithuanians, Poles) to Central Asia and Siberia. In 1946, the NKVD was transformed into the MVD. The MVD in turn evolved into the KGB.

The organization and responsibility of the NKVD was similar to Nazi Germany's Gestapo.

[REMOV]

NKVD wasn't known for their manners but I do not think/know that they have contributed.Hmm in poland it was widely known just like CzeKa before NKVD... and later KGB....Ekhm... Marmot1, read Russian Texas sentence again slowly, ok? ;)

[MAGNETO[PL]]

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/rona4.jpg
The first person on left was father's Vladimir Putin. In August 1944 He was in Warsaw.

[REMOV]

]The first person on left was father's Vladimir Putin. In August 1944 He was in Warsaw.It was just a tabloid speculation. Never confirmed.

[Tygryssek]

In 44 Warsaw 'grunts" in furry caps gives painfully death for the wounded mebers of Warsaw Uprising. When germans can't do the most cruel atrocities they sent Vlasov's grunts to kill and rape Warsavians (in Wola hospitals too). They were German' sent cruel those f*** who killed raped and robbed more Polish fighting people and civilians.

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/rona4.jpg

They were planning with Nazis another massacre in Warsaw hospital :-*$

[Chmiel]

http://wilk.wpk.p.lodz.pl/~whatfor/aa5/handschar1.jpg
muslims from 13. Waffen-Gebirgs Division der SS "Handschar"
look at their caps - it's call "fez", i think

[Brzeczyszczykiewicz]

The first person on left was father's Vladimir Putin. In August 1944 He was in Warsaw.

And I thought that my English is poor... ;)