Siegrunen 81

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Siegrunen
Number 81 — Fall 2009
Siegrunen
Vol. XIV No. 1 — Whole Number 81 — Fall 2009
(32nd Year of Publication)
First Edition published by Merriam Press in 2010
Second Edition (2012)
Copyright © 2010 by Richard W. Landwehr, Jr.

Book design by Ray Merriam
Additional material copyright of named contributors.
All rights reserved.
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ISBN 978-1477530344
Siegrunen #SR81-P
Siegrunen is published by
Richard W. Landwehr, Jr.

P.O. Box 6718
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A full list of back issues and other publications is available upon request.
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2 SIEGRUNEN #81
Contents
Preface .................................................................................................................. 5
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS Boris Jankaus
and the Latvian Commando Troops of the Waffen-SS ............................. 10
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS Peteris Cevers ............................................. 15
Waffen-Obersturmführer der SS Teodors Kalnajs ............................................ 20
Flemish Waffen-SS Officers and Volunteers ..................................................... 24
The Convalescent Company of the SS-Freiwilligenlegion “Flandern” ........... 38
Flemish Guardsmen to Waffen-SS Soldiers ....................................................... 41
Dutch Waffen-SS Miscellany ............................................................................. 44
Waffen-SS Miscellany......................................................................................... 50
Norwegian Officers of the Waffen-SS ............................................................... 53
Icelandic Volunteers of the Waffen-SS .............................................................. 58
An Ethnic German Winner of the Knight’s Cross:
SS-Oberscharführer Stefan Strapatin .......................................................... 61
Caught Behind the Lines ................................................................................... 64
Notes on the 32nd SS Grenadier Division “30 Januar” ...................................... 66
SS Division “Nord” at Salla: The Anatomy of a Disaster ................................ 73
Waffen-SS Flak (Air Defense) Troops: An Overview ...................................... 97
SS Flak Detachment 13 and SS Corps Flak Detachment 509,
IX. SS Mountain Corps ............................................................................ 111
Led by a Traitor! .............................................................................................. 118
An Unknown Waffen-SS Knight’s Cross Holder:
SS-Obersturmführer Adolf Obschil ......................................................... 121
Waffen-SS Personalities.................................................................................... 125
International Waffen-SS Volunteers: A Photo Portfolio................................ 138
Waffen-SS Insignia ........................................................................................... 143
SIEGRUNEN #81 3
Title Page
A Finnish Waffen-SS officer candidate relaxing at SS-Junkerschule

“Tölz” (Erik Rundkvist).
On the Covers
FRONT COVER
SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche by the highly esteemed mili-

tary artist Ramiro Bujeiro.
BACK COVER
Two Waffen-SS color photos. Top: Street fighting. Bottom: An SS War

Correspondent with a motion picture camera.
4 SIEGRUNEN #81
Preface
I
T has been over thirty-three years since Siegrunen first appeared in
1976; at the time I was 27 and had been writing about the Waffen-
SS for five years previously in other publications. I am now 60 and
a rather big part of a lifetime had gone by, swiftly I might add, since I
first started this! I still have (I hope) quite a few years to go for both
myself and this publication. When SR was started the published mate-
rial available on the Waffen-SS was still somewhat limited and much of
it was biased and distorted. It was my hope to get more information on
the subject in print in a hopefully, fair and non-prejudicial manner. I
never considered the members of the Waffen-SS to be “criminals” then
or now, but rather brave and noble warriors against the forces of the
true international tyranny, communism and its conjoined twin, preda-
tory capitalism. As such I thought that they were worthy of far better
“media” treatment than they had received (and still do).
The only thing that has changed over the years is that a much larger
amount of factual and documentary material has appeared on the sub-
ject of the Waffen-SS. Much of it is however still extremely biased and
marred by leftist “political correctness.” A good many of the authors
and historians in the English language at least, proved to be scoundrels
of one sort or another, using the subject matter for their own ends
while posturing under “noble” false images. I won’t name names, alt-
hough I very much could. A lot of these people “befriended” Waffen-
SS veterans while making deals with “Nazi hunters” and other undesir-
ables on the side. And they are still doing it. In our present day era,
where personal honor and decency is all but non-existent, some of the-
se swine are still profiteering under false pretenses.
Well I will have nothing to do with them ever. What you get here is
at least honest and done with the best of intentions and there is abso-
lutely no collaboration with the enemy under any circumstances! The
only people I owe anything to are those I write about. In
SIEGRUNEN they will always be treated with honesty and respect
and as much accuracy as I can muster. If anything false appears here it
is not intentional, believe me!
I hope you will enjoy our latest book-length issue. There is some
unique material and photos that you will not find elsewhere covering a
SIEGRUNEN #81 5
wide spectrum of the European volunteer units of the Waffen-SS. My
intent is to keep going as long as I can and I have no shortage of ar-
chival material to work with. So my thanks for your continued sup-
port and interest!
With few exceptions I have not kept up with many of the current
books being published about the Waffen-SS, but I did splurge and buy
a copy of Latvian Legionnaires, a large scale photo-history about the
Latvian Waffen-SS published from veteran’s sources in Latvia. It is in
Latvian and English text, covers about 430 pages and probably has
1,000 + photos. The photos basically are in chronological segments
about specific units or topics. Anyway the material is quite good and
many of the photos are exceptional and most have never been pub-
lished before. It is by no means a definitive type history, but you can
follow the changing uniforms and insignia pretty well, as well as keep
track of some of the personalities.
I still really like the collarpatch of the 15th Latvian SS Division, de-
picting a national emblem of a sunburst with three stars, which for the
first time appears in use in quite a few photos. This depiction of this
national emblem was truly appropriate, looks good and seems to have
been generally issued to the division during its reformation in Pomera-
nia in the fall of 1944. It is also one of the few W-SS collarpatch designs
that I actually obtained an example of a great many years ago.
The price for the book was in the $70 range on the internet and
some Baltic area importers have it for sale in this country. There is a
CD of Latvian military music utilized by the Legionnaires also includ-
ed. All told it is a very nice book about a brave, effective and im-
portant component part of the Waffen-SS. Another pictorial work on
Estonian volunteers is also now out. But I haven’t seen it yet. It is a bit
more expensive I understand.
6 SIEGRUNEN #81
Richard W. Landwehr
N
ORMALLY I don’t wish to be self-indulgent, but this time
around I wish to dedicate this issue to the memory of my fa-
ther, Richard W. Landwehr (1921-2004). In the early part of
WWII he was actually the youngest officer in the entire U.S. Marine
Corps, having graduated from college a year earlier than most and hav-
ing gone directly into officer’s training school at Quantico. He served
at Guadalcanal, Bougainville (first day to last) and other points in the
Solomons before being badly wounded on Guam at the same time a
great battle was raging near Narva, Estonia, where the III.Germanic SS
Panzer Corps was engaged against the Red Army. Fortunately (for me
probably), his injuries took him out of the war since his outfit, the 3rd
Marine Amtrac Battalion was next slated for Iwo Jima. He did howev-
er go on to become a Marine Colonel after being reactivated in the Ko-
rean War. He was a good, decent, honest, fearless man who maintained
the respect of all who served with him to the end.
He came from a German emigrant family that had homesteaded
and successfully farmed a half-section of land (320 acres), in the far
northwest corner of Iowa, and he was also an athlete, coach, school
teacher, farmer and rancher. I owed him more than I could have ever
repaid. I probably got my deep interest in military history and rever-
ence for nature from him, not to mention a good set of traditional val-
SIEGRUNEN #81 7
ues and standards. He was very much the “typical” personification of
the breed of totally competent people who founded, built and defend-
ed this country. Unfortunately, according to our new Marxist rulers
and “educators,” they were “evil” invaders and oppressors. I think not.
A current Marine general called my father a “great man” upon his
death and I would not disagree with that assessment!
8 SIEGRUNEN #81
A student at the SS-Musikschule Braunschweig.
SIEGRUNEN #81 9
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS
Boris Jankaus and the
Latvian Commando
Troops of the Waffen-SS
O
NE of the founders of the Latvian SS Commando troops,
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS (Captain) Boris Jankaus was
born on 5 August 1915 in Latvia. During the 1930's he
worked as a radioman on a Latvian merchant freighter. After Latvia
had been liberated from Soviet occupation, Jankaus volunteered his
services to the German Security Police and SD (Sicherheitsdienst) in
September 1941. He was accepted with the rank of Sergeant and was
put to work as a radioman and an intelligence gatherer. His work was
so proficient that he was soon posted to the 8th Panzer Division of the
16th German Army as an intelligence operative.
In November 1942, Jankaus became an SD liaison man with a Cos-
sack volunteer unit, holding this post until January 1943 when he be-
came a platoon leader in the Reconnaissance Commando “Arajs” of the
Latvian Security Police Battalion IV which was located in the vicinity
of Nasswa and Cholm. Again his mission was to secure intelligence
about enemy (Soviet) operations, which sometimes involved behind
the lines surveillance. His work was so efficient that he was made an
SD officer (Untersturmführer or 2nd Lt.) and was made an adjutant on
the staff of SD-Sturmbannführer (Major) Dr. Manfred Pechau, who
command the SD in the “Ostland” Commissariat which included the
Baltic States and Byelorussia.
From June until December 1943, Jankaus attended an SD officer’s
training course held at the Hague, Netherlands. In December 1943 he
then became the orderly officer to the intelligence officer of SS-
Kampfgruppe “Jeckeln” which was then engaged in fighting partisans
behind the lines near Sebesck, Adriza and Osswesa. In February 1944
he became the intelligence officer of the 15.Waffen-Grenadier Division
der SS (Latvian Nr.1), a position he would hold for the next several
months.
10 SIEGRUNEN #81
Latvian SS volunteers training in Riga on 13 September 1943 before
the Inspector of the Latvian Waffen-SS, Waffen-Gruppenführer der SS
Bangerskis.
By the autumn of 1944 it was decided to form a number of Latvian

commando units in the province of Kurland, the only Latvian territo-
ry then held by the Germans and their European allies. Waf.-Ustuf.
Jankaus was named to take charge of the main Latvian commando
force which came under the auspices of SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto
Skorzeny’s SS Jagdverbände “Ost.” Some 1,000 to 1,200 Latvians from
the SD, the Waffen-SS, police and home-guard units, volunteered for
the commando troops and they were soon gathered in several farm
buildings near the town of Dravas.
The idea was to form them into small operational units for various
missions. Some would be airdropped behind Soviet lines in occupied
Latvia, (Livland and Latgale Provinces) to act as spies (with radio sets)
and saboteurs while others would carry out security duties behind the
German lines against communist terrorists and infiltrators. A great
deal of importance was assigned to the task of training these men and
Boris Jankaus soon found himself promoted to Waffen-Hstuf., skip-
ping over the rank of Waffen-Obersturmführer in the process.
One of the first Latvian SS commando squads, known as Gruppe 15
and led by Waf.-Ustuf. Leon Krusts was soon airdropped behind the
SIEGRUNEN #81 11
enemy lines in the Reziekine area to try and begin a small scale parti-
san movement. Gruppe 15 had a net strength of 15 men to do the job!
Once deployed however they were out of contact with the German
side and had to function very much on their own. Those that survived
would later join up with the post-war “Brothers of the Woods” parti-
san groups that battled the Red occupation authorities.
Latvian Waffen-SS
troops manning a
defensive trench line
in 1944.
The Latvian SS commandos operated under the overall direction of

the SD in Hohensalza under Army Group “North.” The German liai-
son officer was SD-Hstuf. Griese with the intelligence officer being the
Latvian SD officer Ervins Tirumnieks. The basic operational unit was
a “gruppe” (group or squad) and by early 1945 there were some 60 de-
ployed “groups” plus some that were still operating behind the enemy
lines. 15 “groups” were stationed in the Godingen District, 21 in the
Talsen District, 11 in the Tukkums District, 2 “groups” near
Hasenpoth, 10 “groups” around Windau and 1 “group” was in
Libau/Lipaja. The sizes of the “groups” varied from roughly 3 to 6
dozen men in each. Their weaponry tended to be captured Russian
arms. The Latvian commandos also adopted their own symbol which
showed the head of a wildcat in a circle surrounded by the phrase
“Wildcats are death to Bolsheviks” in Latvian.
With the German surrender on 8 May 1945, the Latvian SS com-
mando troops dispersed with reasonable success to the forests and
countryside, where, along with many other Latvian soldiers, they
would wage a guerrilla war against the Soviet occupiers for several
years to come. Gradually, the special Soviet NKVD troops, operating
with the assistance of local traitors and informants, hunted down most
of the freedom fighters, capturing or killing them. Waf.-Hstuf. Jankaus
and the commando staff had formed their own unit in the woods to
12 SIEGRUNEN #81
carry on the armed resistance, but they didn’t last as long as some of
the others. On 29 January 1947 an informant led the Red secret police
troops to the hidden earthen bunker that Jankaus and his troops oper-
ated from near Varme in the Goldingen District. They surrounded the
area and captured or killed most of the commandos as they attempted
to escape. Jankaus was badly wounded and taken prisoner.
A Latvian SS
volunteer circa
1943. At that
time the national
armshield was
still being worn
on the right
sleeve and
Waffen-SS runic
collar patches
were in use.
(Keith
Loughmiller Col-
lection).
Boris Jankaus was subsequently sentenced to 25 years hard labor in

Siberia and sometime in 1948 or 1949 a report circulated that he was
killed while trying to escape from a slave labor facility in the “Far
East.” The Latvian commandos turned out to be more important to
the post-war resistance movement than they were to the actual war
effort, since they were created too late in the war to be very effective.
After Latvia regained its independence many of the survivors have re-
SIEGRUNEN #81 13
ceived recognition for their deeds while the fallen members have had
their names engraved on memorials.
Another Latvian
volunteer.
As of July 16, 1941, the Main Veterinary “Park” of the Waffen-SS was
located in Warsaw with the Horse Hospital of the Waffen-SS being
located in Radom/Wacyn, Poland/General Government. The Home-
land Horse Park of the Waffen-SS, which processed incoming mounts
and draft animals was located in Braunschweig, Germany.
14 SIEGRUNEN #81
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS
Peteris Cevers
Waf.-Hstuf. Cevers wearing the Latvian “fire cross” collarpatch.
P
ETERIS Cevers was born on 9 January 1914 in the vicinity of
Barava in the eastern Latvian district of Rezekine. After com-
pleting his basic education, Cevers studied law at the University
of Riga. It was while there that he decided to become a professional
soldier so he broke off his legal studies and obtained admittance to the
Latvian National Military Academy. In 1937 he graduated and was
made a 2nd Lieutenant in the Latvian Army.
When the Soviet Union invaded Latvia in 1940, Cevers was serving
as a 1st Lt. and platoon leader with the 1st Latvian Mounted Regiment
in Dünaburg. Rather than be captured by the communists, he went
into hiding with many other military men. As an officer and also a
member of the “Thunder Cross” Latvian nationalist movement, he was
a prime candidate for either deportation or liquidation. He soon joined
the underground resistance movement.
In the summer of 1941, the German Army liberated Latvia from
SIEGRUNEN #81 15
Soviet control and Peteris Cevers along with Karlis Aperats (another
Latvian Army officer who would go on to win the Knight’s Cross), led
a partisan group in Eastern Latvia that harassed the Russian withdraw-
al. Not content with sitting on the sidelines, Cevers volunteered to
serve in the Latvian Police Battalion 23 in February 1942, but one
month later he was recruited for the “Brandenburg” Commando Reg-
iment where he felt he could be of even more service in the war against
Soviet communism.
Peteris Cevers (center) with the soldiers of his “freedom fighters” band
deep in the Latvian forests. They were known as “Brothers of the
Woods” among other things.
Peteris Cevers then trained at the regimental combat school on

Lake Quenz near Brandenburg and in Freiburg. He was then appoint-
ed commanding officer of a commando reconnaissance squad that was
deployed behind the enemy lines near Stalingrad in the summer of
1942. Although successful with the “Brandenburgers” Cevers decided
to join the Latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS in early 1943. He was then
sent to the 2nd Latvian SS Brigade (which had just been converted over
from the former 2nd SS Infantry Brigade to an all Latvian formation).
In March 1943 he became the commander of the anti-tank company
of SS Regiment 40 of the 2nd Latvian SS Brigade which became Waffen-
Grenadier Regiment der SS 43 of the 19.Waffen-Grenadier Division
16 SIEGRUNEN #81
der SS (Latvian Nr.2) on 7 January 1944. The regiment would later be
awarded the honor title of “Hinrich Schuldt,” after the 2nd SS Brigade
commander who was killed in action. Waf.-Hstuf. Cevers would lead
his company until the end of the war. Even though it was constantly
deployed in the toughest battle situations, usually against enemy ar-
mored forces, Cevers got through it all without even being wounded.
More Latvian
Waffen-SS volun-
teers (with nation-
al armshields on
the right sleeve)
circa 1943, (Keith
Loughmiller collec-
tion).
The company secured its greatest triumph at what was called the
“Battle for Church Yard Hill” near Ostrov in 1944. It was here that
Cevers and his men smashed a large scale Red Army tank onslaught in
a protracted, violent combat action. For his deeds, Peteris Cevers re-
ceived both classes of the Iron Cross, the Infantry Assault Badge in
Silver and the War Service Cross, 2nd Class with Swords. In addition
the deeds of his company were written up in the local Latvian newspa-
pers.
When Army Group “Kurland” surrendered to the Soviets on 9 May
SIEGRUNEN #81 17
1945, Peteris Cervers had no intention of going into enemy captivity
and quitting the struggle against the Bolsheviks. Instead he led a group
of officers, NCOs and men from his company, with as many weapons
and munitions as they could take with them, into the forest near
Renda in Kurland where they prepared to keep on fighting. They soon
made their way northwards to the Vandzene area in the Talsen District
where they resumed operations against the Red Army.
By November 1945, Cevers was leading a band of 30 freedom fight-
ers with his deputy CO being the former Waffen-Hstuf. der SS
Nikolajs Straunde. For 2½ years they continued activities in this area,
maintaining contacts with other partisan bands, including one under
the direction of the ex-Waf.-Ostuf. der SS Teodors Daugavietis who
had also been awarded the Iron Cross, lst Class. In 1948 Cevers’ band
split up with some of the men going out to establish a new group else-
where.
From 1949 until 1950, Waf.-Hstuf. Cerves continued to a lead a 19
man partisan group in action against the Russian communist occupiers.
His second-in-command was now the former Waf.-Ustuf. der SS Janis
Gura, who had been decorated with the Iron Cross, 2nd Class in August
1944 while serving with the Waffen-Artillery Rgt.15 of the 15.Waffen-
Gr.Div. der SS (Latvian Nr.1). This regiment had been attached to the
19.Waf.-Gr.Div. der SS during much of the fighting in Kurland. By
now, the Soviet counter-insurgency effort was being led by NKVD
police troops who employed local traitors and collaborators to try an
locate the freedom fighters.
On 3 February 1950, Cevers and his group ran out of luck when a
traitor led an NKVD troop to their forest bunker encampment. When
the Reds started to blast the bunker with heavy weapons, the Latvians
had no choice but to try and make a break for it. Most of them, includ-
ing Cevers, made their way out to safety but six were killed in the pro-
cess, including two female members. It would be another traitor who
would set up the capture of Cevers and 6 of his men by the Soviets in
the night of 1st/2nd November 1950. Peteris Cevers and three of his
fighters were soon sentenced to death by the Russian communists. He
would be shot in the Riga Central Jail on 24 August 1951. He was one
of an estimated 200 Latvian Freedom Fighters that were killed by the
Soviet Reds between 1945 and 1954.
On 11 June 2005 the Latvian Federation of Former Freedom Fight-
ers (“Brothers of the Woods”), were able to dedicate a monument in
Latvia in the shape of a white cross for their fallen comrades. The
names of the known patriotic heroes that had been killed by the ene-
18 SIEGRUNEN #81
my, including that of Waf.-Hstuf. der SS Peteris Cevers, were inscribed
upon it.
Publicity photo of Estonian volunteers with a kitten at Narva (one of

several on the same theme!).
SIEGRUNEN #81 19
Waffen-Obersturmführer der Ss
Teodors Kalnajs
Waf.-Ostuf. der SS Teodors Kalnajs wearing

the Latvian “Fire Cross” collarpatch in 1944.
T
EODORS Kalnajs was born in 1915 in Laidze, Talsen District,
Kurzeme, Latvia to an old Latvian farming family. After the
Germans liberated Latvia from Soviet occupation, Kalnajs vol-
unteered to serve in the Latvian Schutzmannschaft (Schuma or Protec-
tive) Battalion 24 on 6 March 1942. He would see continuous combat
action on the Eastern Front with this unit from June until October
1942, being decorated with the Eastern Badge for Bravery in Bronze
for his actions during this time.
He then joined the Latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS and was selected
to attend a special officer’s training class for Latvian volunteers that was
held in Bolderaa near Riga. Kalnajs would graduated on 1 March 1943
and be given the rank of Waffen-Ustuf. (2nd Lt.) der SS. He was then sent
to the 2nd Latvian SS Brigade on the Eastern Front and was assigned to
an infantry company of Waffen-Grenadier Regiment der SS 43.
After being wounded in action and following his recovery, he was
named to command the 8th Company of Waffen-Grenadier Rgt. der SS
44/19.Waf.Gr.Div. der SS (Latvian Nr.2) in February 1944. He would
then distinguish himself in the defensive fighting on the Velikeye River
20 SIEGRUNEN #81
front for which he was decorated with the Iron Cross, 2nd Class on 30
March 1944.
For the next few months, Kalnajs participated in defensive fighting
around Lake Lubana in Latvia and in August he received the Iron
Cross, 1st Class and the Assault Badge in Silver. He would soon be
wounded for the third time which brought him the decoration of the
Wound Badge in Silver on 1 September 1944. In October 1944, Waf.-
Ustuf. Kalnajs received the Close Combat Clasp in Bronze. All during
this time, his division, 19.Waf.Gr.d.SS (Latvian Nr.2) was engaged in
retrograde fighting that took it back into the southwestern Latvian
province of Kurzeme (Kurland).
Although still only an Untersturmführer, he would take charge of
II.Btl./Waf.Gr.Rgt.d.SS 44 on a temporary basis during combat actions
around the town of Mole from 28 September until 6 October 1944.
Afterwards he would receive a promotion to Waffen-Obersturmführer
der SS on 9 November 1944. During much of this time, Kalnajs served
as the regimental adjutant for Waf.Gr.Rgt.d.SS 44 before being desig-
nated the regiment’s 1st Orderly Officer on 10 January 1945.
During the 6th Battle for Kurland in March 1945, Waf.-Ostuf.
Kalnajs personally led a regimental assault troop in an action that
sealed off and subsequently destroyed an enemy incursion through the
divisional front lines. For this achievement he was mentioned in the
German Army Roll of Honor and would receive the Honor Roll
Clasp on 10 April 1945. However, due to the 19th Latvian SS Division’s
isolation in the “Kurland Pocket,” the decoration never actually
reached him.
Following the German capitulation in Kurland, Teodors Kalnajs
took off into the woods to avoid capture by the Soviets. He eventually
emerged and assuming a false identity, he tried to work his way back
into civilian society, not an easy task under totalitarian occupation by
the communists. In December 1945, the Soviet secret police discovered
him and he was promptly apprehended. He was then sentenced to
many years at forced labor and would subsequently work in a Russian
coal mine until 1956, before being repatriated to his homeland.
When Latvia regained its freedom in 1990, Kalnajs went to work
finding old comrades from the Latvian Legion (Latvian W-SS), and he
helped to establish a veteran’s comradeship in Latvia, (overseas Latvi-
ans had long had one of their own). Still active in veteran’s affairs,
Teodors Kalnajs celebrated his 90th birthday in 2005. He was one of the
fortunate Latvian Legion survivors who lived to see their homeland
free again.
SIEGRUNEN #81 21
22 SIEGRUNEN #81
Photos on these two pages show the inspection of the 15.Waffen-
Grenadier Division der SS (Latvian Nr.1) by its first commander, SS-
Gruppenführer Count von Pückler-Burghaus at the time of its initial
formation in 1943. Burghaus is second from the left in the first photo,
third from the left in the second and second from the left in the third
photo. Never before published. (Keith Loughmiller Collection).
SIEGRUNEN #81 23
Flemish Waffen-SS
Officers and Volunteers
The seldom depicted “windmill”

identification sign used in the 27.SS
Volunteer Grenadier Division
“Langemarck” (Flanders Nr.1). It was
selected as a “tie-in” with the divi-
sional commander in 1944-1945, SS-
Standartenführer Thomas Mueller,
whose last name equates with the oc-
cupation of “miller” in English.
SS-UNTERSTURMFÜHRER BERT DE GRUYTER
Bert de Gruyter,
3rd from left, as a
veteran of the SS
Volunteer Legion
“Flandern” on the
Volkhov Front in
December 1942.
Bert de Gruyter was born in Holland on 10 May 1915, the son of

refugees from war-torn Flanders. Following WWI, the family returned
to its home in Brügge, in West Flanders (Belgium). As a young man,
Bert de Gruyter became active in the Flemish Nationalist Movement
known as DINASO. Following the German occupation in 1940,
DINASO joined with several other small nationalist/populist groups
in advocating an autonomous Flanders in a German-led Europe.
24 SIEGRUNEN #81
SS-Uscha. Bert de
Gruyter (center) as
a military trainer
with 3./”Lange-
marck” Brigade in
Millowitz, Bohe-
mia, 1943.
Bert de Gruyter enlisted in the Waffen-SS in April 1941 and was as-
signed to the the Germanic SS Standarte “Nordwest,” which at the
time had separate battalions of volunteers from Flanders, Holland and
Denmark. An August 1941, most of the regiment’s personnel were
used to help form the new national legions and along with many of the
Flemings from “Nordwest,” de Gruyter joined the SS Volunteer Le-
gion “Flandern” being assigned to its 3rd Company under SS-Ostuf.
Moyen. After basic training and unit formation, he accompanied the
Legion to the Leningrad Front in December 1941.
De Gruyter would see constant combat action with the Legion
“Flandern” until March 1943, when he would be badly wounded in the
unit’s epic battle near Krasny Bor. In the summer of 1943, the old Le-
gion “Flandern” served as the nucleus of the new Flemish 6.SS-
Sturmbrigade “Langemarck” and Bert de Gruyter was assigned to serve
as a military trainer with the brigade’s 3rd Company. At this point in
time “Langemarck” was organized only into individual companies and
did not utilize battalions in its structure.
At the age of 28, de Gruyter was old enough to be looked at as a
“father figure” by the members of his recruit platoon, many of whom
were teenagers. Due to his background as a “youth leader” with several
nationalist groups in Flanders, he was personally contacted by the
Reichsjugendführer (Reich Youth Leader), Arthur Axmann, who want-
ed him to assist in setting up a branch of the “Hitler Youth” in Flan-
ders. So for a time he provided his services to this project, which
proved to be quite successful. Not only did the Flemish “Hitler
Youth” movement gain many adherents, a good many of its members
would later join the 27.SS-Frw.Gr.Div. “Langemarck” in 1944/1945.
In late 1943, with the “Langemarck” Brigade now deemed combat
worthy, Bert de Gruyter was selected to attend a war time officer’s
training course at the SS Junkerschule “Tölz” in Bavaria. To his great
SIEGRUNEN #81 25
surprise he would graduate at the top of his class in 1944 and receive
the award of a commemorative officer’s pistol for his achievement.
Following his promotion to SS-Untersturmführer, de Gruyter was
not sent back to a Flemish unit but was instead assigned to the 12.SS
Panzer Division “Hitler Jugend,” again due to his activities in leading
and forming youth groups and military troops.
After serving at various tasks, including that again of a trainer, he
was appointed commander of a panzergrenadier company in the 12th
SS Panzer Division in March 1945; only in the Waffen-SS would a
Flemish volunteer be placed in charge of a company of German teen-
agers! De Gruyter and his company then saw steady combat action in
Hungary and Austria until the end of the war. He and his troops
would surrender to the Americans at Linz, Austria at the end of the
war.
De Gruyter was soon repatriated to Belgium to stand trial for hav-
ing joined the German armed forces in the fight against international
communism. He was then sentenced to a prison term which he was
able to serve in his home town of Brügge. This meant that he could
occasionally receive visitors and it was here that he was able to see his
new son for the first time.
Following his release from confinement, de Gruyter had to build a
new life for himself, but he also began to organize assistance for disa-
bled and homeless veterans of the Legion “Flandern.” He soon extend-
ed his activities to helping all Flemish East Front veterans in need in-
cluding the destitute families of fallen comrades. This activity would be
a major part of his life’s work. One of his last efforts was to help or-
ganize and publish a history of his old 3rd Co./Legion “Flandern”
which appeared shortly before his death at the age of 87 on 13 Septem-
ber 2002.
SS-OBERSTURMFÜHRER ORTAIR UYTTERSPROT
Ortair (Otto) Uyttersprot was born in Wieze, East Flanders, Belgium

in 1918. As a youth he wanted to be a teacher and he supported the
political and cultural independence of Flanders from the rest of Bel-
gium. When WWII broke out, he was called up for military service in
the Belgian Army and was selected for officer’s training. When the
“hot war” broke out on 10 May 1940, Uyttersprot was immediately
mobilized for combat duty and he saw action during Belgium’s 18 day
battle with Germany.
26 SIEGRUNEN #81
Ortair Uyttersprot
as an SS-Unter-
sturmführer.
After a brief captivity as a POW, Ortair Uyttersprot was allowed to

return home. He was soon contacted by Flemish nationalist leaders,
who along with some German SS officers, persuaded him to join the
Waffen-SS in order to represent his country in the new Europe. He
enlisted in September 1940, joining the first wave of European volun-
teers. Along with many other Flemish and Dutch recruits he was sent
to the new European SS Division “Germania” (soon to be retitled
“Wiking”) in December 1940. Uyttersprot was sent to the 10th Com-
pany of SS Panzergrenadier Regiment “Westland,” which was com-
manded by SS-Hauptsturmführer Ludwig Kepplinger, a later Knight’s
Cross winner who ironically would be murdered in cold blood by Bel-
gian partisan terrorists in September 1944.
Ortair Uyttersprot served with 10./”Westland” through the early
part of the Russian campaign until being badly wounded (date un-
known). By 1942 he had been assigned to the Waffen-SS Welfare Office
in Flanders which provided assistance to Flemish volunteers and their
families. It was here that he met his future wife, a German SS auxiliary
office worker. He would next be sent to the SS-Junkerschule “Tölz”
for officer’s training. He would graduate in 1943 and was promptly
commissioned as an SS-Untersturmführer. He was then assigned to
command the 8th Flak (Air Defense) Company of the new 6.SS-
Sturmbrigade “Langemarck.” He would lead this outfit in action in
Ukraine from late 1943 until March 1944 when the brigade had to be
withdrawn to Germany for refitting.
SS-Ustuf. Uyttersprot and the survivors of his company were then
sent to the SS Flak Training and Replacement Regiment in Munich
under SS-Stubaf. Dirnagel for further training and reformation. As part
of its new duties, the company was now deployed to help protect
bridges in the Munich area from Allied air attacks. On 11 July 1944,
SIEGRUNEN #81 27
the Flemish volunteers were given the day off to celebrate the National
Day of Flanders; it proved very fortunate for them as on that day the
Allies launched a massive aerial assault on Munich which caused many
casualties to the SS Flak Training and Replacement Regiment. Howev-
er Uyttersprot and his troops came out of it unscathed!
Ortair Uyttersprot (right) with

other Waffen-SS officers display-
ing the Iron Cross, 1st Class
which had he had received for
his combat achievements on his
tunic.
Soon afterwards Uyttersprot suffered serious injuries either in a

tank training accident or an automobile accident (my two sources
don’t agree on this!). At any rate he would have to spend many
months in the hospital recuperating. Meanwhile, back in Belgium, the
country had fallen to the Allies and the partisan terrorists and
Uyttersprot’s wife and young son were only barely able to escape the
“witch hunt” that went on for “collaborators” and their families.
However all of his property was seized and plundered by the “demo-
cratic liberators.”
Following his promotion to SS-Obersturmführer, “Otto” (as he was
generally known) Uyttersprot was sent to the 5.SS Panzer Division
“Wiking” in April 1945 to be a company commander. But by now the
military situation was too chaotic to allow this to come about so he
would remain an officer on the divisional staff until the general sur-
render in Austria on 8 May 1945. Along with other European volun-
teers he would soon be deported to his homeland where he underwent
the usual hardships, cruel treatment and punishments meted out by the
new postwar leftist government. Uyttersprot would suffer from his
wartime health issues throughout the remainder of his civilian life. He
28 SIEGRUNEN #81

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This PDF file created by Merriam Press. Many more PDFs at merriam-press.com.

Number 81 — Fall 2009

First Edition published by Merriam Press in 2010

Second Edition (2012)

Copyright © 2010 by Richard W. Landwehr, Jr.

All rights reserved.

Richard W. Landwehr, Jr.

E-mail: richwehr@hotmail.com or agates@localnet.com

This work was designed and produced in

A Finnish Waffen-SS officer candidate relaxing at SS-Junkerschule

SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche by the highly esteemed mili-

Two Waffen-SS color photos. Top: Street fighting. Bottom: An SS War

By the autumn of 1944 it was decided to form a number of Latvian

The Latvian SS commandos operated under the overall direction of

Boris Jankaus was subsequently sentenced to 25 years hard labor in

Waf.-Hstuf. Cevers wearing the Latvian “fire cross” collarpatch.

Peteris Cevers then trained at the regimental combat school on

Publicity photo of Estonian volunteers with a kitten at Narva (one of

Waf.-Ostuf. der SS Teodors Kalnajs wearing

The seldom depicted “windmill”

SS-UNTERSTURMFÜHRER BERT DE GRUYTER

Bert de Gruyter was born in Holland on 10 May 1915, the son of

SS-OBERSTURMFÜHRER ORTAIR UYTTERSPROT

Ortair (Otto) Uyttersprot was born in Wieze, East Flanders, Belgium

After a brief captivity as a POW, Ortair Uyttersprot was allowed to

Ortair Uyttersprot (right) with

Soon afterwards Uyttersprot suffered serious injuries either in a

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