SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 23 “Norge”

11th ss Pz. Gren. Division “Nordland”

Most Norwegian volunteers were in May 1943 transferred into the new SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 23 “Norge” of the “Nordland” division.  The intent of this new regiment was again to create a Norwegian unit within the Waffen SS, but now clearly under pure German command.  The recruitment efforts were headed by Minister of Police Jonas Lie.  Great efforts were put into recruiting soldiers from Frw. Legion Norwegen, which was disbanded at the same time the new regiment was created.  But a national campaign was undertaken to also recruit new soldiers.

Regiment 23 Norge, ended up being the “Norwegian” unit that had the greatest importance for the German war effort on the Eastern Front.  The unit underwent training during the summer of 1943, as a part of division Nordland.  It was the result of the work of General Steiner and his staff, who drew on the experience from foreign volunteers in division Wiking as well as the relatively poor experiences the Germans had with the various national legions.  While the Norwegian soldiers were viewed as first class fighters, their officers that had undergone pre war training in the Norwegian military were not on the level of the Germans. It was clear that everyone would from now on be molded into real Waffen SS soldiers and officers.  General Steiner’s vision was to make a whole division consisting of these first class soldiers from the various Germanic countries.  This would be division Nordland, of which Regiment 23 Norge would be the Norwegian part.

 

When Regiment 23 Norge was initially first set up, it only counted 1,379 men, of which 534 were Norwegians.  Most Norwegians were in 1st Battalion, led by one of the most famous German officers, Haupsturmfuhrer Fritz Vogt.

The first assignment of Rgmt Norge was when the Division Nordland was sent to the Balkans during the late summer of 1943 to fight the partisans as part of their training period.  The training took a different turn than anticipated, and a total 11 Norwegians were killed (8 in combat and 3 in accidents).  At year end, total Norwegians in Division Nordland counted 782.

 

Rgmt. Norge’s first meeting with the Eastern Front took place on 15th January 1944 by Leningrad.  The unit were immediately under severe Russian attacks and 1st Battalion was almost exterminated.  It wasn’t until the Waffen SS managed to establish a bridgehead by Narva that the unit was able to reorganize itself.

 

During the summer of 1944, the unit experienced additional battles that severely reduced the unit. During the battles around the “Blue Mountains” in eastern Estonia, they fought the Red Army for several months in battles where around 100 Norwegian soldiers fell.  But during September, General Steiner ordered Division Nordland to withdraw to Kurland to help preventing the Russians to close of the Baltic Sea.  Again, Rgmt Norge was for the third time in 9 months reduced by about 85 percent.

 

The unit participated during the battles of Kurland until January 1945, but was really only a ghost of its previous self.  The unit were now becoming more or less scattered as Germany was fighting a war on several fronts.  Already late in 1944, 1st battalion Norge was withdrawn from Divison Nordland and transferred to Division Wiking further south.  Wiking was at this stage almost exterminated, and the unit was disintegrated during the battles in Hungary.

 

The remains of Rgmt Norge was during winter and spring 1945 fighting numerous battles between Stettin and Berlin and the unit was further weakened.  Towards the end, no clear lines of command existed as new units were set up as fast as old units disappeared.  During the final battles in Berlin, it is estimated that around 50 – 100 Norwegians participated.  Some around the underground bunker of Adolf Hitler.