All Waffen-SS divisions were ordered in a single series of numbers as formed, regardless of type.[1] Those with ethnic groups listed were at least nominally recruited from those groups. Many of the higher-numbered units were divisions in name only, being in reality only small battlegroups (Kampfgruppen).

As a general rule, an "SS Division" is made up of mostly Germans, or other Germanic people, while a "Division of the SS" is made up of mostly non-Germanic volunteers.

Waffen-SS divisions by number

More information Number, Division Name (in German) ...
NumberDivision Name
(in German)
Ethnic compositionNamed afterYears ActiveInsigniaMaximum Manpower
1st Leibstandarte SS Adolf HitlerGermans and 300 Italians after 8/9/1943Life Regiment Adolf Hitler1933–194522,000 (1944)[2]
2nd Das ReichGermansGreater Germanic Reich1939–194519,021 (1941)[1]
3rd TotenkopfGermansTotenkopf1939–194518,754 (1941)[1]
4th PolizeiGermansOrdnungspolizei1939–194517,347 (1941)[1]
5th WikingGermans, Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Icelanders, Finns, Estonians, Dutch, Flemish, Walloons, and Swiss[3]Vikings1940–194519,377 (1941)[1]
6th NordGermansNorth cardinal direction
(Operation Arctic Fox)
1941–194515,000 (1943)[1]
7th Prinz EugenGermans, ethnic Germans from Banat, Croatia, Hungary, and Romania, small numbers of ethnic Croats and Albanians after 1943Prince Eugene of Savoy1941–194518,000 (1943)[citation needed]
8th Florian GeyerGermansFlorian Geyer1941–194515,000 (1944)[citation needed]
9th HohenstaufenGermansHohenstaufen dynasty1943–194519,611 (1943)
10th FrundsbergGermansGeorg von Frundsberg1943–194519,313 (1943)
11th NordlandGermans, Romanian Germans, Swedes, Danes, and NorwegiansNorthland1943–194511,749 (1943)
12th HitlerjugendGermans and 50 italians after 8/9/1943Hitler Youth1943–194521,482 (1943)
13th Handschar
(Kroatische Nr. 1)
Bosniaks; Croats; Albanians; ethnic Germans from CroatiaKhanjar dagger1943–194521,000 (1943)[4]
14th Galizische Nr. 1UkrainiansGalicia1943–194522,000 (1945)
15th Lettische Nr. 1Latvians1943–194518,000 (1943)
16th Reichsführer-SSGermansReichsführer-SS
(Heinrich Himmler)
1943–194517,500 (1943)
17th Götz von BerlichingenGermans and 500 italians after 8/9/43Götz von Berlichingen1943–194518,354 (1944)
18th Horst WesselEthnic Germans from HungaryHorst Wessel1944–194511,000 (1944)
19th Lettische Nr. 2Latvians1944–194511,000 (1944)
20th Estnische Nr. 1Estonians1944–194515,000 (1944)
21st Skanderbeg
(Albanische Nr. 1)
AlbaniansSkanderbeg1944–194511,398 (1944)
22nd Maria TheresiaEthnic Germans from HungaryMaria Theresa1944–19458,000 (1944)
23rd Kama
(Kroatische Nr. 2)
Croats and BosniaksKama dagger19442,199 (1944)
23rd Nederland
(Niederländische Nr. 1)
DutchNetherlands1941–19456,000 (1944)
24th KarstjägerGermans; ethnic German volunteers from Italy and SloveniaKarst topography1942–19454,000 (1944)
25th Hunyadi
(Ungarische Nr. 1)
HungariansJohn Hunyadi1944–194515,000 (1944)
26th Hungaria
(Ungarische Nr. 2)
HungariansHungary1944–194510,000 (1944)
27th Langemarck
(Flämische Nr. 1)
FlemishBattle of Langemarck (1917)1943–19458,000 (1944)
28th WallonienWalloons1943–19455,000 (1944)
29th Italienische Nr. 1Italians1944–194511,000 (1944)
30th Russische Nr. 2 aka Weißruthenische Nr. 1BelarusiansWhite Ruthenia1944–194511,000 (1944)
31st BatschkaEthnic Germans mostly from Hungary and YugoslaviaBačka region1944–194511,000 (1944)
32nd 30. JanuarGermansDate of Hitler becoming Chancellor (also date of formation)194512,000 (1945)[5]
33rd Ungarische Nr. 3Hungarians1944–1945
33rd Charlemagne
(Französische Nr. 1)
FrenchCharlemagne1944–194511,000 (1944)
34th Landstorm Nederland
(Niederländische Nr. 2)
DutchNetherlands Landsturm1943–1945
35th Polizei-GrenadierGermansOrdnungspolizei1945
36th DirlewangerGermansSS-Oberführer
Oskar Dirlewanger
1940–19455,000 (1945)
37th LützowGermans;
ethnic Germans from Hungary
Adolf von Lützow1945
38th NibelungenGermansNibelung19457,000
Close

Also

More information Number, Division Name (in German) ...
NumberDivision Name
(in German)
Ethnic compositionNamed afterYears ActiveInsigniaMaximum Manpower
Kempf[lower-alpha 1]GermansGeneral der Panzertruppe
Werner Kempf
1939164–180 tanks
Böhmen-Mähren[lower-alpha 2]Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia1944–1945
1st Kosaken Nr. 1Cossacks1943–194517,500[citation needed]
RONA
(Russische Nr. 1)
RussiansRussian National Liberation Army (RONA)194413,000 (1943)
Rumänische Nr. 1Romanians1944–194512,000
Close
  1. A temporary unit of mixed Heer and SS-Verfügungstruppe components.
  2. A separate unit formed from training units in Bohemia and Moravia.

See also

Notes and references

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