Schalburg Corps
Encyclopedia
The Schalburg Corps was a Danish
volunteer army corps
and a branch of the Germanic-SS
. Named after Christian Frederik von Schalburg
, commander of the Free Corps Denmark who was killed in combat operations in the Demyansk Pocket
in 1942. Christian Frederik von Schalburg did not have anything to do with the creation of the Schalburg Corps.
The Danish Germanic-SS was formed on February 2, 1943. On March 30 the corps was renamed to Schalburg Corps. Members who had not had any Eastern Front
combat experience had to go through a six week political indoctrination and combat training.
Since its formation the corps was divided into two groups. The first made up of regular soldiers and the second group, which came to be known as the Danish People's Defence
, was made up of civilians, some of whom were expected to provide financial backing. Members of the corps were used as a guard battalion to protect railroads and crossroads from sabotage.
In July 1944, the Schalburg Corps was incorporated into the SS as SS Training Battalion Schalburg. Six months later it was renamed the SS Guard Battalion Zealand. It was officially disbanded on February 28, 1945.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
volunteer army corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
and a branch of the Germanic-SS
Germanic-SS
The Germanic SS was the collective name given to SS groups which arose in Occupied Europe between 1939 and 1945.The units were modeled on the Allgemeine-SS in Nazi Germany...
. Named after Christian Frederik von Schalburg
Christian Frederik von Schalburg
Christian Frederik von Schalburg was a Danish army officer and the second commander of Free Corps Denmark.-Biography:...
, commander of the Free Corps Denmark who was killed in combat operations in the Demyansk Pocket
Demyansk Pocket
The Demyansk Pocket was the name given for the encirclement of German troops by the Red Army around Demyansk , south of Leningrad, during World War II on the Eastern Front. The pocket existed mainly from 8 February-21 April 1942. A much smaller pocket was simultaneously surrounded in Kholm, about ...
in 1942. Christian Frederik von Schalburg did not have anything to do with the creation of the Schalburg Corps.
The Danish Germanic-SS was formed on February 2, 1943. On March 30 the corps was renamed to Schalburg Corps. Members who had not had any Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
combat experience had to go through a six week political indoctrination and combat training.
Since its formation the corps was divided into two groups. The first made up of regular soldiers and the second group, which came to be known as the Danish People's Defence
Danish People's Defence
The Danish People's Defence was the civilian arm of the Danish Schalburg Corps active from April 1943 to August 1944, in support of the German occupation of Denmark...
, was made up of civilians, some of whom were expected to provide financial backing. Members of the corps were used as a guard battalion to protect railroads and crossroads from sabotage.
In July 1944, the Schalburg Corps was incorporated into the SS as SS Training Battalion Schalburg. Six months later it was renamed the SS Guard Battalion Zealand. It was officially disbanded on February 28, 1945.