Sonderabteilung
Encyclopedia
Sonderabteilung is a German word often used to refer to some special German military formations during World War II
. This term was similar to a detachment
or battalion
.
Several of the formations were created as penal military unit
s composed of disgraced SS troops and criminals convicted of petty crimes.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. This term was similar to a detachment
Detachment (military)
A detachment is a military unit. It can either be detached from a larger unit for a specific function or be a permanent unit smaller than a battalion. The term is often used to refer to a unit that is assigned to a different base from the parent unit...
or battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
.
Several of the formations were created as penal military unit
Penal military unit
Penal battalions, penal companies, etc., are military formations consisting of convicted persons for which military service in such units was either the assigned punishment or an alternative to imprisonment or the death penalty.-Nazi Germany:...
s composed of disgraced SS troops and criminals convicted of petty crimes.
List of sonderabteilungen (incomplete)
- Sonderabteilung Altreich
- Sonderabteilung Hela
- Sonderabteilung LolaSonderabteilung LolaSonderabteilung Lola was a group under the German Sicherheitsdienst in Trondheim, and consisted of around 50-60 Norwegian informants who worked for Henry Oliver Rinnan, many of whom were former frontline soldiers....
- Sonderabteilung Nachlässe
- Sonderabteilung Reinhardt
- Sonderabteilung Stralsund
- Sonderabteilung U
See also
- 36th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS
- 500th SS Parachute Battalion500th SS Parachute BattalionThe 500th SS-Parachute Battalion was the parachute unit of the Waffen-SS.The idea to form a paratrooper unit within the Waffen-SS allegedly came directly from Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.-Creation:...
- 999th Light Afrika Division (Germany)