As a combat unit during the Second World War its contribution on the field of battle was inconsequential, however its political significance remained and in the period immediately following capitulation was if anything, enhanced. As originally intended, the creation of the Division propelled the Ukrainian question into the international arena, ensuring that it maintained a high profile amongst the world’s most prominent leaders including Stalin, Churchill, Truman and even the Pope.
Since then, the Division has debatably had more public exposure than any other Second World War formation with continued extensive media interest and coverage being given to it in Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Argentina, Great Britain, Italy, Israel, Spain, Germany, Australia, Canada and the USA.
Its wartime record has periodically been queried by die-hard supporters of Communist ideology, Poles and those of Jewish descent who aim at discrediting anything to do with the Ukrainian nationalist movement by linking it with alleged war crimes.94 Drawing on circumstantial evidence and rumour they conveniently overlook the fact that at all times during their military service its personnel were subjected to a draconian military disciplinary code. Ample examples have been given in the preceding text of the application of this code which resulted in the execution of many Ukrainians for such ‘serious infractions’ as stealing a loaf of bread or being drunk. Indeed, in the 70 years that have passed since it capitulated in 1945, not a single prosecution nor even a trial has ever taken place of a member of the Galician Division for a crime committed whilst serving in that Division. With so many powerful resources aggressively ranged against the Division for such an extended period, this failure can only be explained by the paucity of any unequivocal evidence in support of such allegations.95
Although the political ambitions of its founders were not fulfilled, in the final analysis the Galician Division brought genuine freedom to most of those who served in its ranks.
Dramatis Personae
The founder of the Division SS-Brigadeführer Dr Otto Wächter.
Oberst Alfred Bisanz leader of the Military Board.
General Pavlo Shandruk, commander of the Ukrainian National Army pictured in April 1945.
Official portrait of the Divisional commander Fritz Freitag after the bestowal of the Ritterkreuz.
Major Wolf-Dietrich Heike Ia who was never officially transferred to the Waffen-SS and was only seconded.
SS-Obersturmführer Rudolph Michel Ord.Off.1 (picture taken 12 December 1944 Slovakia).
Commander of WGR 29 SS-Standartenführer Friedrich Dern.
Commander of WGR 30 SS Obersturmbannführer Hans-Boto Forstreuter.
Commander of WGR 31 SS-Obersturmbannführer Paul Herms pictured May 1944, Neuhammer.
Replacement commander of WGR 31 after Brody Ritterkreuz holder SS-Standartenführer Rudolph Pannier, a morphine addict prone to issuing foolhardy orders.
Commander of the 14 Artillery Regiment SS-Standartenführer Friedrich Beyersdorff.
Replacement commander of the Ausb.u.Ers. Rgt. 14 SS-Obersturmbannführer Karl Marx.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Hans Ditze who became a battalion commander in April 1945 in WGR 29.
Battalion commander WGR 29, SS-Obersturmbannführer Karl Wildner who successfully led a Kampfgruppe in Slovakia bearing his name and later who became the regimental commander of WGR 29 in April 1945.
SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Kaschner, Kdr.Pz.Jg.Abt.14.
Commander of Section IVb (Veterinary) SS-Sturmbannführer Dr Oskar Kopp.
SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Dapratz (Kdr Feldgendarmerie Truppe) taken in Slovakia, 14 November 1944.
SS-Sturmbannführer Karl Bristot (seen here as an Untersturmführer) commander 14 Fusilier Battalion.
SS-Sturmbannführer Friedrich Wittenmeyer, whilst serving with the 4. SS-Polizei Panzer-Grenadier Division facing camera in centre wearing binoculars; battalion commander in WGR 30 and in April 1945 regimental commander in WGR 31.
Waffen-Hauptsturmfüher Mychailo Brygider, commander I./WGR 29 who later became Freitag’s scapegoat after the failure at Brody.
Command SS-Freiwilligen-Regiment-4, Major der Schutzpolizei and SS-Obersturmbannführer Siegfried Binz.
Waffen-Untersturmführer Mychailo Levenetz, chaplain of WGR 29.
Waffen-Obersturmführer (later Waffen-Hauptsturmführer) Wolodymyr Kosak, the Galizien Division’s highest decorated soldier, pictured 20 April 1945 after receiving the Iron Cross I Class for bravery during the fighting at Gleichenberg. Other awards include EK2, Infantrie-Sturmabzeichen in silver and the Verwundetenabzeichen in silver.
Waffen-Unterscharführer Jesinke, radio operator Section VI Divisional Staff January 1945.
Clerk Bohdan Zhulkivsky picture taken 1 January 1945, Section VI Divisional Staff, Slovakia.
Insignia and Paperwork
Portrait of a typical young volunteer taken shortly after enlisting for service in the Galician Division.
Volunteer from the Division wearing the blank collar patches.
Volunteer from Kampfgruppe Beyersdorff wearing the armshield incorrectly positioned on his lower right arm.
Three friends from the Division, two of whom are wearing the Galician sleeve shield. Photo taken December 1944 in Slovakia.
Two soldiers from the Division wearing the first and second pattern collar patch. On the left is Theodor Morykit.
Waffen-Untersturmführer Bohdan Levysky wearing the officers’ collar patch.
Waffen-Untersturmführer Volodymyr Lutciw wearing the officer collar patch upside down.
NCO from the Division wearing the second pattern armshield.
Portrait of my father Petro Melnyk wearing the uniform of the 1 Division of the Ukrainian National Army, including the trident cap badge. The picture was taken in Rimini camp in 1947. The belt buckle is of Slovak origin and was acquired during the Division’s deployment in that country.
The trident cap badge was brought by Shandruk and distributed when the Division became the 1 Division of the Ukrainian National Army.
Variation of the trident cap badge.
Three examples of the variations of the armshield issued to the Division. These examples are now in the Schevchenko Archives in London.
Three examples of the variations of the collar patches issued to the Division and a very rare trident collar patch issued in very small numbers in April 1945. These examples are now in the Schevchenko Archive in London.
My father’s German issued civilian Kennkarte (identity card). The British screening commission erroneously claimed that ‘none of the camp inmates at Rimini had any identification papers’.
First two pages of the Soldbuch of Volodymyr Keczun.
First page of the Soldbuch of Mychailo Kormylo.
Citation of the Iron Cross II Class awarded to Waffen-Untersturmführer Taras Kaczmarchuk.
Appendix
Members of the Division were known to have been held in the following camps in Great Britain
No. 16 Haddington Amisfield Park Camp—(Scotland)
No. 17 Sheffield, (Yorks) this was a camp for former officers.*
No. 51 Main Camp Allington—Grantham, (Lincolnshire)
No. 51 Satellite Camp Woolfox Lodge Oakham, (Rutland)
No. 51 Hostel—Stamford, (Lincolnshire)
No. 53 Selby, (Yorkshire)
No. 56 Botesdale (near Diss, Norfolk)
No. 78 Main Camp, Braintree, (Essex)
No. 78 Hostel Braintree Birch, (Essex)
No. 79 Moorby-Tattershall, (Lincolnshire)
No. 80 Horbling, Sleaford, (Lincolnshire)
No. 82 Hempton Green, Hempton, Fakenham, (Norfolk)
No. 85 Bury St Edmunds, (Suffolk)
No. 99 Hostel Shrewsbury Park, (Staffordshire)
No. 156 Billingborough, (Lincolnshire)
No. 162 Naeburn, (Yorkshire)
No. 231 Redgrave Park, (near Diss, Norfolk)
No. 234 Talbot Breconshire, (Scotland)
No. 253 Mousehold Heath Camp, Norwich, (Norfolk)
No. 262 RAF Camp Langar, (Nottingham)
No. 280 North Lynn Farm Camp, (Norfolk)
No. 298 Baroney Camp, Dumfries, (Scotland).
North Pickenham, (Norfolk)
Sherburn in Elmet, (Yorkshire)
Cockley Cley, (Norfolk)
Matlaske, (Norfolk)
Victoria Camp, Brandon Road, Mildenhall, (Suffolk)
Weston Camp, (Derbyshire)
Ely, (Cambridgeshire)
Cheveley, (Cambridgeshire)
Spalding, (Lincolnshire)
Wellingore, (Lincolnshire)
Carburton, (Nottinghamshire)
Blockley
Sanham
*A list of 124 officers as of February 1948 is recorded in a document FO371/71662, NA, PRO, Kew.
Numbers of internees given in brackets
No. 17 Sheffield, (Yorks)—78
No. 53 Selby, (Yorks)—165
No. 56 Botesdale near Diss, (Norfolk)—793
No. 78 Hostel Braintree Birch, (Essex)—530
No. 78 High Garrett Camp, Halstead Road Braintree, (Essex)—593
No. 79 Moorby Camp Ravensby, Tattershall, (Lincolnshire)—748
No. 80 Horbling, Sleaford, (Lincolnshire)—947
No. 82 Hempton Green, Hempton nr Fakenham, (Norfolk)—1001
No. 85 Bury—Norfolk—717
Victoria camp, Brandon road Mildenhall, (Suffolk)—717
No. 99 Hostel Shugborough Park—(Staffordshire)—84
No. 156 Heath Camp, Pottergate Plantation, Wellingore, (Lincolnshire) 689
No. 162 Naeburn, (Yorkshire)—75
No. 231 Redgrave Park, (Norfolk)—55
No. 234 Talbot Breconshire, (Scotland)—14
No. 243 Amisfield Camp—Haddington, East Lothian, (Scotland)—963
No. 262 RAF Camp Langar, (Nottingham)—638
No. 298 Baroney Camp, Dumfries, (Scotland)—438
Total—8,528
The following demographic of 8,370 inmates was compiled by Julian Chornij as of 3 March 1948
Aged up to 20: 44
Aged up to 20-25: 3,341
Aged up to 25-30: 2,586
Aged up to 30-40: 1,574
Aged up to 40-50: 465
Aged Over 50: 110
No. information : 250
Select Bibliography
Unpublished Papers, Manuscripts and Memoirs of Veterans of the 14 Galician Division
CHORNIJ, Julian: unpublished memoir.
CHOMICKY, Roman: unpublished memoir.
DRAZNIOWSKY, Roman: Kampfgruppe Wildner, unpublished paper.
FERKUNIAK, Dmytro: Spomyny z Zhyttia Dywiziji Halychyna (Memoirs from Life in the Division ‘Galicia’) unpublished manuscript.
FYLYPOWYCH, Mykola: Masheruyut Dobrovoltsi (The Volunteers Are Marching) unpublished manuscript.
HAWIRKO, Andrej: The Structure-Organisation and Command of the 14 Artillery Regiment of 1 Ukrainian Division UNA in Slovakia, September—November 1944, unpublished paper.
HAWRYLAK, Roman: Memoirs of Bygone Years, unpublished manuscript.
HERASYMOWYCZ, Roman: (A history of) The 1 Company, I Battalion, 30 Regiment/1 Ukrainian Division (14 Galizien), unpublished paper.
HNATKIW, Jaroslav: The Fusilier Battalion of the Ukrainian Division, unpublished paper.
HRYCYSZYN, Michael: Smert Podolav (I Overcame Death), unpublished memoirs.
HORODYSKYJ, Orest: The Organisation, Formation and History of ‘The Volhynian Self-Defence Legion 1943–45, unpublished paper.
KECZUN, Wolodymyr: unpublished memoir.
KORMYLO, Mychailo: Memoirs of a Forgotten [Halychyna] Division Soldier, the autobiography of a young Ukrainian on the Eastern Front, unpublished memoir.
KRYWULAK, Dr W: The Medical Service of the Field Reserve Battalion of the 1 Ukrainian Division 1944–45, unpublished paper.
KUK, Zenon: The 5./II./WGR 30, unpublished memoir.
KUTNY, Bohdan and KATZCHMARCHUK Taras: The Pioneer Battalion of the ‘14 Galician Division’, (Eng. trans.) unpublished paper (originally published in edited form in Visti Kombatanta).
MOTYKA, Walter: unpublished memoirs.
MYKULA, Volodymyr Bohdan: unpublished memoirs.
SCHMITT, Dr Helmut: Pioniereinheiten Der 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division, (ukrainische Nr.1), April 1987, unpublished manuscript.
VERYHA, Vasyl: Ukrainian Division ‘Galicia’, unpublished manuscript.
WENGER, Jaroslav: ‘From Baudienst to the Division ‘Galicia’, unpublished memoir.
Unpublished Papers, Manuscripts and Memoirs (other)
GRAF, von NOSTITZ Eberhard: Die 2.PZ.Armee (Von der Monatswande April/Mai 1945 bis zu Kapitulation), unpublished paper.
HARTENECK, Gustav: (commander 1 Kav.Korps.) Das Deutsche Kavallerie-Korps, Bundesarchiv-Militararchiv, February 1963, unpublished manuscript.
HILLS, Dennis: Bellaria/Moscow Mission/Repatriation Problems [in connection with the Ukrainian Division], unpublished paper.
LANGE, Wolfgang: The Second Encirclement at Brody.
LOSACKER, Ludwig: On the difficulties of being a German—recollections from a Besieged Poland.
LUCIUK, Lubomyr Y.: Divisia Halychyna, unpublished manuscript.
Newspapers and Periodicals
Das Schwarze Korps (The Black Corps) 1935–45. (The official newspaper of the SS).
Der Freiwillige—Kameradschaftsblatt der Hilfsgemeinschaft der Soldaten der ehemaligen Waffen-SS, Munin Verlag GmbH, Osnabruck, 1955–1977.
Do Peremohy (To Victory) The weekly newspaper published by the Military Board for the soldiers of the Division.
Do Boyu [Zum Kampf] (To Battle), Divisional newspaper (January 1945–May 1945).
Krakivski visti (Cracow News).
Lemberger Zeitung.
The Spectator.
Visti (Veterans News) published in Munich.
Visti Kombatanta (Veterans News) published in Toronto.
Books and Articles
ANDREYEV, Catherine: Vlasov and the Russian Liberation Movement; Soviet Reality and Émigré Theories. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1987.
ARLT, Fritz: Polen Ukrainer Juden Politik, Wissenschaftlicher Buchdienst Herbert Taege 31694 Lindhorst, 1995.
ARMSTRONG, John A.: Ukrainian Nationalism 1939–45, 2 revised edition, Littleton, Colo. Ukrainian Academic Press, 1980.
BEITZELL, Robert: Tehran Yalta Potsdam, The Soviet Protocols, Academic International, 1970.
BETHELL, Nicholas: The Last Secret, Coronet Books, 1987.
BIHL, Wolfdieter: Ukrainer als Teil der Streitkräfte des Deutschen Reiches im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Osterreichisches Ost—und Sudosteuropainstitut, Jahrgang 29, Wien, 1987.
BIRN, Ruth Bettina: Die Höheren SS-und Polizeiführer: Himmler’s Vertreter im Reich und in den besetzten Gebieten, Droste Verlag GmbH, Düsseldorf, 1986.
BROSZAT Martin: Nationalsozialistische Polen Politik 1939–45, Schriftenreihe Der Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte Nr.2, Stuttgart, 1961.
BUCHHEIT Gert: Der Deutsche Geheim Dienst, (Abwehr), Munich, 1966.
BUDNYI, Vsevelod B.: Rimini 1945–47, Symposium 1, Persha Ukrainska Dyviziia Ukrainskoi Natsionalnoi Armii u britanskomu poloni v Italii (Ukrainian National Army, First Ukrainian Division in British Interment in Italy), Veterans of the Ukrainian National Army, First Ukrainian Division, Toronto, 1979.
BULBA-BOROVETS Taras: An Army Without a State, (Glory and Tragedy of the Ukrainian Insurrection Movement), Memoirs of Otaman T. Bulba-Borovets, Research Institute of Volyn No. 45, Society of Volyn, Winnipeg, Canada, 1981.
BURTYK Ivan: Ternystyi Shlakh 2-i Dyvizii UNA (The Thorny Road of the 2 Division of the UNA), Published by United Soldiers and Friends of the 2 Division of the UNA, (Obeyednannia Voyakiv i Pryiateliv 2-i Dyvisii UNA), Clifton, New York, 1994.
BUSCH Erich: Die Fallschirmjäger-Chronik 1935–1945: Die Geschichte der Deutschen Fallschrimtruppe, Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, 1983.
CHILD, Cliffton J.: The Ukraine under German Occupation 1941–44: Survey of international affairs 3
9-46, Hitler’s Europe, Edited by T. and V. Toynbee, Oxford University press, 1954.
CHIROVSKY, Nicholas L.: An Introduction To Ukrainian History Vol. 3, Philosophical library, New York, 1986.
COWGILL, Anthony, Lord Brimelow, Christopher Booker: The Repatriations From Austria in 1945, The Report of an Inquiry, 2 Volumes, Sinclair-Stevenson Ltd, London, 1990.
DALLIN, Alexander: German Rule in Russia, 1941–1945: A Study of Occupation Policies, London: Macmillan, 1957. 2nd rev. ed. Boulder, Colo. Westview Press, 1981.
Das Sonderkommando 4a der Einsatzgruppe C und die mit diesem Kommando eingestzten Einheiten während des Russland—Feldzuges in der Zeit vom 22.6.1941 bis zum Sommer 1943, Zentrale Stelle der Landesjustizverwaltungen, Ludwigsburg, den 30.12.1964.
Dienstaltersliste der Schuzstaffel der NSDAP: (SS-Obersturmbannführer und SS-Sturmbannführer), Stand vom 1.Oktober 1944, Herausgegeben vom SS-Personalhauptampt, Berlin, 1944.
Dienstaltersliste der Schuzstaffel der NSDAP: (SS-Obersturmbannführer und SS-Sturmbannführer), Stand vom 9.November 1944, Herausgegeben vom SS-Personalhauptampt, Berlin, 1944.
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