Regiment 24 “Danmark”
On these pages, I will specifically examine Wiking and the subordinate regiments Nordland, Westland, and Germania, as it was within these units that Danish and ethnic German volunteers primarily served.
Here the insignia — shields that were officially assigned to SS divisions — are displayed. Starting with the 1st SS Division and continuing through to the 38th SS Division.
Regiment 24 “Danmark” – The Establishment and the Political Background
Background and Military Conditions
The SS was originally conceived as Hitler’s personal bodyguard, but it grew into a very large and somewhat complex organisation. The Waffen-SS were combat troops, while the Allgemeine SS was responsible, among other things, for the concentration camps. There was jealousy, rivalry, and jurisdictional conflict between the Wehrmacht and the Waffen-SS.
The SS ultimately consisted of 39 divisions, some of which only had full strength on paper, while others were highly effective. One of the more capable divisions was Wiking.
