To the Reichsführer. SECRET. Berlin, Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse 9 Regarding this matter, I enclose a letter from the commander of the Free Corps Denmark. Letter from SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger to Heinrich Himmler Report by Lieutenant Colonel (SS-Obersturmbannführer) Kryssing of 11.2.42, in which he complains that Kriegsschule (officers’ school) for his further training the officers’ school in Tölz. (Kryssing and Jørgensen have jointly exercised the leadership of the Free Corps). The consequences of this leadership have, in the opinion of Sturmbannführer Massell, has resulted in the unit, in its current condition, not being ready for combat deployment against the enemy. The Free Corps has existed since July 1941 and ought to be ready for operational deployment. [Massell was assigned by the Waffen-SS as coordinator between German and Danish training for the Free Corps. Trans. note.] The reasons why this has not been achieved may lie in: 1. The lack of military training, as a result of which discipline within the unit is such that it is unable to withstand combat operations against the enemy.
2. The fact that training within the battalion framework does not allow for effective combat effectiveness against the enemy. The responsibility for this condition rests solely with the commander, Obersturmbannführer Kryssing, and the Sturmbannführer Jørgensen assigned to him. It may be noted that the commander, to supervise the training of his companies in any way, nor been able to provide his officers’ corps with the necessary training and discipline, or to take charge of his battalion. This is evident from the fact that he has not yet found any opportunity to influence that he has not engaged the officers’ corps in discussions aimed at promoting concern for the welfare of his unit, which has resulted in a surprising breakdown of discipline and order, with thefts having taken place, both inside and outside the premises. In this connection, several records are available concerning lost and destroyed equipment items. It is thereby proven that the Free Corps, under this leadership, in military terms has no that progress will be achieved, even though the commander in his report of 2 February 1942 claims that “that the Free Corps is now capable of standing on its own feet and therefore requests to be given the training staff be dissolved.” In accordance with your order, Reichsführer (Himmler, translator’s note), SS-Sturmbannführer von Schalburg is to take over command of the battalion. This is also the wish of a large part of the majority of the Free Corps, both officers and enlisted men. The current commander opposes this intention because Schalburg is a National Socialist, and he fears that a National Socialist upbringing will be introduced into the Free Corps. This position is opposed by SS-Obersturmbannführer Kryssing, with in his report of 11.2.1942, where he supports the position that this Free Corps should fight impartially against Bolshevism and therefore does not need to adhere to National Socialism. The commander and his SS-Sturmbannführer at the staff are further a political matter, as the commander proposes Hauptsturmführer Schock, who in the unit is known as a Freemason. His military abilities are, according to information from Sturmbannführer Massell, limited to technical knowledge as a machine-gun company commander. He is not capable of tactical leadership of a battalion. I request clarification as to whether it is to remain under your decision of 8.2.1942, that Sturmbannführer von Schalburg is to take over the battalion, so that I may hand over command to him, and that Obersturmbannführer Kryssing is for the time being to be employed at the SS leadership headquarters, and subsequently to assign him to the newly formed Regiment Thule (Regt. 9). In view of the report of 11.2.1942, I propose that Obersturmbannführer Kryssing be immediately marched to Division Wiking, in order there to give him the opportunity to to engage in practical troop leadership. Whether this assignment will succeed is a question. 14 Feb. 1942 – Krüger.
Translation and commentary by Magnus Møller, dispatch rider in the Free Corps for as long as it existed.