The SS Prinz Eugen - The Barbaric Waffen-SS Mountain Division

The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen" was a German Waffen-SS unit that was active during World War II. It was formed in 1941 and named after Prince Eugene of Savoy, a notable military commander from the Habsburg dynasty. The division was primarily composed of volunteers from the ethnic German minority in Yugoslavia, as well as German recruits. The division was established in October 1941 with the primary objective of engaging in anti-partisan operations in the Balkans. Its members were largely drawn from the Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans living in southeastern Europe, particularly in the areas of Croatia, Serbia, and Romania. The division was initially tasked with counterinsurgency and anti-partisan operations in the occupied territories of the Balkans. It participated in various campaigns against partisan forces in Yugoslavia, often operating in difficult mountainous terrain. The division was involved in numerous brutal actions against both partisan fighters and civilians in the region. This included reprisal actions that led to civilian casualties, burning of villages. These actions earned the division a reputation for ruthlessness and cruelty. As the war turned against the Axis powers, the division was gradually pushed back and suffered heavy losses. By 1945, it was caught in the Soviet advance and retreated toward Austria. The division eventually surrendered to British forces in Austria in May 1945. After the war, some members of the division were prosecuted for their involvement in war crimes committed during their anti-partisan operations in the Balkans. Several individuals were found guilty and sentenced for their actions. The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen" remains a controversial and dark chapter in World War II history due to its involvement in numerous brutal actions.
History Hustle presents: The SS Prinz Eugen - A Volunteer Mountain Division.
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SOURCES
- The Waffen-SS. A European History (Robert Gerwarth and Jochen Böhler).
- Himmler's Auxiliaries. The Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle and the German National Minorities of Europe, 1933-1945 (Valdis O. Lumans).
- Balkan G-n-cides (Paul Mojzes).
- War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941-1945. Occupation and Collaboration (Jozo Tomasevich).
IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org and from the book: Otto Klum - Prinz Eugen. The History of the 7 SS Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen.”
MUSIC
"Clenched Teeth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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"Division" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Devastation and Revenge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
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"Road to Hell" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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SOUNDS
Freesound.org.
E-MAIL
historyhustle[at]gmail.com

[@HistoryHustle]

Axis Invasion of Yugoslavia: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hni6g5yEbr5nrMk Croatia during WW2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqHSpmZpnZJ-qLc

[@FabulaDalmatiae]

My great-grandfather died fighting this division in a village north from city of Split. He was a partisan who died defending a school where women and children were evacuated. He was shot in combat, and even though they managed to take him to safety, he unfortunately died some hours later, because he got shot in the stomach.

[@gh87716]

@@z000ey Not a brave man. The partisans were communist terrorists. The Germans in Prinz Eugen were brave men fighting for Europe and the world trying to purge the commie monsters.

[@davidjackson2690]

He was a hero buddy.

[@MrBagpipes]

Your great grandfather was a hero who deserves to be remembered by all.

[@robertbauer3419]

Ironically, my grandfather was part of the SS Prince Eugen Division. He was an ethnic German from Vukovar, Croatia, who basically got tossed in there against his will at the beginning of 1942. He was captured by the Partisans in 1945 and the only reason he ever survived was thanks to his sister's Slovenian husband who was a hard-core Communist high up in the Partisan ranks, almost in Tito's inner circle. He was a member of the Yugoslavian Communist Party since its formation in 1919 and attended the now famous 2 Congress of Communist Party of Yugoslavia which was held in Vukovar in 1920 (where the KPJ was truly formed and where the Slovenian communists officially joined the united Yugoslav Communist movement). This is where he first met my grandfather who was 8 years old at the time. My grandfather was living with his older sister (19) and his mother who became the head of the household because his father (my grand-grandfather) was killed in 1914, during WW1 fighting as a Stabsarzt/Captain in the Austro-Hungarian Army somewhere in Serbia. My grandfather's sister was a young Communist symphatiser and a university student in nearby Osijek and she hosted several attendees of the 2 Congress during the duration of the conference and as it later turned out, one of the members of the Slovenian Communist Party fell in love with her and they were married shortly and she moved with him to Slovenia. So skipping 25 years later, after my grandfather was captured in Slovenia in May of 1945 trying to get to the Austrian border, his sister's husband who was on a mission of trying to find him literally pulled him out of the group of Prinz Eugen + some other SS/Wermacht captives who were marching to the site where they were all gonna be killed within the next few hours. Even though my grandpa's sister's husband was a high-rank Communist, he still barely managed to save my grandpa with some story that he was a secret Communist spy within the SS...I mean, it was something like in a Hollywood movie. My grandpa spent few years in Slovenia, living with his sister and enjoying her husband;s protection, until he finally managed to get back to Vukovar to his mom in 1948. It just shows how war causes people to go into completely different paths than they coud ever imagine seeing themselves in.

[@radomirratkovic9014]

​@@robertbauer3419my grandfather did not have the Providence watching his beck that day ...Zidani Most .. 11/12/13 may 1945

[@stevans.4295]

This division was formed 60 km from my home town...Thanks for this episode Stefan... Greetings from Serbia!!!!😊

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply.

[@user-lc5wg9gi1i]

enjoy watching your nazi mates getting wasted in the ukraine mate i am@@HistoryHustle

[@simasimic5820]

Division was form in my home town Bela Crkva, German Waiss kirchen or White Church.

[@dnosic]

Prince Eugen wasnt a ruler. He was a famous Habsburg military commander, who liberated many parts of Hungary and Croatia from the Ottomans. One of the best military strategists in history for sure.

[@HistoryHustle]

I see.

[@paulsillanpaa8268]

The title 'Prince' is often misunderstood in the west, since we're not used to massive dynasties like the Habsburgs or Romanovs. It was not uncommon for a person of moderate social standing to nevertheless hold the title 'Prince' because they were a (distant) member of the royal family. This _really_ threw me off the first time I tried to read 'War & Peace.'

[@chrisrauber6602]

@@paulsillanpaa8268 As an Austrian....I can confirm this. Prince Eugen was a Frenchman...but the French King wasn t interested in his service. Well, Eugen was just too small grown and its supposed he wasnt really interested in "intime interaction with females"....

[@amirdedic9278]

​@@chrisrauber6602imamo je ineki manji deformitet na kičmi... Nešto kao grba.. Ali je bio agresivan lik koji je strahovito uništavao muslimansko civilno stanovništvo. Spalio je Sarajevo do temelja.

[@stanleyrogouski]

He also destroyed Sarajevo. It didn't recover for over a century.

[@tonnywildweasel8138]

As someone who only knows WWII history from photos, films, diaries, historybooks, and this channel ofcourse, I always hesitate to judge. But the sheer horror that man is capable of inflicting on others always baffles me. That we never forget! Thanks Stefan. And for your keen eye for detail 👍 Greets from the Netherlands 🇳🇱, T.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply T.!

[@peternakitch4167]

On this channel I have mentioned that I suspect my father, a Serb, was likely a Chetnik, having been conscripted in his late teens to the Yugoslav army, and then after its defeat he took to the hills. He survived the war (most of his family did not) and emigrated to Australia in 1949, dying here in 2008. What I want to mention is not about him, but that post war there were many Serbs, Greeks, Italians, Macedonians, Croats, ethic Germans, etc. who came to Australia and by and large they seem to have lived in harmony, and my own encounter with a friend of his, one of the 540,000 ethnic Yugoslav-Germans, a woman then in her 70’s. She had come to Australia in the late ‘40’s and became quite wealthy, very occasionally she visited my parents, for the last time as it turned out in the mid 1990’s. At dinner during one of these visits, becoming aware that I had studied some history at university, she gave her very pro-German, anti-communist, anti-Jewish take on the war and it’s aftermath; directing most of her attention at me she stated that I had spent too much time reading “English” and “Jewish” history and that it was necessary for me read “German” history. The woman’s husband, a native German, attempted to get his wife to keep her thoughts to herself. All of this offended my mother (a Scot whose own father had been killed while serving with the Royal Navy), my father and most of all myself - I got up from the table and left the house. The woman never came to my parent’s house again, and I never found out which German authors or historians she believed I should be reading. I realised then and now she was an unrepentant NAZI, or follower of Hitler, the only one I have knowingly met. 50 years after the war she still resented that she had to leave Yugoslavia, that Germany was defeated and perhaps that she’d ended up in Australia.

[@mammuchan8923]

Wow people are crazy. She enters your family home and sprouts this rubbish. She was clearly beyond redemption

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read. That must have been an awkward diner...

[@z000ey]

Yup, 1990's would be the time she finally spoke her thoughts openly. Unfortunate souls, spent all their lives believing the 40's propaganda

[@albertmisic3876]

SS division Prinz Eugene had first action against Chetnics in operation Kopaonik in 1942. They didn't manage to get them but afterwards SS committed enormous crimes against humanity and local civilians. Soon it would becomes their evil mark. I don't know what got into Germans from Yugoslavia to did that?. They lived peacefully with Serbs and others by centuries and in Yugoslavia. Germans had a lot of lands, privilege and money. Serbs from Banat always had good opinion about them. That had a positive nickname to them "Danube Swabians". About their lives in that period i recommend book The Use of Man by Aleksandar Tisma

[@robertclark1669]

Well the real answer is quite complex but it can be most accurately described as a mixture of Training, Propaganda, Adrenaline, Ethnic tensions and fear all mixed into one. Men simply become something different during Combat, Soldiers must at once become able to take a life and give their lives and this warps their mindset. But a part of me fears that, in the end, we are all ravenous murderous creatures and when you temper this creature with Training, Propaganda, Camaraderie and fear it is all exacerbated. Men have razed entire cities, butchered entire families, smashed the heads of Infants on the ground in order to kill them and all of this has happened for centuries. What I fear is that this has really sewn it's way into our DNA, deep inside of us just waiting to introduce itself.

[@gh87716]

The SS didn't commit any "enormous crimes" against civilians. The commie monsters did that, and the world later blamed the Germans.

[@serdradion4010]

Famous Royal Serb officer killed by the communist Partisans Deroko, was in fact originally De Roco, italian originated Serb from the Dalmatian island.

[@recyclebin4148]

germans were prothestants, send by habsburgs in vojvodina swamps to die shoveling cannals. some survived and settled, but they were always 5th rate citizens after catholic austrians and hungarians. only serbs accepted them as neighbours and friends . they were always allies with serbs agains hungarians. i think they beleived that new reich will accept them as equal germans after centuries. thats why they went mad and betrayed serbs

[@toron8418]

My grandmother half brother a very young man 20 years old died in action as partisan somewhere in dalmatia probably fighting this unit. He is officially mia as he is never found. Only was a tale that his unit was sold out by a traitor and they were ambushed and in turn massacred... When I was 7 8 years old my late nonna told me that story multiple time I remember it vaguely. I think that every one from that generation had story like that... And unfortunately we as people didn't learn nothing from their past experiences... The pain of missing someone and you don't have a grave to place a flower to your loved one is truly barbaric...

[@gajtrifkovic5299]

Thanks for the video! Here is what one Partisan from Vojvodina had to say about the “Prinz Eugen”: “It was the only German unit which fought both during day and night (like us), carried weapons and supplies on its back or on horses (like us) and spoke Serbian-almost like us! Happily, they were late in realizing how advantageous all this could be. When we face each other without knowing whether friend or foe is on the opposite hill and when we are ready to either embrace or kill each other, we yell: who goes there? Instead of an answer we hear in Serbian: and who goes there? After several such exchanges, we decide to identify ourselves: here are the men of Vojvodina!, only to hear "Here are also men of Vojvodina!" in response. Only when weapons start to roar it becomes apparent that we are two entirely different types of Vojvodina men [...] Only one of these two armies would return to Vojvodina and it wouldn't be them! Until then, both armies lost many of their members here, but they lost the war and Vojvodina as well. Only and nothing but bad memories remained!” 2:58 Photo was taken on 30 April 1944 at Lipa in Istria and shows members of the Police Regiment “Bozen”, made up of Ethnic Germans from Italy (the village was torched and its 269 inhabitants massacred). 5:41 and 6:51 refer to the same incident. The reason the NDH authorities protested was the fact that the victims of the massacre were ethnic Croats, ironically many of whom had relatives serving in various NDH and German formations; NDH troops *did not* take part in this atrocity. 6:06 Böhme´s instruction was issued before the division “Prinz Eugen” was formed and was valid in this form for occupied Serbia only.

[@HistoryHustle]

Very interesting to read. Thanks for sharing.

[@gajtrifkovic5299]

@@HistoryHustle Thank you for continually providing coverage of Yugoslavia-related WW2 topics.

[@mihajlozaric6957]

A rakija for our fallen german countryman hehe the Irony of my Story im born and raised in Austria, so im an ethnic serbian German the Opposite :D

[@z000ey]

Great comments and fine addendum to the topic!

[@serdradion4010]

There was no communist guerilla in the nowadays Vojvodina, Serbian Dutchy initially. All able body population was in the Axis Armies: Hunarian, Croatian and the German. Political fabrication of the Yugoslav Communist Party. When the Red Army entered the Royal Yugoslavia in 1944, entire Hungarian Army units changed insignia and attached the Red Star on their hats. They changed sides and aligned with the Tito's forces the overthrow the King and establish the Republic non dominated by the Serbs. Entire Tito's history is just a Yugoslav communist lie.

[@marykrueger6039]

Another great video Teacher Stefan. Keep up the great work.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Mary.

[@mammuchan8923]

I have Eastern European friends that have heard from grandparents how Germans living in those territories were chased out of the countries and they also hint at a violent level of retribution against these people. But I notice details are not given. I have only seen it mentioned a few times in documentaries and quite briefly. It seems to be quite downplayed, and this video helps to understand why. That for enlightening us as usual Stefan

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks again for your reply!

[@nikesan2472]

In former Yugoslavia I read that happened. In Romania they left after ww2, many after 89. The president Iohannis is a ethnic german. I think they were "forced" out of Poland also. In rusia many were sent to siberia and kazakstan.

[@gangstadrz9326]

My family was almost killed. Their neighbors were killed 🙏 I have a violent hatred of Tito.

[@mammuchan8923]

@@gangstadrz9326 I am so sad to hear that😢

[@KonradAdenauerJr]

General Artur Phleps (a Transylvania Saxon) began his military career as young officer in the Austro-Hungarian army during WW1. After Austria-Hungary's breakup, he continued his military career,.. in the Romanian Army, where he rose through the ranks. During WW2, he was "poached" by the SS, and that's how he came to command the Prinz Eugen Division. He innovated some tactics in the fight against the Partisans, emphasizing pursuit rather than attempts at surrounding them (which were slow, difficult to coordinate, and often allowed the Partisans to escape through gaps).

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this additional information.

[@Hongaars1969]

You’re the best history teacher anyone could wish for

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for your support!

[@dancarter6044]

At the end of WW 2, almost all the Volksdeutche were expelled from Eastern Europe and the USSR and went to West Germany or America. Lot's of them were murdered all over like in CZ, Poland, etc

[@HistoryHustle]

Also in Yugoslavia many murders took place.

[@Nikola2006]

You’re living up your reputation for studying niche topics. I’m learning so much from this channel. Keep it up

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply 👍

[@christopherellis2663]

Greetings from Timişoara ( Temesvár) not so far from Pančevo. Many Germans were packed off to Siberia until 1956

[@HistoryHustle]

Could be yes!

[@mikloridden8276]

I’m actually surprised the Prinz Eugen ultimately found themselves on the receiving end. Usually those SS guys got away.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed. These men didn't get away.

[@avan3d429]

Nah, a decent amount did get away. They deserted and fled to Austria. It was clear the Partisans would take control of Yugoslavia. So they fled along with the civilian Volksdeutsche during the expulsion.

[@gangstadrz9326]

I’ve met a bunch lol

[@joerussell9574]

Love the videos HH! I have learned a lot from Your videos that most other channels do not talk about or skip over! Thanks much and hello from East Tennessee in the southern USA! If You ever come to the USA come to our neck of the woods, we are well known for our southern hospitality and we will treat You like kin here(the northern and west are different is all I will say lol!

[@xvsj5833]

Stefan, interesting content on a very dark time of humanity! Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💪🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your ongoing support Jesse!

[@davidjackson2690]

Deep, informative and entertaining. Always. Thanks for another great story.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks David 👌

[@evileagle2662]

Amazing video, can you please talk about the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) and the impact they had on eastern bosnia in 1944

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. As I am traveling now till August 2024 I won't make such an episode anytime soon.

[@evileagle2662]

@@HistoryHustle no problem I appreciate the response

[@goranradomirovic2284]

Great video! Keep good work!

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@spottdro55el18]

In Transylvania we even have a documentary about a Saxon who was in this division, he was a Panzerfahrer. The documentary is called: "Einst suesse Heimat" / Once a sweet homeland. And also, a highly recommended book about the conscription, division and many more is the one written by the Transylvanian-Saxon Fritz Umbrich who is translated in German, Romanian and English: "BALKAN NIGHTMARE / Alptraum Balkan / Cosmar in Balcani".

[@dancarter6044]

Prinz Eugen was also a heavy cruiser too.

[@HistoryHustle]

Believe so too.

[@theangrylizard1990]

Beat me to it.

[@zokzok5038]

very good work. i lived in banat / bela crkva, in a former german house. that house and auxiliary buildings were so big that in 1960s there lived 4-5 families 🧐

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

I must say your channel is doing remarkable well. close to 160 k subscribers and steady number of views. I just hope you wont run in to the same issues other historian channels have lately , the armchair historian , the greatwar /ww2 channels . etc

[@HistoryHustle]

So far so good 💪

[@cameronbrown9080]

I so wish that I had a history teacher like your self when I was in school. Love the videos you have done thank you for what you do 😊😊

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for these kind words.

[@bigsarge2085]

Learned more! Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

😀

[@aidankitson7877]

Thanks Stef for your research in bringing these fascinating videos to us. Why wasn't Otto Kumm tried as a war criminal?

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. I don't know. Anyone?

[@peakovacevic1533]

No. He lived to 2004.y in Germany.

[@ShamileII]

Great video and history lesson. Thanks! I always enjoy learning more and more about the SS

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching!

[@kennethrouse7942]

Many years ago now, I became mildly acquainted with an old Waffen SS veteran who told me that before being blinded in one eye in combat that he'd been in the Prinz Eugen division. Where did they send him after that? The SD. Of course, I was thinking OMG.. the thing was, he acted like any other old man you'd run into. 😱

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@dariovukojevic926]

He was like any other man. You just believe atrocity propaganda about that period. It's brainwashing.

[@FrontlineFiles]

Both of my great grandmas brothers were drafted into this division against their will at a very young age. The younger one survived but tragically the older brother was executed after deserting. He almost made it home to his parents but was seen entering the village and reported to the SS.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@HauptmanKoening]

As this division comprised of people from Croatia and Vojvodine, where biggest mountain is a pumpkin, it is mistake to say that this division knew the terrain of dalmatia or bosnia. They where selected to fight far away from their home in order to commit these attrocities not because if terrain. Actually standard nazi thing, they fought the "enemy" far away from home in order to "protect" the homes. And Ustashe did not complain because of attrocities itself, they complained as the attricities where commited against Croat population. They could not care less if somebody killed jews or Serbs. From what i have read, they where similar to Dirlewanger. Only strange thing is that the normal people did it( as they where consctipted) which just explains how the war creates monsters out of people trough propaganda

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

Thank you. Respectful 🙏 ( History Hustle) channel for sharing informative historical coverage with truthful introduction...Sir Stefan you are a great history teacher 🙏🫡...

[@HistoryHustle]

😃

[@tonycavanagh1929]

Can you do a video, on the SA, I read somewhere, that they had one division as there own. I am curious of what happen to the SA after Rhoem.

[@daveanderson3805]

I think, but I am open to correction, that SA men were formed into an army division. Supposedly it's official name was Feldherrnhalle. Unfortunately I don't know the divisional number.

[@rjames3981]

I believe Arnold Schwarzenegger’s father Gustav was in the SA. Later fought in the siege of Leningrad I believe.

[@David_Sikalo]

My grandfather who was a bosnian served in the homeguard of the croatian army at that time, his brother somehow managed to join the prinz eugen devision. When they were sent to the eastern front they took heavy losses. Some of them were exicuted, some of them kept as prisoners. He had a slavic surname so he was let go earlier. After the war he lived in a village near ukraine, got married to a russian woman and had 2 doughters, but later they died of some disease (I think tuberculosis) and he came back to Bosnia.

[@Someone111ify]

Was he a Bosniac?

[@David_Sikalo]

@@Someone111ify There is no such thing as "bosniak", he was a bosnian, his ethnicity was croatian, their mother was a catholic croat and father a muslim croat

[@user-bx6zr5rv5b]

Your videos are very instructive and considering the standing ovation the former ЅЅ soldier received in the Canadian Parliament very important. I have one objection, was it difficult for you to say that 98% of the victims of that ЅЅ division were ethnic Orthodox Serbs.

[@angryeric2961]

This channel is a little sus

[@justanapple8510]

Good video stefan!

[@jokodihaynes419]

great video mate, i hope you do a future video about Volksdeutsche from other parts of the world return to Germany to fight for them

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your response.

[@leoncsorba9085]

Excellent documentary.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@xvsj5833]

Thanks!

[@HistoryHustle]

Once else many thanks Jesse. Cheers from Paramaribo 🇸🇷

[@xvsj5833]

@@HistoryHustle Your welcome Stefan! Cheers 🍻 from the Rockies! ✌️ brother

[@dansmith4077]

great video thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks for your support Dan!

[@MyLateralThawts]

A shame they had to drag Prince Eugene’s name through the mud by naming an SS division after him.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many names were dragged aa such...

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

Very good. Thanks BZ

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@sirdarklust]

An interesting accompaniment to this video would be a look at the 6th Waffen-SS Mountain Division Nord, which, fromwhat I have read, was a rather mediocre division throughout the war. I haven't read about them being particularly brutal, but just about them being a substandard unit. Take care.

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps one day!

[@afghaaj]

4:27 which wouldn't make it any easier for the locals, as Bulgarians were as brutal as SS. In fact, friend of my grandfather was saved by the german officer, as a Bulgarian took him and toss im into the air, so he can fall on his bayonet. But german officer caught him in mid air, and slapped Bulgarian for doing that. That grandpa's friend was a just few months old baby at the time.

[@marcoskehl]

8:33 I have seen many WW2 photos with both allies and axis using tilted caps like this one. I would like to know if there was any purpose or it was just fashionable. Obrigado, Stefan! ヽ(͡◕ ͜ʖ ͡◕)ﾉ 🍀 🇧🇷

[@HistoryHustle]

Fashion thing I believe!

[@davidraper5798]

Well presented as ever. An interesting but appalling subject, which is always the problem when studying the SS.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@theodorossarafis7370]

everybody focus on LAH and Das Reich. There were so many other SS formations most where very brutal. For the putees all mountain infantry units used putees so maybe this is why. Great video Stefan. Thank you

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@z000ey]

For ex Yugoslavia viewers, the mentioned operation Fall Weiss at 4:25 is the Battle of Neretva (aka 4th offensive), while the operation Fall Schwartz at 5:01 is the Battle of Sutjeska (aka 5th offensive). One errata: a lot of the Italian troops were actually disarmed by the Partisans, especially in Dalmatia, because it took some time for operation Fall Achse (the German retaking, disarming and internemnt of Italians all over the Medditeranean, mentioned at 5:12) to reach southern Dalmatia. One of the Italian divisions, the Bergamo 15th Division even took part in fighting AGAINST the Germans with the Partisans in three weeks of September 1943. where Prinz Eugen marched from Mostar in two directions - Split and Dubrovnik in order to retake the previous Italian positions. It was in Split where the Italian officers were finally taken, court marshaled and shot. Another point: the Volks Deutsche were from Banat, Bačka etc. all in nothern Panonnian plains of Yugoslavia, and were definitely NOT accustomed to the mountainous regions in the south, the Dinaric Alps. They did know the language and some customs, true, so better fitted than other German troops, albeit in my opinion Austrian Jaeger regiments would definitely better serve the role than the Volks Deutsche... Also about the numbers of Volks Deutsche before WW2, an example is the cadastre map of Vukovar dating 1910. or 1912. I've seen. In those times along the cadastre number on the plot written in the map there would also be the plot owner's surname written in too. The map was completely covered by German surnames (I'm talking Mitnica and Sajmište area, the old part of Vukovar), like Muller, Stern, Steiner, Schmit etc etc. Practically the whole area was populated by ethnic Germans. This is particularly interesting since Vukovar in 1991. was a place of a bitter battle where Serbs held the city in brutal siege and under constant bombardment, then took it from the Croats, and immediately commited extremely vicious war crimes (killing all war prisoners, including the wounded from the hospital, and a lot of civilians), took the whole rest of the civilian population hostage in concentration camps, then later expelled them from the city. The interesting part is that both Croats and Serbs claimed the city due to their side having historical and ethnic claims (although the number was more or less equal, more Serbs in the villages around, more Croats in the center), but just 50 years prior BOTH Serbs and Croats were a minority in the city as the bulk was GERMAN.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@radomirratkovic9014]

That's right and not only in Baranya and eastern Slavonia but in many other places in Pannonian basin..

[@serdradion4010]

They were ordinary citizens of the Kingdom of SHS/Yugoslavia and were conscripts of the Army, served in the military, had advanced military training. They spoke all the main languages of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Batscka Southern part of the region was annexed and reunited with the Hungary proper, so all the citizens there were the conscripts of the Hungarian Army. All except the Germans that served in the German units. Being the citizens of the state KY, makes them one of the participants of the Great Civil War.

[@z000ey]

@@serdradion4010 exactly they mostly spoke German home and Serbian in public affairs (schooling etc.) and most likely a lot of them spoke Hungarian too, for trading purposes (the area had lots of villages that are often majority either Hungarian, Serbian or German, if you went to a fair for trade you'd better be multilingual).

[@serdradion4010]

@@z000ey There was also German community in Croatia, spread all over the territory. They were in the Blue Division. Baron, Graf in Vukovar was German.

[@michaelhemphill8575]

"Great Report Instructor".."as always..although the "Germans" were militarily formidable..they were quite ruthless..and I get it "War" is hell..Great info "Sir"!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching.

[@thunderkittie679]

I would like to point out that Wehrmacht means armed forces not Army. Army was "das Heer" SS units composed of Foreign volunteers were part of the Wehrmacht.

[@HistoryHustle]

Ok.

[@maura9035]

Can you please explain who you mean when you say “Ethnic Germans”, thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

Germans living outside Germany. For more info google Volksdeutsche.

[@maura9035]

@@HistoryHustle thank you!

[@theMOCmaster]

czechs were actually expelled from poland in a few villages post war, very obscure, look up the history of czech villages in poland because they dont really speak about it as an expulsion

[@rjames3981]

Indeed Poland attacked Czechoslovakia with Germany in 1938

[@Skiskiski]

When I was in JRMC Hohenfels during 2000's, when we were wearing black OPFOR uniforms, we were portraying the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. We were the bad guys!

[@HistoryHustle]

Jrmc, opfor?

[@peterhughes8699]

Thanks Stefan - interesting history of the infamous Waffen SS. And glad to hear that the Prinz Eugen Division finally met a just end

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching.

[@serdradion4010]

They were covering the retreat of the Army Group E trough the Serbia together with the White Russian Corp. There was also the German Blue division that was executed in mass. Anyway, service on the Balkans helped young German conscripts from going on the East Front, from where people rarely returned . Being the citizens of the state KY makes them one of the participants of the Great Civil War.

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

Interesting

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@philbachmann6398]

Artur Phleps was another ardent Nazi with a deferential Hitler moustache. An old school officer but fashionable for his time. Never ceases to amaze the ethnic hatred. I have seen a picture of Phelps in putties. I assumed it was casual with heavy jack boots off. Thanks again Stefan. 🙏🇦🇺

[@dancarter6044]

Actually the "Hitler" or toothbrush mustache was a WW 1 thing so a soldier wouldn't have problems getting his gas mask sealed during a gas attack

[@peterstadlmaier3107]

Phleps was an officer in the Austro- Hungarian army, where putties were common. Also in the Romanian army, where he worked later.

[@theangrylizard1990]

@@dancarter6044 I shave with a double edge razor and I noticed how easy it is to obtain a toothbrush moustache that way. Straight lines on either side of the philtrum. And it can be hard to shave the philtrum without cutting yourself, so that kinda moustache might just be a way of avoiding pain.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Phil, this Phleps was a strange man mostly overlooked. Could not find much about him either.

[@philbachmann6398]

@@HistoryHustle there has been many comments regarding mine. WW1 moustache, Austro - Hungarian Military Academy and so on. I knew all that. But many Hitler true believers, especially some in the SS, and magnified by being an Ethnic German as your lecture suggests, Race Mania with Hitler the most Holy German Race messiah was copied for his toothbrush moustache. These men were the true believers of this Race Vision and Hitler gave them the chance to Germanise. This is especially true for ethnic Germans, particularly from Rumania. Racism was a core value of Hitler's National Socialism. Many historians have remarked on the wearing of this moustache by these devout followers as a bond with their Racial Messiah, Adolph Hitler. Very different times indeed and, a mass movement, a mass religion in the imagings of men with incomprehensible consequences. 🙏🇦🇺

[@HawkThunder907]

There are still some "Volksdeutsche" or as we call them "Dunavšvabe" in my Hometown. But most got expelled after the second World War.

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting some are still left. Indeed, most got expelled.

[@pippohispano]

At 6:51 we can see a Czechoslovak ZB vz. 26 light machine gun.

[@HistoryHustle]

I see.

[@giannidemichelis3086]

The use the same footstuff of Alpini, they were both Mountain division. In Italy we call It "mollettiere". Soldiers that didn't fight on the front line were equiped with second choise weaponry, that's why french tanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@radomirratkovic9014]

Those light tanks were great option for the unit considering mountainous terrain in western Balkans...That unit was first formed in the order of protection of the volksdeutsche in Yugoslavia whose lives were endangered with communist action ( Stalin called for it after " Barbarrosa"and that's why communists joined the struggle against Axis ) ...Burning of the farms,derailing of the trains and rapes and murders of local German population were the reason that 7 th Waffen SS was formed in the first place...It was police and antiterrorist unit which was a Germans fire brigade in the Balkans .They have built all those fortifications in Dalmatia were they were expecting Allies to land an invasion in the late 1943 and early 1944. They repelled any such attempts but lost their lives at the end of the war and not only by surrendering to Yugos but also to New Zealanders ..

[@giannidemichelis3086]

@@radomirratkovic9014 of course. But if you fight as an army you have to use the same weapons. For the logistic, for the knowledge and so on

[@giannidemichelis3086]

Ah,Sorry for my english, i am italian and i don't use traslators

[@radomirratkovic9014]

@@giannidemichelis3086 It's just impossible task to do in any given time and in any given war ...I am veteran and I know that plus as a child was surrendered with people that were involved in civil war back in 1941/45 struggle...What do you think that have happened with all those rifles and equipment Royal Italian Army captured in world war 2( French,Greek,British ,Yugoslav)?

[@roniberahaquartet477]

Can ,you mention the folksdeutsch batalion of partisans from Papuk .

[@HistoryHustle]

Sounds interesting. Any sources? Feel free to share.

[@thilgu]

Hiag also supported war widows financially.

[@zillsburyy1]

5:40 lol those hypocrites were the worst under the nazi units

[@jokodihaynes419]

to this day the clean Waffen-SS and army are still debated

[@kimwit1307]

I'm pretty sure no serious historian takes it seriously.

[@steffent.6477]

Where? Certainly not in germany or former occupied countries...

[@MR_ponki]

maybe you can talk about some of the warcrimes commited by frikorps Danmark, that would be very interesting.

[@HistoryHustle]

Not anytime soon. I am traveling till August 2024.

[@MR_ponki]

to where?

[@HistoryHustle]

@@MR_ponki South America.

[@MR_ponki]

@@HistoryHustle ah ok well good vacation 😀

[@---rz5th]

How come we are discussing this almost eifhty years on where not going to solve any problems. so wise to loook back

[@HistoryHustle]

It's called history.

[@dariovukojevic926]

Because it is propaganda. This event became the genesis of western civilization. It defines good and evil for all people in the west. It replaced religion so it must be repeated all the time so you NEVER FORGET AND NEVER AGAIN! I bet you heard that one before. Anyways, it's just nonsense. These men fought for the right cause.

[@CARL_093]

👍👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@sabkobds]

It's wrong to say that they moved to Croatia for Operation Weiss. True they moved to NDH, but this is not Croatia. It was in Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly Herzegovina - battle of Neretva).

[@HistoryHustle]

See it in context. When talking about Croatia in WW2 I talk about the NDH.

[@sabkobds]

​@@HistoryHustle I've got it, but it's wrong IMO. Even Croatians don't recognize this monstrous construction of wannabe state (or at least every normal Croatian). Modern Croatia has it's roots in ZAVNOH and AVNOJ not in NDH. Likewise BiH in ZAVNOBiH and AVNOJ. SR Croatia is first truly Croatian state. Some will say with disclaimer "since Middle Ages". And, from Bosnian point of view, it's like saying that something happened in Albania, Ethiopia, parts of Croatian Dalmatia, etc. happened in Italy. I don't try to be negative or something, I just like call the things their right name. And coming from Bosnia - people always tend to put us on one or another side.

[@jean6872]

*History - objective accounts without spin, is all we need to understand what really happened. We get it on this channel*

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@dariovukojevic926]

None of it was objective. In fact this man has no clue. All of it is just ordinary wikipedia lies.

[@jean6872]

@@dariovukojevic926 This particular video impressed me but I've changed my mind about the channel since it whitewashed the Ukrainian fascists.

[@dariovukojevic926]

@@jean6872 No need to do that because they did nothing wrong. Fascists were the last decent people in Europe.

[@dariovukojevic926]

@@jean6872 But there is a channel on youtube still surviving that I would recommend, it's "Zoomer Historian". In the sea of nonsense he is probably the only one that is destroying myths of WW2 and spitting facts.

[@mils5000]

My compassion for the 2000 in the trench is very limited. Too many of these bastards survived the war.

[@HistoryHustle]

These men sure were brutal.

[@TheMiksi1]

Where serbs from Banat were recruited to Prinz Eugen?

[@HistoryHustle]

As far as I know not.

[@shutup2751]

you can always count on the revisionists to spring to the defence of war criminals

[@HistoryHustle]

That happens yes unfortunately. Hope you dont refer to me.

[@shutup2751]

no no, this channel is very good, unfortunately, they are like flies they seem to end up in any video denouncing their role models@@HistoryHustle

[@rjames3981]

Very interesting again.👌 I believe the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also had a grandfather Fritz von Scholz who was a top Waffen SS Commander. ( see his wiki page)

[@HistoryHustle]

Didnt know this. Thanks for your reply.

[@ShamileII]

Well, maybe thst will give him some backbone in dealing with Russia.

[@rjames3981]

‘On 27 July 1944, Scholz was wounded in an artillery barrage and died the next day’ ‘Scholz started World War II as a battalion commander in the SS-Regiment Der Führer, taking part in the Western campaign of 1940’

[@freddysubs]

That's a fake spread by Russia's propaganda.

[@TheWilferch]

@@ShamileII ...seems not so much so..... as he vacillates on giving Ukraine the weapon-systems needed and endorsed by other German officials....but he alone is the holdout for fear of antagonizing the Russians ( or simply Putin)....then...after a long agonizing time elapses....he relents to the aid. This scene is repeated endlessly. Seems to be sitting on a fence all the time.

[@WukFanatic]

According to Milan Radanović who is a pro partisana historian, ON THE TERRITORY OF SERBIA (not whole of Yugoslavia) in 1944 and 1945 there was between 25 and 30 thousand germans who were executed, killed or died due to bad conditions in the camps. In the same terriitory and the same years in total there is around 55 thousand deaths out of which 25-30 thousand are germans, around 13 thousand serbs, 8 thousand hungarians and then you have all others.

[@HistoryHustle]

The partisans sure took bloody revenge.

[@Mr.E5150]

I appreciate that you also mention the atrocities of the communist Tito partisans.

[@HistoryHustle]

These should not be overlooked.

[@Love.life.ashigzoya]

How can SS be accused of crimes when SS was given standing ovation i. CANADIAN PARLIAMENT .

[@HistoryHustle]

The gave an ovation to one veteran not knowing he was in the SS. Very ignorant yes, but they APOLOGIZED for it. Haven't seen any apologizes from Putin for invading a sovereign country.

[@angryeric2961]

To be fair, it was blatantly obvious the dude was a Nazi and they still cheered.

[@mihajlozaric6957]

There are still german villages in Serbia but i think not more then 10.000-15.000 they speak better Serbian then german a lot of see them as serbians now so just maximal 15.000 as germans

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. Thanks for sharing

[@RedBatteryHead]

That region has always been so divided. Shit is going to happen again. Atrocities just waiting.

[@HistoryHustle]

Let's hope not...

[@MarshalRedDog]

Those skeletons in Slovenia… Ustashas claime it´s ustashas, chetniks that it´s chetniks… while the truth is that it´s mixed, even from partisans, since the nazis and collaborators were fighting hard to break through to Austria. When the british gave them back to the partisans in many cases it was slovenian civilians that killed them for the atrocities that they committed while breaking through to Austria.

[@HistoryHustle]

It was a messy time.

[@ummagumma7826]

I am left wondering "can this happen again?" and before you say "yes" or "its human nature" explain why or why not because of today's checks and balances or lack there of

[@HistoryHustle]

Let's hope it won't happen again.

[@aka99]

Huh? I believe the reason why everyone talks about the ss guys is because of the well documented crimes and because many human were involved in ww2, but if you look up other history, you see atrocities were done long before ww2. Maybe not everytime as brutal as in ww2, but never as brutal ww2 neither. One reason why many killed or mudered human beeings in ww2 is because of technique, I believe. And today, yes. It happend again. Not in this scale and numbers. I think of this barbaric Islamic state guys. If you look videos and read about their brutality, they were as ruthless as the Waffen ss, maybe sometimes even worse. In future times we will read and watch about atrocities in the Ukraine war of both sides.

[@ummagumma7826]

@@aka99 seems to be happening less in the places it once was widespread

[@tarik6990]

In WW2, Bosniaks made up 30% of the population yet had 60% of the total share of saving Jewish families in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Handzar division does not represent Bosniaks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Never claimed that.

[@tarik6990]

@@HistoryHustle You didn't claim that and this message wasn't targeting you specifically.

[@angryeric2961]

And Democrats gave a surviving member of the SS waffen a standing ovation. Madness

[@HistoryHustle]

In Canada? They apologized for it. Putin hasnt done so yet.

[@angryeric2961]

@@HistoryHustle to be fair, Putin didn't kiss the SS waffen's ass, he just said they people that did were idiots. Seems like a reasonable assessment to me

[@user-wd9ls6xl2u]

​@@angryeric2961🤝🤝

[@albertborgman859]

What?

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@tiosavdarivalic3662]

First fighting Princ Eugen was against Chetniks,and war crimes against Serbian civilians around Kopaonik mountain!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@user-gy5di4il3j]

You should know that banat become part of Serbia after first w.wor.

[@HistoryHustle]

Ok.

[@mihajlozaric6957]

A rakija for our fallen german countryman hehe the Irony of my Story im born and raised in Austria, so im an ethnic serbian German the Opposite :D

[@HistoryHustle]

..ok?

[@mihajlozaric6957]

Its more like (black) Humor my parents are from yugoslavia so im this , what this germans were in Yugoslavia..

[@mabbrey]

w/d hus

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@ljubivojepaunovic4062]

Amerik Barbaric .Ljubivoje

[@HistoryHustle]

?

[@vladimirvucetic6933]

Some crimes were due to be payed 50 years later...

[@HistoryHustle]

Please explain.

[@vladimirvucetic6933]

@@HistoryHustle Sure. The countless atrocities done by this division were mostly against the common Serbian population, along with the Handschgar division, NDH, Muslims from Bosnia and Albanians - they were not trialed adequately, they were covered up mostly. This created a feeling of being victimized to Serbians which gave rise to nationalism, leading eventually to bloody civil wars during the break up of Yugoslavia. The seed of evil gave its fruit after half of the century.

[@vladimirvucetic6933]

So, opposite of the history books, from the start of the war till the weakening of Germans (1944) the Partisans were exclusively composed of Serbians. It was the post war history washing that added all nationalities, so that it appeared like brotherhood and unity was from the first day. Tito communists were covering the truth for their own agenda.

[@user-vv9sl9ln2e]

Which facts and which textbooks do you question? From what sources did you gain your knowledge? And what truth were Tito’s communists hiding? Partisan detachments were created in Serbia, Montenegro, Lika, Banovina, Korduna and Bosnian Krajina, in Gorski Kotar and Croatian Littoral, Dalmatia, Slovenia. During the war, 250 partisan detachments were formed. They included local residents of different nationalities.

[@ZZFilm]

@@vladimirvucetic6933I'll have to say that "All" Isa very big word. I can tell you that all throughout coastal Dalmatia, there were tons of partisans. My mother's village was even attacked and massacred by this very unit for their partisan connections. It's incredibly untrue to say what you say.

[@ricardnarbona8869]

All gebirgsjager ss or heer wore putees with mountain boots.

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, but these were low ankle ones. But full puttees (wrapped up till below the knee) I barely see with WW2 German military.

[@653j521]

1:46 Hitler's ideas--three syllables in English, i-de-uhs, come on, how hard is that to remember?

[@HistoryHustle]

These vids were made in advance so I guess you'll see wrong pronounciations all up till January. Tale care.

[@jamesthelamenter5464]

Oh my goodness the SS were bad people and recruited a bunch of criminals ? This is a surprising revelation 😂 ( I couldn't resist making a dark joke)

[@HistoryHustle]

lol

[@Channel-sp3fp]

A lot of this nonsense comes from the account of Serbian communists. Codohs 'Jasenovac Unmasked' by Thomas Dalton is one small example of how absurd the pervasive nonsense is.

[@z000ey]

The Ustashas did file official reports to Germany about the ruthlessnes of Prinz Eugen during their push through Poljice, where Croat population lived, and it was documented. No Serbian or communist propaganda there...

[@ZZFilm]

One day I can take you to the site of a very large village massacre near Kamešnica. Many hundreds were killed by this unit. Mostly women and young children. My uncle survived as an infant in the arms of his fallen dead mother. Her burnt body protecting him from the burning villagers stuffed into the buildings. Have you seen the movie "Come and See" ??? You should if you haven't. A similar scene is the finale of the movie.

[@zoricca1]

there is an interesting fact that the 7th ss was destroyed, twice by NOVJ, surrounded and practically erased... once in Bosnia and the second time in Serbia... these monsters were nothing lesser animals than their allies Ustashe or Bali...but we had the cure for such disease... also 13th ss was destroyed in Yugoslavia, as well as 21st ss, and 369th Croatian legion as well as 1st mountain division (my grandad charged on their column with shovel in his hand) that means completely decemated. I think that no other army than the Red Army has inflicted such casualties on Germany and Its satellites in combat, than Yugoslav NOVOJ... we earned our right to carry out righteous retribution and revenge on families of those who took their part in these criminal units or in aiding them anyhow... glory to NOVOJ

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing.

[@azamatbagatov973]

Unfortunately, fascist are still very much alive, Ukraine is their last stronghold.

[@HistoryHustle]

According to Kremlin troll #973.

[@angryeric2961]

​@@HistoryHustleThey have surviving members of the SS waffen and dudes wearing swastikas on the Frontline in Ukraine. Why you fronting for Nazis?

[@vuk.505srb]

​@@HistoryHustleFar right is rising in Ukraine. Look at some groups like Kraken, Terror, Nord Storm and of course Azov. I can send you hundreds of photos and videos as a proof

[@aleksla8600]

My family ancestors fought as Partisans against this evil on the earth. Prinz Eugen was like a Ustashe,the most sadistic monsters like Bandera in Ukraine.

[@HistoryHustle]

They were very cruel yes.

[@icecoffee1361]

Another excellent production from history hustle 🫶🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍