Handschar Division
Posted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:09 am
The formation of the 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division "Handschar"
The end of 1942 saw Himmler and SS General Gottlob Berger approach Hitler with the proposal
to raise an SS Bosnian Mountain Unit.
This idea came about after fierce fighting broke out between the "Ustase" who were a
Croatian anti Yugoslav seperatist movement and the main group of Serbian partisians, Himmler
saw the amount of untapped anti communist fighting men and decided it would be an idea to
use it for the German nations own ends.
The anti Yugoslav feeling from the local Bosnian Ustase stemmed from the fact that most of
its members were Muslim and they were unhappy with Serbian rule which disfavoured the
Muslim religion.
By New year 1943 over 100,00 Bosnian Muslims had been killed mostly by Serb Chetniks, at
this point, the Muslim population had reached breaking point so when news reached them of
a new formation of Muslim soldiers, the Germans had no problem in recruitment in the
beginning. Himmler thought that the Muslims would make excellent soldiers after he had observed their
fanatical belief in their religion which he thought suited a soldier perfectly, especially their
ideas of a "Warrior-code" and the habit of taking last rites before engaging in combat, which
basically showed they were not afraid to be killed in action.
Himmler was also inspired by the success of the Bosnian Infantry of WW1 and tried to restore
an old tradition by reviving the former Austro/Hungarian Units of the First World War in the
form of a new SS Division. Hitler formally approved the project on the 10th Feb 1943 and SS Obergruppenfuhrer Arthur
Phleps, an ethnic Roumanian was tasked with forming the new Division.
The 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division was born, as the majoity of its recruits were Muslim
and were from Bosnian/Croat backgrounds, a small percentage were catholics.
The Divisional name "Handschar" came from the local word for Turkish Scimitar sword
"Handzar", hence the collar insignia which came in the form of a hand holding a curved sword.
(continued on next page)
Peiper
The end of 1942 saw Himmler and SS General Gottlob Berger approach Hitler with the proposal
to raise an SS Bosnian Mountain Unit.
This idea came about after fierce fighting broke out between the "Ustase" who were a
Croatian anti Yugoslav seperatist movement and the main group of Serbian partisians, Himmler
saw the amount of untapped anti communist fighting men and decided it would be an idea to
use it for the German nations own ends.
The anti Yugoslav feeling from the local Bosnian Ustase stemmed from the fact that most of
its members were Muslim and they were unhappy with Serbian rule which disfavoured the
Muslim religion.
By New year 1943 over 100,00 Bosnian Muslims had been killed mostly by Serb Chetniks, at
this point, the Muslim population had reached breaking point so when news reached them of
a new formation of Muslim soldiers, the Germans had no problem in recruitment in the
beginning. Himmler thought that the Muslims would make excellent soldiers after he had observed their
fanatical belief in their religion which he thought suited a soldier perfectly, especially their
ideas of a "Warrior-code" and the habit of taking last rites before engaging in combat, which
basically showed they were not afraid to be killed in action.
Himmler was also inspired by the success of the Bosnian Infantry of WW1 and tried to restore
an old tradition by reviving the former Austro/Hungarian Units of the First World War in the
form of a new SS Division. Hitler formally approved the project on the 10th Feb 1943 and SS Obergruppenfuhrer Arthur
Phleps, an ethnic Roumanian was tasked with forming the new Division.
The 13th Waffen SS Mountain Division was born, as the majoity of its recruits were Muslim
and were from Bosnian/Croat backgrounds, a small percentage were catholics.
The Divisional name "Handschar" came from the local word for Turkish Scimitar sword
"Handzar", hence the collar insignia which came in the form of a hand holding a curved sword.
(continued on next page)
Peiper