Tomasz Borowski - Last Blood on Pomerania: Leon Degrelle and the Walloon Waffen SS Volunteers, February-May 1945

The 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien , which consisted mostly of French-speaking citizens of the Kingdom of Belgium first as part of the Wehrmacht and later in the ranks of the Waffen-SS fought as one of the national legions against the Red Army on the Eastern Front in February 1942. The Walloons gained fame during the legendary resistance in the Cherkassy Pocket, where in early 1944 they lost more than 50 percent of their strength. In the summer of the same year they fought a defensive battle in Estonia in the region of Dorpat, and in February 1945 were directed to Western Pomerania, where until the last days of the war they put up a stubborn resistance to the armies of Stalin.

This book, which was originally published in Polish, is based on the unpublished memoirs of participants of these events, and is the first account to describe the Walloons participation in the mysterious Pomeranian campaign in such a detailed manner. It tells the tragic story of the Walloon volunteers, who at all costs tried to stop the onrush of the enemy standing at the gates of the Third Reich. The Pomeranian odyssey, led by the controversial and infamous Volksfhrer Leon Degrelle, went on for three months, and the trial meant death and courage. Stargard, Altdamm, Neu-Rosow these are locations, that became synonyms for unconditional sacrifice. They are also a symbol of kameradschaft , of a group of tough guys and dare-devils, who were determined to stake everything on one throw of the dice.

The book is illustrated with unique photographs, known so far only to a small group of people. These are complemented by a special comic created by the French artist Godus and with images made with great attention to detail, which were produced for historical reconstruction, showing silhouettes of the Walloon soldiers. It is worth noting that some of these were made in the same location where the fighting raged in April 1945.

Tomasz Borowski has been interested in history since childhood and for many years has been studying the actions of foreign volunteer formations of the Waffen-SS especially Scandinavian, French and Walloon troops, which were involved in bloody battles in the final stages of the Second World War. His fascination arose when he realised how much influence these small, but extremely valiant and brave, troops had on the fate of the fronts on which they had to fight. They fought hard even though the cause for which they shed blood was practically lost.

Through contact with many authors and historians he has access to little-known archives, both of memoirs and of photographic material. In his publications, he tries not to repeat the well-known facts, but each time to bring closer and reveal to readers the mysteries and curiosities that are the symbols of the tragic last weeks of the greatest existing armed conflict, which for many has become a mythical Twilight of Gods. He writes from a desire to tell stories. He believes that reading should primarily be a pleasure. If a story supposes to be boring, better not to show it to the world at all.

In his spare time the author watches criminal movies and good TV dramas such as Millennium, Sherlock or True Detective. Besides that he likes bikeriding, walking, spending time with his family and enjoying a glass of fine wine. He is also a cat enthusiast.

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Published by Helion & Company 2016

Designed and typeset by Farr out Publications, Wokingham, Berkshire

Cover designed by Paul Hewitt, Battlefield Design ( www.battlefield-design.co.uk )

Printed by Henry Ling Limited, Dorchester, Dorset

Text Tomasz Borowski 2015

Front cover: Ida Kozowski

Images as individually credited

ISBN 978-1-910294-48-2

eISBN 978-1-912174-48-5

Mobi ISBN 978-1-912174-48-5

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Leon Degrelle in uniform of the Formations de Combat and in front of his villa Dreve de Lorraine in Brussels. (J.L. Robas collection)

Members of the Rexist Party: Raymond Noirfalise (killed by the resistance on 19 May 1944) and Mathias Brossel (killed by a sniper on the Eastern Front on 11 June 1942). (Michel le Roys collection)

Albert Verpoortens party membership card. (Charles Verpoortens collection)

The Walloon Volunteers contingents departure to the front on 10 March 1942. (Michel le Roys collection)

Volunteers of the Walloon Legion during assembly with their first banner. (Michel le Roys collection)

Leon Degrelle during a march through a Russian village. (Charles Verpoortens collection)

Walloon Legionnaires resting after battle in Caucasus. Albert Verpoorten is first on the right. (Charles Verpoortens collection)

Legionnaires on the march. (Charles Verpoortens collection)

Roger Lejeune: an officer and a dentist in the Walloon Legion. After the war, he was sentenced to prison for collaboration. Having escaped the prison, he spent the remainder of his life in emigration in Spain. (Michel le Roys collection)

A propaganda poster encouraging enlistment into the Assault Brigade Wallonien . (J.L. Robas collection)

Leon Degrelle during an examination by the medical board before his enlistment into the SS-Assault Brigade Wallonien . ( Axe & Allies Magazine)

Despite the difficult battles in the Ukraine, the Burgundians kept up their good spirits. (Eddy de Bruynes collection)

Walloon soldiers of the SS Brigade in the early stages of the fighting in Cherkassy. (J.L. Robas collection)

Leon Degrelle with his children and officers during a parade commemorating their return from the Cherkassy Cauldron. (J.L. Robas collection)

Walloon volunteers who survived the siege in Cherkassy. The photograph was taken on 1 April 1944 during the formations parade through Charleroi. ( 39-45 Magazine)

Degrelle with one of his men: Tartu region, August 1944. (Michel le Roys collection)

Mortar crew in preparations for shelling: the front over Narva, 1944. (Eddy de Bruynes collection)

Leon Degrelle in Prague, 11 December 1944. (Michel le Roys collection)

SS-Untersturmfhrer Abel Delannoy leader of the 3rd Platoon in the 2nd Company of Kampfgruppe Derriks during fighting around Stargard. Here he is in the rank of SS-Sturmmann . (Michel le Roys collection)

With a microphone, on the left, is Franz Thiry. Victor Matthys is in a Rexist Party uniform; then pictured is Albert Verpoorten and Leon Degrelle. This photograph was most likely taken at the end of February 1944. (Charles Verpoortens collection)