The Blue Division - Spanish Volunteers on the Eastern Front (División Azul) - Spain in WWII
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- Опубліковано 20 лис 2020
- Spain and World War II. During the Second World War around 45,000 Spanish volunteers fought on the Eastern Front. These men had joined the Blue Division (División Azul) and many were veterans of the Spanish Civil War in which Nationalists led by Francisco Franco proclaimed victory over the Republicans. Why did Spain not join Hitler in the war against the Soviet Union as an Axis power? Why did Spain send an army of Spaniards to the USSR to fight communism there?
History Hustle presents: The Blue Division - Spanish Volunteers on the Eastern Front (División Azul) - Spain in WWII.
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Want to learn about other PRO-GERMAN VOLUNTEERS?
DUTCH: • Why Dutch Men Fought f...
NORWEGIANS: • The Norwegian Legion -...
FRENCH: • French Volunteers on t...
RUSSIANS: • Russia's Axis Voluntee...
CENTRAL ASIANS: • Germany's Eastern Legi...
CAUCASIANS: • Germany's Eastern Legi...
SOURCES
- Blue Division Soldier 1941-45. Spanish Volunteer on the Eastern Front [Warrior 142] (C. Caballero Jurado).
- Joining Hitler's Crusade. European Nations and the Invasion of the Soviet Union, 1941 (David Stahel) - Spain (Xavier Moreno Juliá).
- The Condor Legion. German Troops in the Spanish Civil War [Elite 131] (Carlos Caballero Jurado).
- Germany's Spanish Volunteers 1941-45 [Men-at-Arms 103] (John Scurr & Richard Hook).
IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org.
VIDEO
Video material from:
• WWII in Colour: Spanis...
WWII in Colour: Spanish Civil War
• Video
DOCUMENTAL SOBRE LA DIVISIÓN AZUL
• Video
The Spanish Blue Division - English subtitles
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"Clenched Teeth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Crossing the Chasm" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Constancy Part One" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Division" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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SOUNDS
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Wanna join forces and do a collaboration? Send me an email at: historyhustle@gmail.com
DUTCH SS-VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/bQlF0ia-ABA/v-deo.html
NORWEGIAN SS-VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/F3BPW5WMmDo/v-deo.html
FRENCH VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/ju97ru3nQis/v-deo.html
RUSSIAN VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/cKpj786Sorc/v-deo.html
CENTRAL ASIAN VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/TEhX9q7wtzo/v-deo.html
CAUCASIAN VOLUNTEERS:
ua-cam.com/video/yEAPyIweGpg/v-deo.html
You deserve more subs
@@dennisfischer4838 Feel free to share 👍
my wife's grandfather fought on the national side in the civil war... and in the Blue Division in the second world war (with Germany against Russia) he survives both conflicts and the soviet POW camp, for 10 years... He never told anyone what he saw there, only that he fought for the "legion" in Spain and in Russia (with the germans) but when he died he had a flashback to that time. We think that he was the soldier that you put in your video 24:51.
Also, the Spaniards fought on the other side, the "republicans" that left Spain, after the civil war went to France to fight in the sections of the "free France", UK, and Rusia.
That is interesting the Catholic connection in their showing pity to the Polish civilians 👍
@@loodwich Very interesting to read. Many thanks for sharing. Amazing that he is on that photo!
The battle of Krasni Bor is remembered as the battle where a division held an army.
yes
@@HistoryHustle The thing is oversimplified and the battle was short and had no real lasting effect, but at that time even the most prussian of the OKW prussians had to notice that the german lines in the leningrad siege had been pushed back in all places but one, where the blue division was.
An awesome video, captures the two ways of facing problems and attitudes, a spanish soldier with a refurbished MG34 knew that it was not being replaced, so instead of complaining he will find a way to operate it, even if it means using a hammer, we the spaniards are professional german enragers, P.E the spanish soldiers of the blue division liked how the song "katyusha" sounded and even created their own version for supreme desperation of the german officers that heard them singing it in the trenches.
Or battle to cross frozen lake Ilmen in -50cwind chill by the Spanish ski company to rescue a German pocket!!!
@@olsonjens5907 Thanks, I'm spanish and I did not know about that action. I don't understand why information about the blue divison is so scarce and even taboo here, is history...
@@myvideosetc.8271 take a look at www.memoriablau.es You have enough info there to browse for a few more months of lockdown
Hitler was actually quoted as saying he wish all of his soldiers fought as good as the division azul.....OKW was very impressed with them.
Perhaps. On the ground and everyday interactions officers talked differently about the individual men.
NOT true. Hitler bitterly complained about the unreliability of his ¨latin¨ friends. There was a small percentage of Spaniards who fought like the devil and even refused to be returned to Spain in 1943. But those were only the few. The majority wwere mediocre material.
Decimation and firing squad please
@@HistoryHustle I find that very hard to believe since the Spanish 250th Inf division held out bitterly at Krasny Bor holding off a Soviet force seven times their size and 3 large tank assaults in appaling winter conditions. They fought along side the 4th SS and were decimated holding out til the last man. Their stand kept a large force of the wehrmacht from being encircled and left the siege Leningrad to last another year. I doubt Hitler would have personally designed and commisioned a metal for them..(the only unit to be designed a metal by Hitler during the whole war) if he and the wehrmacht thought they didnt fight heroically. The 4th SS were very grateful there is many testimonies pertaining to this.
@@gerardfrederick5504 Read about Krasny Bor..what you are saying is not true at all. They fought better then the SS and held out til the last man against a far superior force. They were outnumbered 7-1 with no armor and fought til the last man refusing to surrender and somehow held the line.
The spanish blue division got 4716 medals and condecorations, and the only one medal that germans gave to a foreign division.
Interesting.
@@ricardolopez1228 🇩🇪❤️❤️❤️
Spain was always a practical country, for me it is the best country to live if you have enough money, low prices, beautiful wheather, and lots of sun hours.
Practical it was yes. Can't say it was always the case #80yearswar
Im spanish, u are not losing anything, corruption and high deoccupation, u are better in whatever u live
@@Carne_Cruda That is what ism saying "if you have enough money".
Weather 10/10, food 10/10, but isnt a good place to live and have a family. The best you can do is go on holiday and have some fun
@@Carne_Cruda I doubt that you are or feel Spanish.
Local russian population actually really liked these guys. Many left USSR with them.
Interesting! Didn't know the last fact.
@@HistoryHustle , there is a story that on several occasions russian villagers had to wake up drunken Spanish soldiers to repell an attack by Red Army.
Oh wow!
@@HistoryHustle Friend of the grandfather of my spanish wife married with Russian girl from Volkov and she came to Spain with the Soldier with special permision of Muñoz Grandes the spanish general. He was from Valencia and had two daughter and one son.
We like Russia, it was a liberation war.
The Blue Division’s motto was "Sin relevo posible, hasta la extinción." The English translation is -- roughly -- "No relief possible, until extinction." Arguably, their finest hour was their stubborn defense of the town of Krasny Bor during the Soviet offensive Operation Polar Star. They managed to hold the town but at a great sacrifice, with a casualty rate of between 70% to 75%.
That is serious indeed.
Qué pena que haya sobrevivido un 25%.
Germany would have been much better having Spain as an axis partner rather than Italy. The outcome of the North African campaign may well have turned in the favour of the axis. Britain would have lost Gibraltar, supply lines would have been much shorter so reinforcements would have been easier, plus the Spanish tenacity in battle
They had no finest hour. They were fascists fighting for an evil regime. Fact: that phrase was invented to describe the British, who defended the world alone against Nazi tyranny.
@@jonb4722 ellos fueron como voluntarios para luchar contra el comunismo debido a lo que se vivió en la España durante la guerra civil de 1936 a 1939. Juraron lealtad al reich hasta acabar con el comunismo. No tuvieron ni idea de las atrocidades cometidas por los alemanes en retaguardia, de echo andaban muchas veces a puñetazos con ellos bien por como trataron a la población civil. Hay un libro muy interesante quizás el mejor escrito por el mejor historiador del frente del este y especialista en la división azul, Carlos caballero jurado te lo recomiendo
Thank you for this summary, which is fair. Krasny Bor at the start of the fighting February 10-13, 1943
Spain: 6000 men
Russia :: 36,000 men
After the fights
Spain: 4000 killed
Russia :: 10,000 killed
Despite being six times the strength, the Russians were forced to stop their offensive on the 50 kilometers controlled by the Spanish. This action and others brought on the part of the German soldiers great respect for the Spanish military.
Thanks for sharing this additional information.
Yes, and spanish only have light weapon, no art, no planes, no tanks, but russian have it all.
Stalin thinks that Hitler are using a secret weapon in this battle against the spanish division
the only decoration to a foreign contingent was for the blue division
the enemy never managed to pierce their ranks
Hitlers said after Krasny Bor that if he would has more units like the blue division he would win the war in few months. Anyway, i am spanish, congrats for the video, very very accurate approach to the División Azul history. In Spain the memory of these young spanish that go volunteers to die un Russia are corromped by fakes of the progresist historicians. Thank you.
@@HistoryHustle that is the same "batallita" that spanish fascists tell everybody trying to hide their tears about their participation on the 2 WW on the nazi side.
You know, they killed a lot of communist but they werent fascists...
The Spanish soldier, beyond ideologies, has been the bravest and fiercest in history.
With the Russians already in their own trenches, the Spanish soldiers asked their artillery comrades to "shoot at us".
Rather die than give an inch.
The sure had bravery.
'bravest and fiercest' in history is a HUGE overexageration.
@@Neko-gs4ip Watch Castelnuovo Battle. Nordlingen, Cartagena, Rocroi, PAvia, el Alcazar, Is not an overexageration. The idea of life after death has been part of the culture. Soldiers woould not surrender, they rather die. Check Numancia battle or Calagurris battle. they killed their own familis and fought to the end,.
Check Valdepeñas in 1808 peasants defeagted a french regiment without guns or cannons. Hand to hand. There was a lady which killed five french opening their healkd with an iron bar.
As the infantry song says, "Death is not the end."
@@Neko-gs4ip it is for britain but for spain NO
@@bliecoug1029 Nobody can say who was the 'bravest and fiercest' soldier in history. No doubt they had cowards between their lines. Every Army has. It comes down to individual soldiers. Also the original comment says 'beyond ideologies', so why you brought up Britain is a mystery to me.
My Great Uncle (now deceased) was a professional soldier in the Spanish Army and was one of the volunteers for the Division Azul. He entered the War as a Captain and finished a Major. I have some photographs of him on the Eastern Front in Winter. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class. My Uncle, (his son) was also a professional soldier and still has his fathers Lugers as well as his decorations and citations.
Thanks for sharing this.
Nice. Big Respect!
A professional Soldier? That is an Oxy Moron if I ever heard one
Soldiers are all Dumb Dogs of War. They are the Entertainment in the Rulers Theater
They are clearly DECEIVED
Cool
Why did you great uncle join? He could have lived peacefully in Spain during the war, so what drove him to volunteer for what would seem to be someone else’s war?
My grandfather was a survivor and volunteer for the Divisão Azul.
And it was not spaniard, it was portuguese 💪
Interesting. You ever met him and speak about his experiences? How was it for him. Love to know more!
Can you tell me more about him?
@@HistoryHustle This talks about the portuguese in the Blue Division, but unfortunately the document is in portuguese and I could not find an English translation: ler.letras.up.pt/uploads/ficheiros/15251.pdf
@@nathantorresstanevil6958 Shut it NatSoc
your grandfather is a hero!
El reportaje me ha resultado decepcionante en muchos aspectos. Se alude a la indisciplina de los divisionarios, al descuido en el mantenimiento de armas y materiales e incluso a las reyertas con los alemanes en retaguardia. Sin embargo, no se menciona que las unidades alemanas valoraban y agradecían la presencia de los españoles. Tampoco se habla de la alta estima y admiración que los mandos y jefes alemanes siempre tuvieron por la División y por los soldados. La División Azul fue considerada, al menos, tan buena como las mejores divisiones alemanas de su clase.
No se hace apenas mención de las batallas ni las operaciones en las que la División participó. No se menciona el cruce del lago Ilmen y la liberación de las guarniciones alemanas asediadas. Ni una palabra siquiera acerca del gran crisol de Krasny Bor, donde la División aguantó el ataque de todo un ejercito soviético sin ceder apenas terreno...
Agradecería que fuesen reconocidos todos los esfuerzos y logros que se obtuvieron, que fueron muchos. Pero sobretodo agradecería justicia y equidad en la valoración de las cualidades y del comportamiento de los hombres que formaron parte de la División.
Sorry, don't speak Spanish.
los eventos y las conclusiones a las que el reportage llega son discutibles ,las tropas rusas nunca rompieron y penetraron en la zona donde estaban los españoles pues el frente del este no era apto para nobatos ,la unica condecoracion creada por los alemanes para tropas extrangeras fue concedida a los españoles ,ha los españoles se les posiciono en uno de las zonas donde los rusos anteriormente abian conseguido una cierta penetracion,recordemos que asta enero de 1944 no consiguieron romper esa zona despues de muchos años y muchisimas presiones,en cuanto al sector del rio voljov donde estaban los españoles los rusos no lograron penetrar por la zona de los españoles jamas y solo lo consiguieron por la zona alemana mas situada al norte y al sur y no por que no lo intentaran una y otra vez 45.000 vs 4.500 y no lo consiguieron y fue por merito propio ,el 10 de febrero de 1943 en menos de 24 horas la division azul perdio mas de un tercio de sus tropas pero no consiguieron penetrar y fue todo merito de la gran movilidad de las tropas de los españoles y de soldados estonios y noruegos y no como usted dice guerra de trincheras y despues de 2 semanas el sector fue cedido a tropas germanas ,en total recibieron 4732 medallas lo que demuestra claramente que era una unidad altamente valorada por los germanos cuando se dieron cuenta de su gran eficacia y en cuanto a los rusos pagaron con crezes 11.000 muertos su propaganda que llamaba señoritos fascistas y presos alistados forzosos a los españoles y pese al que le pese la mayoria de los divisionarios eran exsoldados con experiencia en la guerra civil española de mas de 4 años donde rusos ,alemanes y italianos abian experimentado nuebas tacticas que los primeros en sufrirlas y aprenderlas fueron los españoles por lo que cuando dice que eran jovenes que se abian perdido la guerra civil por su edad esta equibocado la guerra civil acabo en 1939 por lo que los divisionarios mas jobenes tendrian 24 años en esa epoca y era imposible que no hubieran luchado en la guerra civil
@@HistoryHustle usa google translate y deja las excusas
Genocidas ayudando al genocidio.
@@starly71
si y los rusos con los polacos y los ingleses con los hindus en nueva delhi que en la 2 guerra mundial se llebaron de esta ciudad todos los alimentos para sus tropas y mataron a mas de 1 millon de civiles y los americanos en hiroshima y nagasaki y los israelitas con los palestinos ,si quieres llamales genocidas
Excellent video, you’ve dispelled a myth that these men were liberated criminals. This is not the case at all. They were volunteers. Of course, the Spanish did not view the Soviet citizens as racial inferiors, but as victims of a Bolshevik government.
Thanks for your comment.
We , the Spaniards, feel many comon points with the Russians.
@@anselmo4952 We are soul-mates with the Russians, have more in common with them than with most of the other European countries.
Yes I 've heard they were smuggling Caviar in Spain.
@@eedragonr6293
I don't believe that, because I think that caviar not was wanted in Spain. And today spanish people don't seem very interested about caviar
Fascinating, I knew Spanish volunteers fought on the Eastern Front but little else.
Thanks!
La división azul nunca abandonó un Puesto
@@alvarosainz7804 Por eso las unidades de la Wehrmacht se sentían muy aliviados cuando les tocaban de vecinos en el frente. Sabían que el frente por ahí no iba a ceder.
The first troops that liberated Paris: 2nd Armored Division, 9th Company also know as Lecrec’s Division were mostly composed by Spaniards. They saw heavy fighting. They were Spanish republican “volunteers” from the French concentration camps.
Also Spanish pilots participated on the Eastern Front in both sides (German and Russian) which were well regarded as they had combat experience. And I believe they were also some pilots flying on the british side during the Battle of Britain.
Very complete video. But im disapointed that failed to mention that in that division there was a portuguese minority send by Salazar mostly from the Viriato division, that served in the Spanish Civil war on the nationalists side.
Spain!
🇪🇸
ESPAÑA 🇯🇪🇪🇦🇯🇪
Respeto para Luxemburgo que fue parte del Imperio Español, y tenía más extensión con él
Just in case, the division was always of “volunteers”..... Franco could always said Spain had nothing to do....
Like I said, the fine line between supporting Germany and being neutral.
But what about all those bro-shots with Hitler on insta?
**Franco nervously looks the other way...** )))
@@russochypriota listo tuvimos una guerra civil y Alemania e Italia nos ayudó a ganarla
@@alvarosainz7804 ganarla ? ganaron los nacionales, y de ahí muchísima gente tuvo que salir por patas, y otros muchos se quedaron perdiéndolo todo. Y fíjate bien que no voy a entrar en polémicas sobre vencedores y vencidos. Que de eso, ya hemos tenido bastante. En mi familia hubo de todo, ya que había parte en un lado y parte en otro. Y en la postguerra tocó a la parte afín al "régimen" a la otra parte. En una guerra, creo que nadie sale ganando.
@@arturolcbarcelona7649 una guerra que fue provocada por la izquierda....por intentar aplastar a media España ..
Before the Falklands War UK-generals said something like: "if the Argentines are descended from the Spaniards the war will be hard and bloody, if they are descended from the Italians it will be a matter of a few days."
Interesting quote.
considering the fact that most argentines are descended from italians this was probably the case
Mi abuelo luchó en el frente nacional y en la división azul, en krasny bor, después de volver a España volvió a Rusia ilegalmente a seguir luchando, finalmente murió por la rozadura de las botas, por lo visto fue una infección mal curada
Many Spaniards here I've noticed.
Your grandfather probably did not receive antibiotics for his infection. If he had received antibiotics, he would probably have lived!
Genocidas ayudando al genocidio.
@@starly71 si? Me quieres decir eso a la cara?
@@starly71 La division azul lucho en contra del jodido comunismo, nada tuvieron que ver con el holocausto o los exterminios, nisiquiera los soldados regulares de alemania (Werhmatch) tuvieron participacion en el genocidio
Excellent video. Division Azul is a taboo matter in my country, so i’m grateful that you covered the matter with great detail without adding political opinions
Thanks for replying!
Hahaha, good joke 😂
Thank you so much as spaniard as historian. Pretty well explained. Blue Division was one of the most condecorated divisions and even high commanders changed their minds when saw them in combat.
Thank you for your reply, Sergio!
Great coverage! I wish our teachers here in Spain covered it as well as you.
Keep up the good work
Thanks for your message! 🇪🇸
Los profesores en España la mayoria son de izquierdas admiradores de Lenin y Stalin y esas historias no les interesan. Les gusta mas explicar las andanzas del Che Guevara, Maduro, Castro, Evo Morales, etc que son sus referentes politicos y a los que admiran,
@@pacemakerspain9561 Es triste pero es asi
ua-cam.com/video/YLwJc1n6mIU/v-deo.html
This video 80% is rubbish and the man do it is absolutely appealing
Great coverage brother
Thanks, Keith!
Viva La División Azul Arriba España, a pesar del odio del mundo.
I see..
Viva la muerte??Was brave men who fought for wrong ideas and bad purpose
From the other side was not brutal as Germans was
Arriba España compatriota!! Viva Cristo rey y arriba España!
Genocidas ayudando al genocidio. Los únicos soldados condecorados por huir...en fin, fascismo.
ViVa España y ➕🇪🇦➕🇪🇦
The Spaniards did not fight for Hitler, they fought to save humanity.
Nah
@@HistoryHustle Yea. Unless you want to keep rewriting history.
They wanted to save the Netherlands also, but now it is the capital of pedu-filia and a branch of the new world order of communism. ;)
Great videos.
Dunno what to make of this comment 🤔
@@HistoryHustle I was being sarcastic and spiteful in the last part there, though it is somewhat true, and not because of the people but from the powers that be, all our governmental powers actually hence a "new world order. You do a great service in telling the history, also in a non-bias manner, and for that you will be the first one to see, if not already how history is being constantly rewritten so the future can have the outcome desired for those doing it. I do not just mean re-write from victors to losers I mean just in general.
Excellent informative video! much love from Spain
Thanks!
I watched the spanish movie "While at War". Thanks for more info about the Spanish people in WW2 though. Truly Spain played a special role in all those events.
Still have to see that one.
@@HistoryHustle The Spanish Blue division was one of the most awarded in Eastern Front. His General Munoz Grandes had the great consideration of Führer www.alamy.com/stock-photo-the-commander-of-the-spanish-blue-division-agustin-munoz-grandes-left-86458574.html
Infamous I would say by participating in invasion together with Hitler perhaps one of the evilest man humanity has known. What is it to admire except how far a human stupidity can go.
@@draganostojic6297 Because spanish blue division was not racist. Many Russian civilians remenber with good consideration spanish trops. During the winter they shared rations with civilians and there are many examples of humanity during occupation. The enemy was comunist not Russian people, said Munoz grande to his soldiers. Many were falangist and they are thinking in something like crusade to save Russian people of Comunist.
Spanish trops had more than 20 incidents with SS trops because his action against civilians.
40 kilometers per day marches... My God how could anyone survive that and STILL be fit for combat?
I know, it's bizarre.
The Vietcong did that too, on a bowl of rice and a litre of water. When they besieged the French at Dien Bien Phu they towed 5-ton artillery pieces up jungles and mountains for 50 kilometers, by hand!!
It's simple, they were spanish, best soldiers on earth
Thankyou for this very good look at the Blue Division. Your videos are usually very short and only cover the basics. But I thought this one was very well done and quite in depth. I learned some things I hadnt known before. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Bill. And yes, this topic was very interesting and I had great sources at my disposal.
Great episode. Big thumbs up!!!
👍
Thank you for a great and interresting Sundayevening. Splendid!
Great to read, thanks! :)
your content is really good, it's a good quality documentary, i can watch hours of that
👍
Very well explained and unbiased coverage. Thank from Spain.
Great to hear, thanks! How do people today look at the Blue Division? Is it in Spanish school books for the subject of history for example? Love to know.
@@HistoryHustle It is explained in History Books but not much coverage is given to it, mostly because there are still tensions dating back to the civil war going on and people might have family who fought on opposite sides of the war.
By the way, a member of my family fought in the Blue Division, near Leningrad, and became a POW. He came back in the 50's but was sick (from cirrhosis I think) and died some years after returning home.
@David Vazquez I'll ask my grandmother about it and then I will let you know, thanks for the question!
@David Vazquez Hey, I asked about him and there are no letters or uniforms left, but my grandma told me his story.
Mariano Puyuelo Morlán, born in Madrid around 1920, son of Mariano Puyuelo, who was secretary of the National Assembly with Primo de Rivera and general secretary of the free trade unions. His father was murdered in 1936 by order of Santiago Carrillo after taking him out of his house on Recoletos street and applying the law of escapes. Mariano, his son, had to be 15 or 16 years old by then and that experience led him to volunteer for the Division in the future.
He worked for my greatgrandfather for a while after the Civil War in Bilbao but then he just left one day without saying a word to anyone and enlisted in the Blue Division. He had likely joined the Falange somewhere around that time, since my greatgrandfather was also a Falangist.
He appears as repatriated in the 21st Relay Battalion and as a place of enlistment it appears that he did so in the Military Headquarters of Logroño. His main motivation for joining the Blue Division seems to have been anticommunism, due to the murder of his father during the Civil War.
He never spoke of what he saw or did over there. When he came back to Spain he just re-enlisted in the Military and went to Africa serving with the Spanish Legion in Tetouan and Melilla for some time, dying in the 1950s from the aftermath of some disease contracted during the campaign (probably cirrhosis, as I told you)
.
That's all I could find about him, asking to my family and on the Internet. Hope you liked all the info.
Greetings from Spain, Take care! :D
@@HistoryHustle En el actual gobierno social comunista que gobierna España no se enseña en las escuelas la verdadera historia de la Division Azul ya que lucharon contra el comunismo y eso no les gusta a los frente populistas que nos mandan.
Magnificient review of the Spanish intervention in the IIWW besides to the German Army in the Western front. I will always keep the memories that a neighbour, former member of the Blue Legion, who served in the Luftwaffe , The Soldier Don Juan Campos Rengel liked to explain me about his time in Russia. He was one of the lucky Spaniards who were able to return home aboard the V/Semiramis, and he always kept the memory of the really fine quality of the german equipment (he remember that every soldier got 4 uniforms at arrival to the training camps !!!) in opposition to the impoverished Spanish army of those times.
I can imagine. Thanks for your comment.
You have a great talent for History !! thanks
😁👍
Another great video 👍🏻
Many thanks!
My grandfather fight in the Blue Division (northfront) and a brother of him in the Blue Escuadrilla (centerfront).
He fought KrasnyBor Battle (February 1943) an attemp of liberate Leningrad but they stopped this Rusian atack (they resist not like Rumenians in Stalingrad)
3 reasons to send the division:
Great the german help
Cooling the revolutionary falange Spírit (the cream of falange died in Rusia)
Demostrate to Germany the combat Spírit just in case of a German invasión.
Spain was at war the comunist not the russians. It's true: they were some love stories.
The Blue Division himno...tell the idea.
They gain the respect from germans (in Krasny Bor they fought closed to 4th ss Division.
After the Blue Division Blue Lrgion was formed... and Ezquerra group fought at Berlin streets.
Many thanks for your reply. What did your grandfather tell you about his time on the Eastern Front? How did he personally experienced it? Love to know more about his experiences.
Thank you for your "thank you"😅. (First of all, sorry for my awful english😓). The most impresive think was... the cool: you couldn't imagine -38,5⁰, the fight at this temperatura is dangerous, if you've been sweating, you probably are going to freeze: it was very useful newspaper pages to isolate your body and create an air chamber between skin and clothes, keeping them dry.
My grand father was there summer fall 1942/wknter spring1943(just at the turning point of the war: little by little the notices about Stalingrad arrived to the regular soldiers at Leningrad front), anyway, he remenbered the silence of France, resignated to the Vichy Goverment (when he crossed to Germany the French could insult the Spanish soldiers... but in November 1942 Germany occupied Vichy... there wasn't anymore French civilians at train stations in June 43 when military trains were crossing them: just german soldiers), but Germany at summer 1942 was a really nice place: warm and nice People, the german instructor hard but fair, the martial and precise military parade with Oath of Furher Obedience JUST in the fight against comunism.
Another surprise was the dependance of the horses: the german propaganda showed a mecanized army... there was trucks and cars from Germany and many light vehicles from Checoslovaquia and France, motorbikes.... but the movility of the regular "impedimenta" the supplies even the heavy artillery was moved by horses: in part logical in a static front and with the necesites in 1942 of the south front (reach the Baku Oil fields).
The nice letonians and russians (they used colaborate better with the spanish than with the germans... for us poor People subyugated by the evil comunism: victims to be liberated, for the germans subhumans to slaved and eliminated... tomorrow the end of the adventure and how and why in Spain my grandfather was "invited" to leave His village or even Spain😱
Very informative and very interesting. Thanks.
Thanks!
One of your best videos yet. We researched and an interesting subject.
Thanks!!
My grandparents had an ex Blue Division combatant as a gardner. Apparently, Franco and the government made sure to give these men that came back jobs. This guy, the gardner, was missing three fingers and had PTSD. He once dug a foxhole and got in there for a night in the middle of the yard, allegedly.
Thanks for sharing.
great channel,
keep up the good work
👍👍👍
Throughly Enjoy you’re your teaching style and knowledge. Incredible, inspiring and amazing 😉 Thank You for sharing 👍
Many thanks! 👍
Love the videos!! Greetings from Texas !
Cheers!
Very interesting topic!
Speaking about the attitude of the Spanish soldiers to civilians and POWs, a Polish underground right-wing bi-weekly "Szaniec" (the rampart, or more precisely the sconce) described in October 1941 serious brawls occurring in Grodno between the Spaniards and German soldiers over their mistreatment of the Soviet POWs. The biggest allegedly started when a local woman threw some food to the POWs and the German guards tried to shoot her (while others started beating the prisoners).
Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
Thank you! The Spaniards acted like human beings!
Mediteraneans in general have more common sense, unlike these german fanatics and nuttcases.
@@Alvar2001 Wow, what a story! My late grandpa was a soldier in Italian army who was deployed to Stalingrad. He was one of very few lucky ones who made it, and returned alive. But with some form of ptsd. But back then it was a taboo, nobody really understood what he went through in that hell. He also had so much stories to tell. I don't know if all was true or not but certainly some of them would make a film.
really good video!
Thanks!
I knew about the Blue Division, yet this program which was packed with detail and texture surprised me in many ways, and was enjoyable to watch from start to finish. Thanks for the impressive research ,and the high quality presentation, which got into this work.
👍
Awesome upload!
Glad you liked it, Ed!
@@HistoryHustle I suggested how interesting a Blue Division video would be in previous comments, and you agreed. Was looking forward to this, and it didn't disappoint! Although I'm familiar with their combat history, was fascinating to learn about the less complimentary German reports related to indiscipline and womanising.
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Congrats on 100k subscribers….you deserve it. Great channel.
Many thanks!
Great channel, very well explained, congrats
Many thanks!
There is a quiet obscure little monument dedicated to the Blue Division in Segovia.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing this information!
My grandma's brother joint the División Azul. Not because he was fascist, but poor. At that time the Spanish government offers a for live payment to the family for joint the División Azul. He died there he was 18.
Such a young age..RIP. Thanks for sharing.
Until today up to 100 Spanish volunteers are getting German pensions for their servive in the Wehrmacht. As so do all foreign volunteers.
The youngest would be 96 years old so there can't be many of them still alive.
@@simonh6371 Don´t forget the widows.
Didn't know this. Interesting.
@@HistoryHustle In Estonia and Latvia the German pension was in the 1990ers 3-5 times higher than the local pension.
You can be asured that Dutch volunteers in SS and Wehrmacht got also a pension.
Outstanding video. Very high level. Thank you👍👍👍
👍 thanks, Javier!
After Hitler's meeting with Franco at Hendaye it's been said that Hitler told his Foreign Minister that he would rather have all his teeth pulled out rather than try to negotiate with Franco again...
I see, interesting.
Waiting for Spain to deal with the Brexit pirates.
Excellent video. Thanks.
Thanks for your reply!
Very good and interesting - thank you :-)
👍
Very interesting. Thanks.
Thanks for your reply!
Well, no one could accuse you of having an excess of sympathy for the Spaniards. This is still a bit disappointing exposition of the campain of the Spanish Volunteer Division on the Russian front. Usually these kind of reports highlight the bravery of the Spanish troops, ignoring the episodes or "racial prejudices" so frequent in the Anglosaxon countries against the "Hispanic" origins population. In these times in which we Spaniards lack recognition other than our presumed courage in comtat, this results in another brick in the wall of general discredit to our country that many of us perceive. In any case, we have an optimistic element in which to comfort ourselves: There is "no evidence" that the Spanish troops have committed war crimes against the civilian population.Thank Goodness!
You can check my sources. Hope to cover more on their campaigns in the future.
@@HistoryHustle It is not about the sources but about how they are presented and interpreted: "Dem koning van Hispanie heb ik altijd geëerd" (The king of Spain I have always honoured). As you well know, this part of the Dutch anthem refers to some words attributed to William of Orange. Do you believe it? If you do is not the same as if you do not. The interpretation of over 40,000 service records written in Spanish by Spanish officers can be different if it has been done by someone educated into a protestant Duch tratition or by a Catholic nationalist Spanish or even by a federalist or a separatist Spanish (even if we asume that their level of knowledge of the spanish language is equally good, and all of them are able to understand the proper meaning of the text in the context). If we add to this that the international model of "Hispanic" is that presented by the United States biased point of view, I have no option but suspect of any other one showing similarities with the prejudices we can see in the American media's treatment of the Spanish people. We have to assume that the level of knowledge of the history of Spain is not only low, but is tinged with prejudice. I propose a topic as an example: Why were the American paratroopers who arrived at the Berghoff so surprised by the fact that the members of the French unit that was already there spoke in Spanish? Why this fact is so unknown?
Soldiers are all dumb dogs
¡Excelente video! Really liked and learned a lot
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La división más valiente la 250 división ...más condecorada increíble sus hazañas.,.tras tres años de guerra civil española ...sabían luchar ....con Muñoz grandes y Esteban infantes ...nunca cedieron terreno y era luchar o morir
English please.
The division that was the bravest was the 250th division. Most decorated for they incredible facts after 3 years of civil war. They knew fight... With Muñoz grandes and Esteban valientes... They never let the enemy brief
@@davidalons0 yeah they did well, how many returned? What were they doing in a foreign country btw? Brave Spaniards indeed
A great vid thank-you
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I love your content man! Thanks!
Great 👍
incredible that this history has been so lacking from being discussed....splendid info...
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I am Half German And Half Spanish - Viva La División Azul -
Interesting mix.
@@HistoryHustle You sir have a new sub :) have a nice one Viking :)
👍 welcome to the channel.
@@HistoryHustle There are many happy marriages between Germans and Spaniards, especially between German women and Spaniard men. I know half a dozen.
Excellent video I've watched it many times
Awesome 👍
Very nice video , again a subject that is very interesting
Thanks!!
Great quality videos, keep em coming!
Will do, Tine. Thanks!
Great video once again! Keep up the good work, I am really enjoying these videos💪
Thank you, Lev!
Very informative great job again.
Thanks 👍
Very good !!!!! División azul is only now discussed
Great!
Couple minor details:
1:58 - The name given to the rebels was "nationals" ("nacionales"), not nationalists.
3:20 - Wasn't really an excuse. Spain was by no means ready for joining the war. The internal reports Franco had were clear on that (you can check Carrero Blanco's report if you find a translation). Only if the Germans had taken the Suez Canal, cutting access to the Mediterranean to the British Navy, would have Spain considered joining.
Nationalists is the English name. Since this video is in English I use that name.
As for the excuse. Sure. But it was Franco you used this excuse. I just reported what he stated.
@@HistoryHustle I know, I just mentioned it because you specifically said "called themselves".
Just minor, irrelevant details. Good video =)
I understand. Thanks for pointing out 👍
Completamente cierto, higochumbo y no exageraba Carrero Blanco. El país estaba destrozado y con carencias de todo tipo.
great video my grat grand father served in the blue division gettings from Chile
Thanks for sharing.
Awesome documentary! Kudos!
Thanks 👍
Excellent video 👍
Thanks a lot for attending my request, I think the subject is interesting for everyone
Yes, you're welcome. Feel free to share of course:)
@History Hustle : I am very happy with your video about the Blue Division but please do not expect the same from other Spaniards
(the reason is long to explain and I will explain it only in private, not in public)
@@luispalou217 No creo que haya alguien tan imbecil como para empezar controversia sobre esto. Es un gran análisis y en mi opinión bastante objetivo.
@Mario Tena : ojalá entiendas lo que quiero decir, el mundo está repleto de imbéciles, en todos los países, y no quiero entrar en discusión con ningún imbécil (te contesto porque te considero fuera de esa categoría) .... para mí es un tema personal y History Hustle sabe por qué es personal
My friend, the picture displayed with Franco and another military man , was NOT Ramón Serrano Súñer, but Franco, s brother. This brother was actually a pilot.
Thank you for this channel!
Thanks for your reply!
@@HistoryHustle My pleasure!
The History was successfully Hustled 👍
😎
Thanks for the video
👍
Very good. Whets the appetite for more.
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The Blue Division Bar used to be more or less famous in Madrid. I suppose it's now long gone.
Blue Division Bar? Interesting...
There is a secret bar. Go to the militaria shop in the st Benito Gutierrez off Princesa in Madrid. Talk about your admiration for the division (with conviction). The owner will make a call. A car will arrive. You will be blindfolded. Then they take you to an underground private museum (yes with bar) and you will be invited to unlimited beers (from memory it was Mahou). This happened to me.
Cool story bro
I have to admit that your video is utterly accurate, you have done a perfect explanation. I was waiting for the classical historical mistakes due to stereotypes and speeches from the left historians, but no. Im very keen on reading History, including books of Carlos Caballero Jurado (which you mention in the video and which is considered the greatest expert of the Blue División ever) and i have to say that the information you give here is even more accurate than in many of the vídeos speaking about this theme in Spanish. Well done mate, great job
Great to read, many thanks!
Great video! But I tried to look at your formations playlist and I can't find one for Belgium. Please make it or send me the link if you made a video on it.
Thanks. Actually I'm now reading a book about Flemish Waffen-SS volunteers. I eventually will also research the ones from Wallonia. Expect 2021 though.
Great job man!!greetings from spain!!
Thanks!
In some history books i found photos of Division Azul volunteers official departure from, of all places, Barcelona. You could see extatic spirit od everyone in the photos which resembled more to Spain just winning the Worl Cup than sending troops to far away Russia.
Thanks for sharing.
Some of best war stories of ww2 is from memoirs of Leon degrelle, absolutely incredible and full of honor.
I see.
What a great video .
Thanks 👍
Wow that was good, I had to refer this to friends
Great to hear! :)
The last 229 Spanish prisioners of the 250th Blaue Division arrived to Barcelona Haven in 1954 on board the Semiramis.
Interesting.
One of them was my uncle Enrique
Excellent review of the Division Azul, and it's propagandized versus actual reports of conduct within the Wehrmacht! Hats off, Professor! 👍👍😎😎😎😎😎
😁👍
@@HistoryHustle , you're most welcome!
*_A good comprehensive summary._*
Thank you for watching.
@@HistoryHustle Ik woon in Spanje waar de jongeren de geschiedenis van Franco niet leren en de ouderen geheugenverlies hebben. Het is onze manier om met het heden om te gaan.
Very well-researched. Keep it up, my man!
Thanks!
Great video, but dont forget Miguel Ezquerra and his unit! Another great story..
Thanks. Please explain.
@@HistoryHustle He fought in the spanish civil war as a nationalist. He fought in Russia with the blue division (krasny bor). When Franco ordered the division to came back ti Spain, he returned. Later, he crossed the frontier ilegally and joined the SS with a lot of spanish volunteers too. He met León Degrelle in 1944 and fought in the Wallonian Legion and in Ardenas against the americans. He fought in Berlín too with 300 spanish SS men. He was captured, but he scaped in Poland and returned to Spain. Probably this meeting was useful to Degrelle, because he went from Norway to Spain later, and he was protected by falangists like Ezquerra here. Sorry for my english.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing this additional information.
@@Wasap345 Didn't he write a book about the Battle of Berlin? "Berlin, vida o muerte" or something like this.
Honor y gloria, para nuestros héroes de la División Azul.
.. ok.
¿Cómo te resultó la guerra hispanoamericana?…
@@whatforaaron2494 También gloriosos.
En inferioridad, les dieron lo suyo a los norteamericanos.
Solo tienes que ver la actuación del General Bara del Rey y sus hombres en la colina de San Juan.
@@segundocano3055 ¡También perdiste Filipinas!🤣
@@whatforaaron2494 Cierto y los Filipinos siguen arrepintiendse
Y también el rey de España traicionó y regalo la provincia Española del Sáhara y los corruptos políticos de izquierdas quieren regalar Ceuta y Melilla y espera a ver qué pasa con Canarias.
Y los socialistas nos robaron el banco de España, etc etc etc.
Pero seguiremos peleando.
Muy equilibrado. Un buen informe. Enhorabuena. El prof. Xulia es una buena fuente de referencia.
English please.
Very balanced. Good report. Congratulations. The professor xulia is a good reference.
Excellent.
Thank you!
when l was 12 years old, one of my teachers was in Russia fighting with the blue division. He told me some interesting storys. He heat the way Germans treat to the population. He told me the first combat after to cross the Volchov river at night.
He come back home after to be injured in combat. Always was very proud regarding his iron cross.
Congratulations about your job.
They come back home with
2 Cruz de caballeros con hojas de roble
2 Cruces de oro
138 Cruces de Primer clase
2359 de segunda clase.
Regards
Interesting, thanks for sharing.
This history was completely new to me. Love both your channel and that of Mark Felton.
Great to hear!
Great job !
Thanks Gus.
Hay pequeños errores de apreciación, En España no todo es sol, los del Norte estamos acostumbrados al frío, barro y agua. Repase la batalla del Ebro y Teruel. El ejercito nacional si practicaba la guerra móvil por medio de columnas y la guerra en las trincheras no era ninguna broma. Por último , muchos alemanes no entendían como los españoles iban voluntarios a un frente que ellos odiaban. Cuestión de genes.
English please.
@@HistoryHustle Español por favor. No estaría mal que aprendan idiomas. Además puede usar un traductor en línea como hago yo.
El documental es bastante malo en general. El ejercito español no tenía las tácticas del ejercito francés, aunque después de la primera guerra mundial muchos paises lo toman como modelo. Yagüe hizo guerra de movimientos con sus columnas motorizadas, pero España no tenía la potencia industrial de otros países como para fabricar tanques e inventar las ofensivas alemanas, los cuerpos de elite del bando nacional eran los africanos (legión, regulares y otros) y no se desempeñaban en las trincheras porque eran fuerzas de choque. Trincheras solo hubo en Madrid toda la guerra y en el Norte hasta que calló el cinturon de hierro. La República trató de defenderse del avance casi constante de los nacionales contraatacando en Brunete, Guadalajara, Teruel y donde pudo reunir algo de masa de maniobra; pero su ejercito si que no sabía avanzar más allá de la demarcación inicial señalada por el general de turno, precisamente por carecer de oficiales con experiencia, no de tropa que de esa, estaban sobrados. Lo que distinguió a los españoles en Rusia era que muchos ya habían luchado y visto carros de combate rusos y no se arrugaban al recibir fuego enemigo, pues siempre había veteranos. Solo Napoleón pudo invadir la peninsula Ibérica y machacarlo todo a su paso que no se olvide; todos los que han pasado por aquí fueron expulsados y con mucho dolor; ahí estan las acuarelas de Goya para demostrarlo....
I congratulate you for your video, which in general terms is very good. The thick statement (22:29) that "there are many examples that the Spanish had a different treatment against the Soviet POWs, which they shot at", I think is taking the part for the whole. On the contrary, there are countless examples of collaboration between Russian deserters and prisoners and Spanish volunteers. The treatment the POWs received from spaniards by taking them prisoner won their wills. More than prisoners, they would come to consider themselves liberated from the discipline of terror imposed by the political commissars and bloodthirsty companions aspiring to commissars, who acted without mercy, with their motto fight or death, forcing them to march towards certain death and sowing minefields to the rear of the Russian positions. The video reproduces an isolated event that occurred on December 27 two kilometers from Udarnik. While the Spanish officers allowed the Russians to remove their wounded, the politrucks pinned the wounded Spaniards to the ground with ice picks till die. Faced with this criminal response, Spanish rage acted that single day, taking no prisoners. My father-in-law, who was a volunteer, told me that he lived together for months with three prisoners who helped them with all kinds of tasks. "There are no better men in the world than those Russian peasants", he told me about them -for whom he felt affection.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the topic.
I had a great uncle who was a volunteer in one of the last batallions sent to the Soviet Union, he didn't have clear political attachments and it seems that he and a friend joined the Blue Division as an adventure, at this time most volunteers were fascists, adventurers and relatives from the "reds" who wanted to wash their reputation. He had a hard time with waether but remembered the locals with sympathy, even a POW warned him of a dangerous frost bite. He returned just before lines closed and he remembered the devastation of War that he could see in his way home.
Lucky he was. Thank you for sharing this!
Interesting and informative.