Division Azul - Bravery and Honor
Click Here to View Spanish Leaders

Today very few people realize how many nations volunteered to fight with Hitler's Army. They also fail to understand that at the peak of the war many individuals due to patriotism, seeking adventure or just searching for a better life decided to march with the best military force of the world.

Any person in their right mind and with a sense of duty would defend their country, family and fellow soldier. This was the case immediately after the German attack on the Soviet Union. During the last week of June of 1941 Spain sponsored a division of soldiers for the cause, partially to repay the debt owed Germany for their vital assistance during the Spanish Civil War.

This division was exclusively a foreign volunteer unit that would serve within the Wehrmacht but led by Spanish Officers. The unit was first known as the Division Española de Voluntarios (Spanish Division of Volunteers) and the goal was to form a unit with approximately 18,000 men. However the response from the Spanish people was overwhelming. When the call went out hundreds of thousands had to be turned away, keeping in mind that with those numbers several divisions could have been formed.

The Spanish volunteers were formally introduced to the German Wehrmacht on July 20th 1941. On that date the division became the 250. Infanterie-Division ranking side by side with their German Heer counterparts.

The Spanish volunteers were highly motivated soldiers and even today are highly regarded by German veterans and their nation for their service. They fought tenaciously until the end defending Berlin next to Romanians, Lithuanians, Croatians, Estonians, French, and many more.

The role taken by Spain during World War II is one of vital importance and although it has been largely forgotten it should be mentioned because of its seriousness. The forces of the 250. Infanterie Division was also known by the Germans as the Blaue (Blue) Division due mainly to the fact that the members would show the color blue of their Falangist shirt.

We must also point out that Spain had been declared a neutral nation during the war; however the majority of the population always demonstrated their sympathies toward the German cause. It is also widely know that General Franco would actively assist the Germans from the false charade of a neutral country.

One of the main reasons for Spain not involving itself in World War II was the fact that the country had recently gone through a bloody and long civil war. The country was desolated and heart broken and it would have been a mistake to get involved when it was really the time to get the country developed. This however was no excuse to delay help to the Germans and General Franco with the help of Adolph Hitler took the first steps to a mutual and beneficial relationship.

In March of 1941 when the news was known that Germany was invading the Soviet Union the citizens of Spain implored General Franco and its government to assist the German cause and destroy the communist threat. It was of favour and motivation to the people when Minister Serrano in Spain would declare that "Russia is guilty of our civil war and our pain, the destruction of Russia is for the well-being of Europe".

With this in mind and with a highly motivated Spain population, Germany and Spain came to an agreement and volunteers were quickly enlisted in to service. It is said that the waves of volunteers were overwhelming and several thousands had to be turned around. When the dust settled and the men were ready to join the German forces, four infantry regiments were compiled, they consisted of Regiments Esparza, Pimentel, Vierna and Rodrigo since the German divisions consisted of three infantry regiments the Rodrigo was disbanded and the personnel was distributed amongst the other units therefore creating the 250. Infanterie-Division.

After the initial formation the 250. was transported to Germany for training to Truppenubungsplatz Grafenwohr in Bavaria arriving sometime between July 17th and 23rd of 1941. Formally the division was introduced to the Wehrmacht on July 20th of 1941 and it was at this time that the designation of 250. was given. On July 23rd the troops were issued German uniforms and equipped with German regulation equipment, the only addition was the red-gold-red Spanish national shield worn on the upper right sleeve with the words "ESPANA" written at the top.

After all the formalities of induction to the German Heer were completed, the 250. was sworn in to service on July 31st of 1941, with training immediately beginning. Due to constraints on time and personnel the 250. was trained within thirty days or 1/6th the time allocated to a new formed division. The Germans were highly impressed and amazed that the division managed to complete their training on scheduled and as planned and was quickly readied to transport to the Eastern Front on August 20th 1941.

After a long and tiresome trip they arrived near Suwalki in Poland at the end of August, unloading into a staging area between Reuss and Grodno. The remainder of the travel was on foot, heading for Smolensk on August 29th over 1,000 miles away, marching four abreast. With over a month on foot marching they arrived at their destination, crossing the Dnieper River on September 25th 1941. They then immediately set up camp about forty miles outside of Smolensk. The division was stretched out westerly with the rear of the division reaching Orsha.

After two days of a well earned rest, at their surprise, orders came to march back through Orsha and move towards Vitebsk about 100 miles north. Upon their arrival they entrained a 450 mile trip to the final destination of Novgorod on the shores of Lake Ilemen and the Volkhov River. Their mission, to replace the 126. Infanterie-Division along a defensive line across 40 miles. Between Oct. 7th and the 10th the unit had already taken some casualties and along the confusion of battle it was decided that instead of replacing the 126. they would replace the 18. Infanterie-Division. Since the majority of the 126. was already replaced it was decided to hold those positions and to replace the 18. with the rest of the division.

After two days of a well earned rest, at their surprise, orders came to march back through Orsha and move towards Vitebsk about 100 miles north. Upon their arrival they entrained a 450 mile trip to the final destination of Novgorod on the shores of Lake Ilemen and the Volkhov River. Their mission, to replace the 126. Infanterie-Division along a defensive line across 40 miles. Between Oct 7th and the 10th the unit had already taken some casualties and along the confusion of battle it was decided that instead of replacing the 126. they would replace the 18. Infanterie-Division. Since the majority of the 126. was already replaced it was decided to hold those positions and to replace the 18. with the rest of the division.

During the cold and hasty month of October of 1941, members of the 18. and 126. with regiments of the 250. Crossed the Volkhov at Udarnik establishing a bridgehead on the east bank. Once again the 269. was engaged in a fierce battle with the 52nd Corp of the Soviet Army, successfully pushing the Soviets back. The hard and consistent shelling by the Russians maintained the reinforcements at a minimum, but elements of the 263. And Felderstatz-Battalion 250 made it east of the Volkhov to bolster defense. Slowly but with a widening circle they invested the villages of Tigoda, Dubrovka and Muravji, pushing the Russians back.

Well now in to November and with the Volkhov frozen, the Spaniards faced daily and regular counter attacks. These included massive artillery and several WWI style trench charges by screaming Russians.

By November 12th after several Russians attempt to cross the Spanish line, the battle had become a stand-off. Determined to maintain their line the Spaniards held their ground, but at a great cost of personnel and equipment. For over thirty days, with almost no replenishments of men or ammunition the Russians urged their opponents to give up and surrender, defiantly the Spaniards responded "Arriba Espana". On December 7th after intelligence reports suggested that the Soviets had retreated due to exhaustion, the garrison was quietly withdrawn.

The losses of personnel during this brutal battle for the 269. Rgt. Were 120 dead, 440 wounded and 20 missing, In all the battles so far the division had taken 718 KIA, 1612 WIA and 86 MIA.

Things were not to get any better, during the Christmas of 1941 at a position held by Spanish Grenadiers at Lubkovo tragedy would visit, the Soviets would overrun the platoon of Alferez Moscoso, and with their bayonets they would nail the bodies to the frozen ground in mock crucifixion. The Spaniard now blinded by revenge, with two companies of the 269. would cover the frozen Volkhov with the bodies of an entire Soviet Battalion, for now the atrocities had been revenged!

Launching a massive offensive on January 7th of 1942 the Soviets aimed at smashing the German line. Using a two prong attack they hoped to reach Leningrad and assist the besieged city. Partially successful was the 2nd Shock Army, punching a 20 mile hole at the German front of Novgorod and pouring enough soldiers to continue the drive.

With tenacity and valor the 126. Infanterie-Division partially held the breakthrough from getting any larger. After many attempts, on March 19th of 1942 the Soviet bulge was cut off by superior German forces, creating the well know Volkhov Pocket. Soon after the cut off, the 18th Armee slowly crushed the pocket by attacking from all directions, during which the 250. took part. The many counter attacks by the German and Spanish forces against the pocket over five months prevented the Soviets from pushing any farther, and on June 25th of 1942 they were finally crushed.

After so much suffering, death would await. As the Soviets had launched their Volkhov offensive in the north, they also launched massive offensives at the south of Lake Ilmen. The 11th, 3rd and 4th Shock Armies of the Soviets encircled at Demjansk the German II. Armeekorp with over 90,000 men or a total of seven entire divisions. As a result the division was being placed on a precarious situation, Soviets pushing westward on both of its extreme northern and southern flanks.

While sending units to aid the troops against the Volkhov and Pocket in the north, it also aided on the south by sending the Ski-Kompanie with 204 men. Across the frozen Ilmen on January 10th of 1942 to assist some 543 men in the city of Vzvad along the south shores of the Lake. In this operation however lady luck would forget the unit and only twelve men survived the ordeal by the time they would arrive at Vzvad on January 25th, 15 days later.

Once both pockets were crushed and stabilized as with the rest of the lines of Armeegruppe Nord, orders were sent out on August of 1942 for the transfer of the 250. Infanterie-Division to the actual battle against Leningrad. On August 23rd the positions of the division were given to the 20. Infanterie-Division (motorized) and the 250. was transported via rail to the region of Vyriza, south of the operational area of Leningrad.

For a short time the division rested and trained until moved once again to the location of the 121. Infanterie-Division in the Pushkin-Slutz area along the outside ring of Leningrad. They would occupy a front of approximately 29 miles, from Pushkin on its left flank to Krasny Bor on its right.

At a slow but steady pace the German and Spanish units stationed themselves around Leningrad for the eventual assault on the city. New units were brought to reinforce the German lines and special preparations were put in to place for the battle. However, after loses of about 20 killed in action a day during the period of about three months all plans were suspended. Far at the south Stalingrad had been encircled by the Soviets on November 19th of 1942, as a result the offensive planned against Leningrad was canceled.

But even calling the offensive off would still leave plenty of fighting to be done. On January 12th of 1943 the Soviets assaulted the German lines around the Armeegroup Nord with another two pronged attack. This time the fighting concentrated on the region around Mga to the north and east of Leningrad itself. The II/IR.269 was selected for this job and was detached from the division position along the front and transferred east. The battle was to be a bloody affair, and when the unit was finally relieved nine days later on January 28th, only 28 men were left standing out of 800.

However, as bloody and costly the Mga battle was, nothing would compare to the struggle to come on February 10th of 1943. Looking to clear the Moscow-Leningrad highway upon which the east lines of the division were positioned, the Soviets launched a three hour long artillery barrage. More than 44,000 troops and 100 tanks against the 250th! When Attacked there were only 5,600 men. For almost 24 hours a battle raged in which the eastern sector of the division took 75% casualties, loosing 3,645 men! This amazing and costly battle would be known as "The Battle of Krasny Bor". They held the full weight of the Soviet attack and in the process created 11,000 widows. By the middle of February the fighting died down and the lined had been stabilized. In April the position in and around Krasny Bor were relieved by the 254th Infanterie-Division, reducing the line to about 21 miles. Krasny Bor would be the division's last major action.

On March 19th the Soviets launched a weak attack on the lines, but it was soon beaten back. For the next seven months the divisional line saw sporadic fighting, but no more ragging battles. Individual units assaulted small Soviet positions, held smaller attacks and withstood strong Russian artillery barrages, and extensive defensive works were constructed. But no more larger-scale offensive or defensive actions took place.

Finally on October 5th and 6th of 1943, the division was ordered to fall back from its position. The division was relieved by the 81. Infanterie-Division and the 123. Infanterie-Division between October 6th and the 1st of 1943. The division was then transferred to Volosovo where it was later ordered back to Spain.

In its place the Spanish Legion a battalion size unit of about 1,500 men would stay behind, a group of dedicated soldiers who choose not to return home and remain in Germany. The first troops began arriving in Spain on October 29th of 1943. The division had seen approximately 50,000 men over a period of two years at or near the front, approximately 12,726 became casualties, and many did not return home until 1957.

The 250th Blue Division consisted of:
250th Blue Division 262. Infanterie Reg.
Blau Division 253. Infanterie Reg.
Division Azul 269. Infanterie Reg.
DRK 250. Artillerie Reg.
German Red Cross 250. Panzerjager-Abteilung
Deutsches Rotes Kreuz 250. Pionier Bataillon
W-II Spanish Soldiers 250. Nachrichten-Abteilung
Soldados Segunda Guerra Mundial 250. Sanitats-Abteilung
Spanish Volunteers World War II 250. Feldersatz Bataillon
Wehrmacht Heer 250. Ski Kompanie

They also served:
Espana Soldaten SD in Paris
Ostfront Einsatgruppe "Pyrenaren"
Waffen-SS Iberian-American Institute, Berlin
Infanteire 3rd Gebirgsjager Div., Rumania
Eastern Front 28th Naval Depot, Sennheim
Hitler Youth 17. Luftwaffenfelddivision, Normandy
Third Reich 357th, 369th, 373rd and 392nd Infanterie Div.
Wallonie SS Div.
24th and 29th SS Div.
Flemish SS Div.
SS Polizei Reg. "Bozen"

Leaders of Spain during World War II

Gen. Francisco Franco
Gen. Francisco Franco "El Caudillo",
Born: December 4, 1892 Ferrol, Galicia
Died: November 20, 1975

El Ferrol, he enrolls en La Academia Militar de Toledo. He graduates and is appointed Second Lieutenant. In July of 1910, he is assigned to the Zamora Regiment number 8 in the Ferrol. In 1912 he volunteers with the African Regiment number 68 in Marruecos. He is then promoted due to military merit for his role in the Battle of Izarduy. The following year he is promoted once again, this time to the rank of Captain, due to War Merit, he is the youngest Captain in Spain.

In 1916 he is seriously wounded and he is awarded the Cruz de Maria Cristina and he is once again promoted due to military merit, this time to Comandante, (Major) once again being the youngest Major in Spain. In 1920 he is once again transferred to Marruecos, post has a Lt. Col.; in 1923 he receives the Medalla Militar Individual. He is once again promoted early to Coronel (Colonel); he distinguishes himself by taking Alhucemas, ending the war in Marruecos. He is awarded his second Medalla Militar Individual and the Government of France bestows the French Legion of Honour.

He is promoted to Brigade General in 1926 at the age of 33 the youngest General in Europe. Upon returning to Spain he is appointed Director of the Academia Militar de Zaragoza, a new institute to combine all military specialties. In 1931 the Second Republic comes to be, and the government closes the academy. He is then transferred in 1932 to La Coruna end in 1933 he is appointed Military Commander of the Baleares Island.

In 1936 the leftist government transfers the General to the Canary Islands; from there he intervenes in the preparation of the planned military take over by Generals Sanjuro and Mola. During the month of August he is ready to transfer to Africa, but by the 1st of October he is promoted to General of the Armed Forces and Chief of Staff, by the Unification Decree of 1937. Who by design, Serrano Suner unifies the nationalistic political parties in to one, and he is appointed National Chief of the FET and the JONS. He is awarded the Cruz Laureada de San Fernando at wars end in 1939 and Spain is celebration. He leads Spain for 40 prosperous years, and dies in Madrid on November 20th of 1975.

Sr. Ramón Serrano Súñer
Sr. Ramón Serrano Súñer,
Born: September 12, 1901, Cartagena Spain
Died: September 9, 2003, Madrid

Attorney and Politician during the Civil War, was the inspiration to the decree to unify the nationalist parties in to one, creating the Falange Espanola Tradicional de las JONS the single political party in Spain. Appointed Governmental Minister in 1938. In 1939 he is appointed President of the Junta Politica and in 1940 he is appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, defending de alignment of Spain with the Axis forces and eventually meeting with Hitler and Mussolini.

During June of 1941 in front of the headquarters of the party he makes his famous speech "Rusia es culpable" expressing the wishes of the nation to destroy communism. His high caliber as a Politician and a Diplomat, he is considered the main responsible person to eventually create the Blue Division. Later in 1942, Gen. Franco strips Sr. Suner from all political and diplomatic roles and he eventually abandons politics.

He was highly decorated by Italy and Germany. On a personal note he was deputy for CEDA one of the parties from the right. Due to his caliber as an attorney he was a personal friend of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera founder of the Falangist Party, He was married to Franco's sister in-law, and once he moved to Burgos, government capitol during the Civil War he was the main civilian advisor to Franco.

Gen. Agustin Muñoz Grandes
Gen. Agustin Muñoz Grandes,
Born: Madrid, Spain, 1896
Died: July 1975, Madrid

He obtained formal military training at the Military Academy of Toledo. In 1915 he volunteered to serve in the Spanish Protectorate of Marruecos, were he commanded indigenous units and participated in the taking of Alhucemas. As commander of a the Infantry he was awarded La Medalla Militar Individual for his brilliant undertaking in 1925 occupying Monte Malmusi in the Spanish zone in the protectorate of Marruecos.

During the period of the Second Republic he held a position in the High Command of La Guardia de Asalto (Assault Guards) who took action during the crushing of the revolution of October 1934. When the Civil War exploded he was able to escape to the Nationalist zone, he took command of a division and took Cataluna. After this event he was appointed Secretary Minister of the FET de la JONS and later Military Governor of Camp Gibraltar in 1941, in charge of recruiting, training and taking in to battle the Blue Division.

His valor and capacity for leadership was not taken for granted by the Germans and he was rewarded with the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for his service, personally present by Adolph Hitler on December 14th 1942. He returns to Spain at the end of 1942-43, with great regret to the Germans who would have been pleased to keep him has commander of the 250th.

Upon his return to Spain Gen. Francisco Franco bestows him with the Palma De Plata (Silver Palm) the highest decoration in the party, After the war he occupied several high level political and military post as Minister of the Army and Vice President of the Government. In 1957 he was promoted to Capitan General (Captain General) the highest and supreme post in the military of Spain.

His death was felt by all who served with him on the Eastern Front, his humble, humane and modest character was a reflection of his military training and his high capacity as a leader. To the point, that during his tenure on the Eastern Front he only used the uniform of the common soldier and never the uniform of a General.

During his funeral the German Federal Republic (newly made US controlled government of West Germany) would not authorize a delegation of the newly formed Bundeswehr to participate in the events to honor Gen. Grande, however the Order of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross did show up with the President of the organization heading the delegation.

One thing is true, his Knight Cross of the Iron Cross held a close place in his heart, on one occasion during an official visit to Washington DC, after the Hispanic-American pacts, he had no problem showing up with his Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves around his neck, producing a monumental surprise to all in the United States. Truly a General of Generals, never to be seen again.

Gen. Emilio Esteban Infantes
Gen. Emilio Esteban Infantes,
Born: Toledo, Spain 1892
Died: 1962

Obtained military training at the Infantry Academy of Toledo in 1907. His military career was with out event as a typical officer of the Estado Mayor. He was implicated in 1932 as part of the Golpe de Estado of Gen. Sanjurjo. During the Civil War he held several positions commanding national troops. Due to sickness of his superior officer he took command of the 5th Navarra Division during the Battle of Brunete, brilliantly crushing the enemy and earning his first Medalla Militar Individual, the second highest decoration in the Spanish army.

He was sent to the Russian Front to relieve Gen. Grandes as commander of the division due to political reasons, and he returned home in 1943 upon the re-call of the division to Spain, leaving in command the newly appointed Gen. Santiago Amado Loriga. The Germans rewarded his service with the German Cross in Gold and the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross.

In December of 1943 as a special case the Spanish government awarded his second Medalla Militar Individual for his efforts in the Russian Front. Back in Spain he commanded the efforts against the "Maquis" (republican guerillas) in the Pirineos. He occupied several high ranking positions as Captain General, presided the Consejo de Justicia Militar (Military Justice Board) and Chief of Estado Mayor Central. He died in 1962.