Did Spaniards fight in the Nazi Army?

Question

Is this real?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Division

Answer 1

hey if it is on the Internet it must be true

Answer 2

Volunteers from Spain were smuggled into Germany, armed and uniformed as the "Blue Division" and sent to serve in Russia. 1941 - October 1943.

There was also some Spanish Air force Squadrons in Service in Russia as well as a Nursing Medical Unit.

Pressure later placed on Franco forced him to order the Blue Division home but many stayed and died fighting with the Germans in the "Blue Legion"

During the Blue Division period some12,726 casualties comprising of 3,934 dead, 6,466 wounded and 326 missing were recorded.


For Shaka: The Spanish were a neutral country in WW2, but Franco allowed his men to got to Russia to fight, (illegally) the Spanish troops were under their own officers and NCOs and has they took casualties then fresh replacements from Spain went out to Russia.
There was no Spanish Families being held hostage, these Spanish Volunteers wanted to go fight Communists, they never fought against anybody else except the Russians.
They only quit when the Allies put pressure on Franco to stop sending troops to aid the Germans OR face having Spain invaded.
"Blue Legion" members who stayed behind after the Blue Division were ordered home disobayed orders to do so.
On the 2 April 1954, the last Spanish P.O.W. were returned from captivity in Russia. 219 from the Blue Division and 7 from the Blue Legion.

Answer 3

Many foreign divisions served in the German army during WW11. From the Baltic states, down thru the Netherlands and into mainland Europe including France and Spain. Many had no choice, serving to protect their families faced with internment and/or concentration camps. By the same token, many were volunteers and a large percentage when taken prisoners of war changed sides and served with great distinction!

Answer 4

It wouldn't surprise me since Hitler; commonly confused with as a communist, was a supporter of fascism. Hitler supported the fascist leader in Spain and if I remember correctly he also provided him with weapons or something to overthrow the current government at the time. The fascist spainard probably returned the favor by letting his men volunteer in the Nazi army.

Answer 5

Italy, German and Spain were all fascist countries. Germany sent many troops to help the Spanish fascists fight the democratically elected government. Many Spanish were enthusiastic fascists for many decades after WW2 , and the government of Spain was fascist until Franco died.
Spain sent many volunteers to help their fellow fascists fight democracy

Answer 6

To my knowledge, The Germans fought along the Spaniards in Spain against Communism. If there were Spaniards fighting along side the Germans in WW2, they must have been volunteers..................

Answer 7

There were spaniards in all sides and places: republicans in north Africa with frenchs, in the french resistence in France, in Normandy with allies, in Russia with soviets against germans and in german side against russians.

Answer 8

There was a Resistance much like in France.