Blue Legion

Spanish Volunteer Legion
Insignia of the Blue Legion, incorporating the flag of Spain
Active	17 November 1943 (1943-11-17) – 12 April 1944 (1944-04-12)
Country	Francoist Spain
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Wehrmacht
Type	Infantry
Size	2,133–3,000 troops
Nickname(s)	Blue Legion Eastern Front (World War II) Leningrad–Novgorod offensive
Commanders
Notable commanders	Miguel Ezquerra

The Blue Legion (Spanish: Legión Azul; German: Blaue Legion), officially called the Spanish Volunteer Legion (Spanish: Legión Española de Voluntarios; German: Spanische-Freiwilligen Legion), was a volunteer legion created from 2,133 falangist volunteers who remained behind at the Eastern Front after most of the Spanish Blue Division was withdrawn in October 1943 because Francisco Franco had started negotiations with the Allies. It officially consisted of two battalions. It was later estimated that the legion grew to over 3,000 Spaniards.^{[citation needed]}

The 101st SS Spanish Volunteer Company (German: Spanische-Freiwilligen Kompanie der SS 101) of 140 men, composed of four rifle platoons and one staff platoon, was attached to the 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien (the Walloon Legion) and fought in Pomerania and Brandenburg. Later, as part of 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland and under command of Hauptsturmführer der SS Miguel Ezquerra, it fought during the last days of the war against Soviet troops in the Battle of Berlin.^[1]

The troops bore the word ESPAÑA and a red/yellow/red horizontally striped shield worn on the upper right arm, and a helmet.

References[]

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