The Finnish Volunteer Battalion of the Waffen-SS was a formation with a very unique history. Its members volunteered and were spirited out of Finland to Germany under watchful Russian eyes. Unlike other legions from various countries, the battalion did not fight until the end of the war. In fact, upon its return home, its soldiers were immediately drafted into the Finnish army and fought against the Soviets. When Finland sued for peace, former Finnish SS-men fought against German troops as they retreated from Finland. The Battalion joined the SS-Wiking Division in January 1942 and fought in southern Russia and the Caucasus until its mission ended in April 1943. With its soldiers badly needed on the home front, it was recalled due to intense pressure from the Finnish government. The battalion served with great sacrifice and proved itself worthy of being a part of one of Germany’s elite divisions.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Introduction
• Finland, Country and People
  • The Coming into Existence of the Finnish People and Country
  • Finland’s Position during the First World War
• The “Prussian Jägerbataillon Number 17”
• The Russo-Finnish Winter War 1939–1940
• A Straw for Finland
  • Recruiting Finnish Volunteers and their Transport to Germany
  • Deployment of the “Division-men”
• Creation of SS-Freiwilligen-Bataillon “Nordost”
  • Deployment Readiness and March to the Ostfront
  • First Combat Deployment
  • Frontline Sector Demidowka
  • Mokryj Jelantschik
  • Caucasus and the Maikop area
  • March to the Terek
  • Attack on Malgobek and Ssagopschin
  • Malgobek and Hill 701
  • Quiet Front Sectors
  • The III. Panzerkorps Offensive against Ordshonikidse
  • Personnel changes at “Wiking”
  • In the shadow of Kasbek
  • Defensive Battle of the 9. Kompanie at Chasnidon
  • Retreat from the Caucasus
  • Krasnoje Snamja and Proletarskaja
  • Jekaterinowka
  • From Salsk to Jegorlykskaja
  • Jegorlykskaja
  • From Metschetinskaja to Rostov
  • “Stop Armoured Group Popow!”
  • The Donez was the Goal
  • Last Position and Farewell to Russia
  • In Germany and Return to Finland
  • Disbanding of the Finnish SS-Bataillon during 1943
  • Finland between the Great Powers – Detachment from Germany
• Biography of the Commander
• Appendix
  • Document No. 1
  • Document No. 2
  • Document No. 3
  • Document No. 4
• Sources
• Bibliography
• Plates