History of the 360 Kosaken

Following their invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, the Germans were confronted with relatively swift initial progress. Large swaths of ground were covered and the number of Soviet prisoners of war simply continued to swell daily. As a result, German military commanders came to the realization of the severe logistics problem with which they were faced. Escorting and guarding captured prisoners of war became a full time job and ultimately began to tie down large numbers of German personnel that would otherwise be engaged at the front. With this problem, also came a natural solution that the Germans likely had not initially envisioned.

Upon entering areas of Western Ukraine for instance, the Germans were largely greeted as liberators from the murderously oppressive Stalinist regime. The same was the case when German units began to move through the traditionally Cossack held regions of Southwestern Russia. The Cossacks were by tradition a warrior people that had held a place of honor within pre-revolution Russian society. Envied by many (including even the Germans) for their skill, they were expert horse riders. Historically, they are seen as the defenders of Russia and loyal to the Czar. Following the Russian revolution, however, most Cossacks found themselves in a very different place. With the arrival of Stalin, many groups seeking autonomy from the Soviet regime and freedom from collectivization were specifically targeted. The 1930’s saw widespread planned starvation and murder throughout the Ukraine and many Cossack territories in an attempt to force these groups into submission. When considering these conditions, one can see how as with many Ukrainians, there were a good amount of Cossacks that decided to cast their lot with the Germans once they arrived. Local Cossack groups saw not only a source of relief from collectivization and oppression, but also a possible pathway towards the establishment of an autonomous Cossack state, which they had been denied.

It should come then as no surprise, that in the months immediately following the German invasion (early Fall 1941), German units began to organize Cossacks as well as other Eastern peoples into small units charged with escorting prisoners. While somewhat uneasy at first with arming these groups, their fears were soon put to rest as they proved to be relatively reliable allies. In addition to locally recruited Cossacks and other groups, the Germans were confronted yet again by further recruits from the ranks of the prisoners of war. Many men were captured and voluntarily offered their services to the Germans in exchange for not being taken to prisoner of war camps. As a result, membership in these small units continued to grow exponentially and their duties began to expand as well. In addition to dealing with prisoners, Cossacks were put to use performing reconnaissance as well as rear security duties for the various German army groups. These duties took a great burden off German troops and gained respect for these troops. It should be specifically noted that anti-partisan security duties became a primary role for Cossack troops in particular. This was primarily due to the fact that partisan warfare was well known to the Cossacks. They were used to operating in unconventional battlefield situations such as swamps (large areas of the Kuban Cossack territory were thick swamps), thick forests, and other rough terrain, which was only traversable either by horse or the skilled woodsman (Ailsby 122). These qualities as well as an intense warrior spirit were all things that the Cossacks brought to the table.

With ever-increasing volunteers, the Germans began to organize the Osttruppen into various battalions based on ethnicity. With this movement came the creation in December 1942 of Kosaken Plastun Regiment 6 (the 6th Dismounted Cossack Infantry Regiment) under the command of Oberstleutnant von Renteln (“Infanterie”). Charged with fighting behind the lines of Army Group Center, the Regiment was made up of the 622nd and 623rd battalions (Huxley-Blythe 87). At that time, each battalion contained 5 companies and their heavy weapons primarily consisted of light machine-guns and 50mm mortars (Lannoy 232). With its two battalions having been formed before the formal creation of Helmuth von Pannwitz 1st Cossack Division, Renteln’s men were incorporated into Russian Liberation Army (otherwise referred to as ROA). Despite this technicality, the Kosaken Plastun Regiment 6 ultimately were attached to and employed within the 1st Cossack Division (formed on August 4th, 1943), but remained autonomous from the Cossack divisional units for the majority of the war (Nafziger 2).

With the reversals in Stalingrad and North Africa during the winter of 1942/43, and ever growing numbers of volunteers for the ranks of the Osttruppen units and ROA, Hitler became concerned that mass desertions might occur (12). While this was likely far from the reality of the situation (as Stalin gave direct orders that any Soviet soldiers taken prisoner or former Soviet citizens serving the Germans were to be shot), Hitler and his Generals reached a compromise wherein the majority of Osttruppen units were to be moved to the Western front in a sort of exchange/replacement program with German units being moved to the East (12-13). By late summer 1943 these large-scale movements had begun and by October, Renteln’s unit was transferred to France (Huxley-Blythe 87). With this move came a change in the unit as well. The two battalions (622nd and 623rd) were combined with the 638th Independent Cossack Company to from the new 360th Cossack Grenadier Regiment (360. Kosaken Grenadier Regiment).

On April 19th 1944, the regiment was formally attached to the German 708th Static Infantry Division. Under the command of Major General Edgar Arndt, the division was considered to be a static defense unit and was stationed in the area of the Garonne river estuary north of Bordeaux (Mitcham 189-190). Upon Joining the Division, the regiment was reclassified as the 360. Kosaken Festungs Grenadier Regiment or 360th Cossack Fortress Infantry Regiment. This change signified its membership in a static defense unit involved in the defense of the Atlantic Wall (Huxley-Blythe 87). In addition to the expected responsibility of maintaining costal defenses, it is also worth noting that patrolling and securing the surrounding towns, villages, and countryside would have been a primary concern as well. While combating the French Marquisards normally proved to be a difficult task, it was one that the Cossacks often found themselves involved in. Having experience in and a solid knowledge of running anti-partisan operations, it would have been common practice for smaller Cossack units from within the regiment to be pulled into regular duty with local police forces or more often than not with the Feldgendarmerie (Military Field Police) of the 708th Division (more specifically Feldgendarme Trupp 708) (“Infanterie”).

With the Allied landings in Northwestern France in June 1944, it soon became clear that what had begun as a small foothold was progressing into something much larger. Faced with this, the 708th Division was quickly given the order to move north and assist in countering the growing allied forces in both Brittany and Normandy. By mid to late July, certain elements of the division were engaged in intense combat there, but ultimately, the Division found itself relatively spread out. As of August 4th 1944, the Division’s strength was set at 8,123 men. Of these, it is estimated that only around 5,000 managed to enter into combat in Normandy or the general area. The remaining divisional forces found themselves for the most part south of the Loire River or spread out in various areas of Pays de la Loire. This was primarily due to unreliability of train service due to Allied air superiority. The 360th Kosaken Festungs Grenadier Regiment would have likely found itself south of the Loire or stuck in transit somewhere in Pays de la Loire (likely south of Laval). Partly thanks to this, the Regiment was spared the fate of the majority of the rest of the Division (“708. Infanterie”).

With ever increasing Allied thrusts, the division was ultimately forced out of Normandy, and further south into Pays de la Loire. It was there in the areas of Laval and Le Mans that the 5,000 or so troops of the Division were overwhelmed. August 5th saw the arrival of the US 313th Infantry Regiment outside of Laval. With elements of the US 5th Armored Division reaching areas south Le Mans two days later, the majority of the 5,000 or so men of the 708th Division found themselves encircled (“708. Infanterie”). On August 8th, General Patton’s Third Army liberated Le Mans leaving the 708th Division largely destroyed (Bishop 156). All said and done, losses after the encirclement have been estimated at around 4,000 men, with the large majority likely being taken prisoner (“708. Infanterie”).

Faced with this, the Regiment and remaining portions of the Division began their forced retreat across France. While it is likely that Allied encounters may have been of initial concern, as the men moved across France, they were faced with growing resistance from French partisans. This is where the skills of the Cossacks would have paid the Germans great dividends. The men of the Regiment likely in conjunction with the Feldgendarme Trupp 708 would have ensured the safe passage of the Division’s remaining forces. The ultimate goal for the men was to reach the German stronghold in the Vosges Mountains.

Upon reaching their destination, it was at this point that the 360th Cossack Grenadier Regiment was separated from the 708th Infantry Division. After a short refitting and reorganization, the Regiment was attached in October to the LXIV Armeekorps/19th Army as Heerestruppen (“Infanterie”). This essentially means that the Regiment would have maintained its independence and been added to the pool of troops available to the 19th Army for special operations. In this capacity, the Regiment would have been temporarily assigned to the various divisions within the 19th Army for a whole variety of duties. These could range from combat assignments to administrative tasks or even security duties depending on the situation. Initially participating in the defensive line formed in the Vosges Mountains, the 19th Army was slowly pushed back by the Allies towards the Rhine River. By November 1944, the German defensive front to the west of the southern portion of the Rhine found itself forced into the area surrounding the Alsatian city of Colmar. This ultimately became know as the Colmar Pocket (“LXIV Army”). It was during this time, that the 360th Cossack Grenadier was combined with another major Cossack Regiment known as the Kosaken Ausbildungs und Ersatz Regiment 1 (also Freiwilligen Kosaken Stamm Regiment 5) or in English, the 1st Cossack Training and Replacement Regiment.

Despite the spirited defense put up by the forces trapped in the pocket, January 1945 marked the beginning of the collapse of the Colmar Pocket and retreat across the Rhine into the German state of Baden (“LXIV Army”). Throughout the month of January and into February, the 360th Cossack Grenadier Regiment, the 1st Cossack Training and Replacement Regiment as well as the rest of the remnants of the 19th Army fought an intense ongoing battle against American forces advancing ever further into the German Black Forest. On February 22nd, 1945, it was determined that the Regiment would be transferred to the town of Zwettl in Lower Austria in order to temporarily join up with the 1st Cossack Cavalry Division (“Infanterie”). The ultimate plan was for von Renteln and his men to form the core of a new 3rd Cossack within the 15th Cossack Cavalry Corps, however, by the war’s end, it was still in the planning phase.

It was not until March 29th 1945 that von Renteln’s 360th Kosaken Grenadier Regiment reached Zwettl and was incorporated into the 1st Division. For a short time, the men of the Regiment participated in combating Tito’s partisans as well as Bulgarian troops encroaching on the Austrian Border. With the official German surrender on May 8th, Generalleutnant Helmuth von Pannwitz (commander of the 15th Cossack Cavalry Corps) issued his final order that all Cossack forces were not to immediately give up their arms, but rather continue to fight their way westwards until they reached British lines and only then surrender. For obvious reasons, the Cossacks were in no situation to surrender to Soviet forces. Finally making contact with the British on May 10th, the British 6th Armored Division accepted the surrender of the Cossack Corps (Huxley-Blythe 144). Despite a good amount of indecision on the part of the British and massive protest by the Cossacks, the British did extricate a vast majority of the captured Cossacks to the Soviets.

This famous action officially took place on May 28th 1945 and forever left a mark on the wartime record as well as the collective conscience of the British people (148). In choosing to uphold the agreements set at the Yalta Conference, the British in effect doomed thousands of Cossack soldiers as well as their families and children to death, torture, and exile. While it is certain that a number of Cossacks managed by various means to escape this fate, the British actions effectively marked not only the end of the 360th Cossack Grenadier Regiment’s history, but also the hopes of many Cossacks for their freedom.

Works Cited:

Ailsby, Christopher. Hitler’s Renegades: Foreign Nationals in the Service of the

Third Reich. USA, Brassey’s, Inc., 2004.

Bishop, Chris. Order of Battle: German Infantry in WWII. St. Paul, MN: Zenith Press,

2008.

Huxley-Blythe, Peter J. Under the St. Andrew’s Cross: Russian and Cossack Volunteers

In World War II 1941-1945. New York: Europa Books Inc., 2003.

“Infanterie Verbände.” Lexikon der Wehrmacht. Ed. Andreas Altenburger. 26 April

2009 <http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanterie.htm>.

Jurado, Carlos Caballero. Foreign Volunteers of the Wehrmacht 1941-45. Osprey

Men-At-Arms. Ser. 147. London: Osprey, 1983.

Lannoy, Francois de. Pannwitz Cossacks 1942-1945. France: Heimdal, 2000.

“LXIV Army Corps (Germany).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Aug. 2009

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LXIV_Corps_(Germany)> 15 Dec. 2009.

Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr. German Order of Battle. Vol. 2. Mechanicsburg, PA:

Stackpole Books, 2007. 3 vols.

Nafziger, George F. Foreigners in Field Gray: The Cossack, Russian, Croatian, and

Italian Soldiers in the Wehrmacht: German Order of Battle World War II.

Ohio: Privately Published, 1995.

Schuster, Peter, and Harald Tiede. Uniforms and Insignia of the Cossacks in the German

Wehrmacht in World War II. Atglen, PA: Schiffer, 2004.

“708. Infanterie Division.” Ed. Niklas Zetterling. <http://web.telia.com/~u18313395/

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UNIT HISTORY