Blue Legion

Spanische Legion of Volunteers (span.) Legión Española de Voluntarios Spanish Volunteer Legion
Active	November 17, 1943 – April 12, 1944
Country	Spain
Allegiance	Germany
Branch	Heer
Type	Infantry
Size	• 2.133 troops
Nickname(s)	Legión Azul
Engagements	World War II Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive
Commanders
Notable commanders	Miguel Ezquerra

The Blue Legion (Spanish: Legión Azul, German: Blaue Division, officially called the Legión Española de Voluntarios) 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 repatriated in March 1944 because Francisco Franco had started negotiations with the western Allies. It officially consisted of two battalions. It was later estimated that the legion grew to over 18,000 Spaniards (44,000 in rotation). It was repatriated to Spain by November 1944 due to increased pressure from the allies,^[1] but again, many of them (around 3,000) remained to fight on the side of Nazi Germany until the German surrender in May 1945.

They operated several squadrons in the Luftwaffe, known as the Escuadrilla_Azul (Blue Squadrons).^[2]

The 101st company Spanische-Freiwilligen Kompanie der SS 101 of 140 men, composed of four rifle platoons and one staff platoon, was attached to 28th SS Volunteer Grenadier Division Wallonien and fought in Pomerania and Brandenburg province. 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.^[3]

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

See also

• Blue Division
• Spanish Legion

References

1. Payne, Stanley. Spain and World War II. p. 81.
2. Joseph, Frank (2012). The Axis Air Forces: Flying in Support of the German Luftwaffe. p. 54.
3. Julio, Rodriguez-Puértolas (2008). Historia de la literatura fascista española. p. 712.

External links

• Spanische Legion (Blue Legion) on the Axis History Factbook