The Bosnian Muslim Waffen-SS Division: the SS-Handschar

The Bosnian Waffen-SS units, particularly the 13th SS Division "Handschar" and the 23rd SS Division "Kama," played controversial roles during World War II. These divisions were formed largely from Muslim volunteers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they were part of Nazi Germany's broader strategy to exploit local ethnic tensions and enlist non-Germans in their war efforts.

SS Handschar was the first non-Germanic Waffen-SS division, established in 1943. Composed mainly of Bosnian Muslims, it was named after the "handžar," a traditional Turkish sword, symbolizing the division's identity. Himmler, saw the Bosnian Muslims as natural allies against the Serbs (Chetniks) and communists (Partisans). They appealed to Islamic identity, portraying their fight as a defense of Islam against communism, which they equated with atheism. The division was involved in counterinsurgency operations against Yugoslav Partisans but was also implicated in atrocities against Serbs, Jews, and Roma populations.

SS Kama, formed in 1944, was another Bosnian Muslim division but was smaller and less successful. It faced issues with discipline and desertion, reflecting the waning morale as the war turned against Germany. SS Kama was disbanded before it could fully develop, and its remaining members were absorbed into the Handschar Division or other units.

Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, played a significant role in the formation and ideological direction of these units. A fervent anti-Zionist and anti-British figure, al-Husseini had fled to Germany during the war and collaborated with the Nazis. He was instrumental in recruiting Muslims to the Waffen-SS, framing the fight against the Allies as a jihad. Al-Husseini's influence was crucial in shaping the religious and ideological framework within which these divisions operated, although their effectiveness was limited and short-lived.

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SOURCES

– Himmler’s Bosnian Division: The Waffen-SS Handschar Division, 1943–1945 (George Lepre).

– Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Second World War (Enver Redzic).

– Hitler's Jihadis: Muslim Volunteers of the Waffen-SS (Jonathan Trigg).

IMAGES

Tumbnail photo from www.instagram.com/julius.colorization

Images from commons.wikimedia.org.

VIDEO

Video material from:

Muslim Waffen SS ➤ Wilhelm Hintersatz ➤ FullHD

SS Handschar division 1943-1945

The Muslim waffen SS (educational)

Scene From The German Monthly Film, May, 1943 Description Is The Ceremonial Takeover Of The First Croatian SS Volunteer Organization In Agram ( Zagreb).

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