World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseGeorgian Legion of the German Army was formed in Jun 1943 from captured Georgian soldiers on the Eastern Front. In Feb 1945, it was posted to the Dutch island of Texel. In Mar 1945, the legion's German officers began preparing several units for transfer back on the mainland for combat duty against the advancing Allies. Several of the Georgians began plotting against their German officers. Shortly after 0000 hours on 6 Apr 1945, 800 Georgians attacked with complete surprise, killing 246 Germans before dawn. The Georgians, now with aid from the local Dutch resistance, gained control of several key military installations, but failed in their attempt to capture the naval batteries on the southern and northern coasts of the island. While the two naval batteries turned their guns inland to fire on Georgian positions, 2,000 men of the German 163rd Marine-Schützenregiment landed. Fighting between the Germans and the Georgians saw the death of 565 Georgians (some killed in combat, others executed as mutineers), about 570 additional Germans, and 117 Dutch civilians (both resistance fighters and innocent bystanders). Fighting continued into mid-May despite the German surrender earlier that month, ceasing only after the arrival of Canadian troops on 20 May 1945.

ww2dbaseEpilogue

ww2dbaseThe Canadians took custody of 1,535 Germans and 228 Georgians. The Georgians were turned over to SMERSH agents. Most of the Georgians, sometimes with their entire families, were imprisoned in the gulag system for having allowed themselves to be captured by the Germans.

Photographs

Georgian Texel Uprising Timeline