«Galichina» division veterans

“Galychyna” division’s veterans accompanied by young people walking along the streets on the occasion of celebration of the 66th anniversary from day of division creation, in Lviv, on Tuesday, April 29, 2009. “Galychyna” division (14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS. Galizische) along with 13th SS division was formed from “non - Nordic” volunteers. An oath of “Galychyna” SS division as well as of other voluntary subdivisions of SS differed from “original” oath of SS troops: “I swear before God by this holy oath that in the struggle against the Bolshevism I will submit to supreme leader of German troops, Adolf Hitler and I want, as brave soldier to dedicate my life to fulfillment of this oath”. The subdivisions of the division from autumn 1943 took part in anti-guerrilla war over all territory of Europe. In the middle of July, 1944 the division of the first intake was destroyed by the Soviet troops. After its reforming Germans moved it to different fronts. On May 8-11, 1945 the rest of division gave up to American and British troops. In the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine there is a draft law on recognition of warriors of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists - Ukrainian Insurgent Army, “Nachtigall” battalion and “Galychyna” SS as “warring side during the World War the II. The Right in the Verkhovna Rada try to proof that this units “protected Ukrainians from Germans and Soviet troops”. Photo UNIAN