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Dowly · 05-05-16, 05:27 AM

5 May 1941

120 Finnish SS-volunteers board the SS Adler in Turku. They arrive in Danzig on the 8th of May.

Germany wanted to send SS-Standartenführer Paul Dahm to handle the recruitment as he had done in Norway and Netherlands, but the Finnish Foreign Ministry insisted on handling it internally.

Chief of the EK (modern day SUPO i.e. internal security police) Esko Riekki was picked to organize the recruitment. "Engineering office 'Gear'" was set up as a front for the recruitment. When a batch of Finns would leave to Germany, they would be given "work orders", instead of any sort of official political or military orders.

Of the 1900 applicants, 1408 were accepted. Large number of these 1408 men, some 79%, were members of the White Guard.

One of the notable persons to serve in the volunteer SS battalion was Lauri Törni (better known as Larry Thorne in America).

05-05-16, 05:27 AM	#31
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,005 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	5 May 1941 120 Finnish SS-volunteers board the SS Adler in Turku. They arrive in Danzig on the 8th of May. Germany wanted to send SS-Standartenführer Paul Dahm to handle the recruitment as he had done in Norway and Netherlands, but the Finnish Foreign Ministry insisted on handling it internally. Chief of the EK (modern day SUPO i.e. internal security police) Esko Riekki was picked to organize the recruitment. "Engineering office 'Gear'" was set up as a front for the recruitment. When a batch of Finns would leave to Germany, they would be given "work orders", instead of any sort of official political or military orders. Of the 1900 applicants, 1408 were accepted. Large number of these 1408 men, some 79%, were members of the White Guard. One of the notable persons to serve in the volunteer SS battalion was Lauri Törni (better known as Larry Thorne in America).