The SS Prinz Eugen – The Barbaric Waffen-SS Mountain Division

The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen" was a German Waffen-SS unit that was active during World War II. It was formed in 1941 and named after Prince Eugene of Savoy, a notable military commander from the Habsburg dynasty. The division was primarily composed of volunteers from the ethnic German minority in Yugoslavia, as well as German recruits. The division was established in October 1941 with the primary objective of engaging in anti-partisan operations in the Balkans. Its members were largely drawn from the Volksdeutsche, ethnic Germans living in southeastern Europe, particularly in the areas of Croatia, Serbia, and Romania. The division was initially tasked with counterinsurgency and anti-partisan operations in the occupied territories of the Balkans. It participated in various campaigns against partisan forces in Yugoslavia, often operating in difficult mountainous terrain. The division was involved in numerous brutal actions against both partisan fighters and civilians in the region. This included reprisal actions that led to civilian casualties, burning of villages. These actions earned the division a reputation for ruthlessness and cruelty. As the war turned against the Axis powers, the division was gradually pushed back and suffered heavy losses. By 1945, it was caught in the Soviet advance and retreated toward Austria. The division eventually surrendered to British forces in Austria in May 1945. After the war, some members of the division were prosecuted for their involvement in war crimes committed during their anti-partisan operations in the Balkans. Several individuals were found guilty and sentenced for their actions. The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division "Prinz Eugen" remains a controversial and dark chapter in World War II history due to its involvement in numerous brutal actions. History Hustle presents: The SS Prinz Eugen – A Volunteer Mountain Division. SUPPORT ME ON PATREON ►   / historyhustler   SUPPORT ME ON PAYPAL ► https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/Histo... SUBSCRIBE ►    / @historyhustle   INSTAGRAM ►   / historyhustle   FACEBOOK ►   / historyhustler   TWITTER ►   / hustlehistory   SOURCES – The Waffen-SS. A European History (Robert Gerwarth and Jochen Böhler). – Himmler's Auxiliaries. The Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle and the German National Minorities of Europe, 1933-1945 (Valdis O. Lumans). – Balkan G-n-cides (Paul Mojzes). – War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941–1945. Occupation and Collaboration (Jozo Tomasevich). IMAGES Images from commons.wikimedia.org and from the book: Otto Klum - Prinz Eugen. The History of the 7 SS Mountain Division “Prinz Eugen.” MUSIC "Clenched Teeth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... "Division" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... "Devastation and Revenge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... "Road to Hell" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b... SOUNDS Freesound.org. E-MAIL historyhustle[at]gmail.com