History
The Brandenburg Commandos began with an idea by Theodore von Hippel. Shortly after the first the war Von Hippel had found himself involved in the German intelligence community. Hippel proposed utilizing small, elite units to penetrate enemy defences before any hostile or offensive action had begun. However the proposal was not implemented due to the Prussian view of honour. Many believed units such as the ones proposed were under hand and broke “the rules of war”, they also had the view that such saboteurs were not worthy of being called soldiers. Von Hippel persevered until he was made an officer in the war ministry’s intelligence agency, Abwehr. Here his ideas had found their home.
Men of Bataillon Ebbinghaus pose for a rare photo. Poland, September 1939
The German high command allowed Hippel to form a battalion to do what he had proposed–sabotage the enemy’s ability to respond to German attacks by capturing roadways and bridges ahead of the main force and securing strategic targets before they were demolished. Known as the Ebbinghaus battalion, the battalion did a superb job in the Polish campaign, despite their excellent performance they were disband soon after. However this excellent performance didn’t fail to go unnoticed, and Admiral Canaris(who at the time was incharge of the Abwehr)gave Hippel the opportunity to form a unit like the Ebbinghaus group for the Abwehr.
On October 15, 1939, the Lehr und Bau Kompagnie z.b.V. 800 (Special Duty Training and Construction Company No. 800), which consisted primarily of the former Ebbinghaus volunteers, was officially founded in Brandenburg, where it would take on the shorter name of Brandenburg Company.
Recruitment and Training
Recruitment for this elite group of men almost the exact opposite to that of the Waffen SS. The Brandenburgers required men who were fluent in a foreign language whether it be Czech, Russian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Finnish, Estonian, Polish, Ukrainian or Ruthenian. They also had to know the various customs of the areas in which they were operating as well as the mannerisms and local habits of the people. The Brandenburgers had to blend in and be the enemy in order to carry out their mission. The Brandenburgers also recive extensive training for their operations, self reliance was very important as they would often be working alone. The training was physically and mentally demanding, with focuses on foreign languages, small unit tactics, parachutist qualifications, demolitions, covert operations, use of vehicles and aircraft and familiarity with enemy weapons, including tanks. Some sub-units were specifically trained as pilots or trained in forgery, demolitions or camouflage. One company was formed from 127 expert cross country skiers, and was specially trained to fight in the frozen wastes of the northern Soviet Union. The company was also equipped with dog sleds.
Brandenburger operations overview
In action, the size of a unit very much depended on the mission requirements. Brandenburger units could consist of any number of men, from one to a couple of hundred. The units operated very much along the lines of the British SAS teams, but, with one important difference. Whilst it was common for SAS units to wear enemy uniforms in order to better accomplish their mission, Brandenburgers were very particular about this practice. The Brandenburgers had a chivalric code, the requirements of this were that men always wore their German uniform beneath the enemy’s, and before combat. Also the men would hold fire until they made their own uniforms visible. While this gave credence to the claim that the Brandenburgers were soldiers not spies, it also led to the capture of several units who refused to break these orders by opening fire before giving away their identity. Despite these precautions to remain within the rules of war, all Brandenburgers carried a suicide pill when operating behind enemy lines.
The original battalion consisted of four companies; organised along ethnic ‘Front’ lines, as shown below. The battalion also included a Motorcycle platoon and a Fallschirm-platoon.
• 1. Kompanie – Baltic/Russian territories.
• 2. Kompanie – English-speaking territories and North Africa.
• 3. Kompanie – Sudeten German / Yugoslavia.
• 4. Kompanie – Volksdeutsche territories.
Below I will document only a couple out of hundreds of operations carried out by the Brandenburg Commandos. The Brandenburgers also operated in many other theatres of war including Yugoslavia, North Africa, Middle East, Asia and the Balkans as well as many others.
Brandenburger operations in Western
The Brandenburgers saw extensive in use in Fall Gelb (the invasion of France and the Low Countries). On the 8th of May, two nights before the start of the offensive to take France and the Low Countries, the Brandenburgers went into action. Wearing enemy uniforms over their German uniforms the Brandenburgers crossed the boarder into the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Brandenburgers examine a disabled Dutch bunker, the Netherlands, May 1940
One of the first actions in the opening days was the taking of the Meuse bridge in the Dutch town of Gennep. An 8 man strong team was led by Leutnant Wilhelm Walther, was given the task of capturing the bridge intact. At 2am on the 10th of May, Walther’s team, now dressed in Dutch Military police uniforms and escorting German prisoners, made their assault. Two guard posts were destroyed, but three Brandenburgers were wounded and the team was pinned down. Dressed in a Dutch uniform, Leutnant Walther proceed across the bridge. The Defenders now confused hesitated allowing the rest of the Brandenburgers to attack. The Brandenburgers seized the bridge and took control and disabled the detonators, just as the first panzers rolled across.
After the capture of France, the Brandenburgers (along with the elite Infantrie-Regiment Großdeutschland) were moved to northern France in preparation for Operation Seelöwe. After the invasion was called off, the Battalion moved to southern France and began training for another operation that was not to be, Operation Felix, the proposed assault on Gibraltar.
During this time, the Battalion was again enlarged, and redesignated Regiment Brandenburg. Along with the increase in size, the Regiment also received Coastal Raider and specialist Tropical components.
Brandenburger operations on the eastern front
The first German units to cross the Soviet frontier in June 1941 were the men of the Brandenburg Regiment. On the first day, Brandenburgers seized road and rail junctions, secured river crossings and wreaked havoc with the already inadequate soviet communications and supply lines.
Early in October 1942, a Brandenburger unit consisting of 62 Baltic and Sudeten Germans led by Freiherr Adrian Von Fölkersam penetrated deeper into enemy territory than any other German unit. Their mission was to take and secure the vital Maikop Oilfields. Dressed in the Uniforms of the dreaded NKVD men, and driving Soviet trucks, Fölkersam’s unit passed through the Soviet front lines and went further into to enemy territory. The Brandenburgers came across a large group of Soviet deserters fleeing from the front. Fölkersam decided to use the deserters to his advantage. He convinced them to return to the Soviet cause, he was able to join them and move undetected through the Soviet lines.
Brandenburgers, disguised as Russian troops, before setting out on a mission. Ukraine, August 1941
Using the false identity of NKVD Major Truchin based in Starlingrad, Fölkersam explained his role in the recovery of the deserters to the Soviet Commander in charge of defending Maikop. The Commander not only believed Fölkersam but gave him a personal tour of the city’s defences. By the 8th of October, the German spearheads were only 12 miles away. The Brandenburgers made their move. Using grenades to give the Soviets the impression of an artillery they took out the military communications centre for the city. Fölkersam then told the Russians defending the city that a withdrawal was taking place. Having seen Fölkersam’s interactions with their Commander and lacking any communications to verify his story the Soviets began to withdraw from Maikop. The German army then entered the city without a fight on the 9th October 1942.
