List by nation and unit. It is estimated that anywhere from 400,000 to 1,000,000 non-German volunteers and conscripts served in the Waffen-SS, while millions more volunteered for service as various auxiliaries of the Axis war effort. Below is a popular estimate of numbers.
Albania: 9,000+
Armenia: 2000 - 4000
Azerbaijan: 70,000
Belgium: 20,000 to 22,000+
British Commonwealth (English): 59-100
Bulgaria: 700+
Croatia (includes Bosnian Muslims): 20,000
Denmark: 8,000 to 12,000
Estonia: 30,000
Estonian Legion:
Finland: 2,500
France: 18,000 to 22,000 (at least 300 of which fought and died in the Battle of Berlin)
Georgia: 3,000 - 10,000
Hungary: 40,000
India: 2,500
Ireland ?
Italy: 18,000
Latvia: 60,000
Luxembourg: 3,000+
Netherlands: 45,000 to 55,000
North Caucasus: 1,000 - 2,000
Norway: 6,000 to 15,000
Portugal: Portuguese Volunteers were placed, mainly, to the Spanish Blue Division (250th Infantry Division)
Russian (Belarusian): 15,000
Russian (Cossack): 40,000
Russian (Turkic): 12,000
Romania: 55,000
Serbia: 15,000 (Mostly Serbian Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans)
Slovenia: 6,000
Spain: 18,000 'Legión Azul' or 'Blue Legion'
Sweden: 180 to 500
Switzerland: 800+
Ukraine: 20,000
United States of America: 15 to 20
Plus the many Arab volunteers of the 'Free Arabia' Legion ('Freies Arabien'), whose members countries of origin ranged from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Trans-Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Iran and Iraq, plus quite a few obscure others (like Senussi and Tuaregs and various desert Arab tribes and peoples). The numbers for the Free Arabia Legion were 20,000+.
In the closing days of the war, about 100 Arab soldiers under Major I.G. Schacht, in the 25th Parachute Regiment of the 9th Parachute Division, would even fight in defense of Berlin, right at its doorstep with their German comrades. Major Schacht wrote of their enormous courage, praising his Arab men for saving his life on numerous occasions.
In a 1925 personal letter he wrote:
'During the fighting in March and April 1945 in Pomerania and on the Oder marches, the Arab company fully proved its effectiveness.
In at least two instances I owed my life to the Arabs. Their losses were in proportion to their courage.'
[Source: The Secret War for the Middle East, page 74. ©2013]
The Russian people contributed greatly to the Axis cause as well. Modern research indicates that up to 1,500,000 Russian citizens volunteered. Almost 300,000 of those were found in combat units, while the rest were various auxiliaries and police formations.
