Dragon 6674 German Blue Division Spanish Volunteers, Eastern Front 1942-43

The Blue Division (German Blaue Division, Spanish La Division Azul), also known as the 250 Spanish Volunteer Division, was formed in July 1941 from Spanish volunteers in Spain. The division was formed on the initiative of the Falanga activists (the name of the Spanish fascist party), as a peculiar gesture of revenge for the support that Nazi Germany gave to General Francisco Franco during the civil war of 1936-1939. In July 1941, the division was sent to Germany by train, where it received standard German equipment and uniforms. The unit was included in the Army Group "North" and fought in 1941 over Wołchów and Lake Ilmeń. Then she participated in the blockade of Leningrad, where in February 1943 she fought a heavy battle with Krasny Bor. In this battle, the division lost approximately 2,200 soldiers killed, wounded and missing. In October 1943, as a result of diplomatic pressure from the USA and Great Britain, the division was transferred to Spain. It is estimated that within About 45 thousand people fought the Blue Division. volunteers.