Editing Waffen-SS (section)

====1944 expansion====
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J16696, Soldaten der Legion "Freies Indien".jpg|thumb|After D-Day, the [[Indian Legion]] was transferred from the ''Heer'' to the ''Waffen-SS''.{{sfn|Thomson|2004}}]]
The ''Waffen-SS'' expanded again during 1944. January saw the formation of the [[19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian)]], formed from the two SS infantry brigades as cadre with Latvian conscripts. The [[20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian)]] was formed via general conscription in February 1944, around a cadre from the [[3rd Estonian SS Volunteer Brigade]]. The [[21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg|21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS ''Skanderbeg'' (1st Albanian)]] was formed in March 1944 from Albanian and Kosovan volunteers, which as with other "eastern formations" were intended for use against "irregular forces".{{sfn|Stein|2002|pp=184, 185, 194}} A second ''Waffen-SS'' cavalry division followed in April 1944, the [[22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia|22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division ''Maria Theresia'']]. The bulk of the troops were [[Royal Hungarian Army|Hungarian Army]] ''Volksdeutsche'' conscripts transferred to the ''Waffen-SS'' following an agreement between Germany and Hungary. The [[Volunteer Legion Netherlands|23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division ''Nederland'']] followed, formed from the 4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade ''Nederland'', but it was never more than a large brigade. The [[24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Karstjäger|24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS ''Karstjäger'']] was another division that was never more than brigade size, consisting mainly of ethnic German volunteers from Italy and Yugoslavia, along with volunteers from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, and Ukraine. They were primarily involved in fighting partisans in the [[Karst Plateau|Kras]] region of the [[Alps]] on the frontiers of Slovenia, Italy, and Austria, the mountainous terrain requiring specialised mountain troops and equipment.{{sfn|Williamson|Andrew|2004|p=4}} Two Hungarian divisions followed: the [[25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS Hunyadi (1st Hungarian)|25th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS ''Hunyadi'' (1st Hungarian)]] and the [[26th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Hungarian)]]. These were formed under the authority of the Hungarian defence minister, at the request of Himmler. One regiment from the Hungarian Army was ordered to join, but they mostly consisted of Hungarian and Romanian volunteers.{{sfn|Williamson|Andrew|2004|pp=5–6}}

[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-721-0387-05A, Frankreich, SS-Panzersoldaten vor Panzer.jpg|thumb|Members of the ''Waffen-SS'' in front of a camouflaged tank in France, June 1944]]

The [[Flemish Legion|SS Division ''Langemarck'']] was formed next in October 1944, from Flemish volunteers added to the 6th SS Volunteer Assault Brigade ''Langemarck'', but again it was nothing more than a large brigade. The 5th SS Volunteer Assault Brigade ''Wallonien'' was also upgraded to the [[Walloon Legion|SS Division ''Wallonien'']], but it too was never more than a large brigade. Plans to convert the Kaminski Brigade into the [[Kaminski Brigade|29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS RONA (1st Russian)]] were dropped after the execution of their commander, [[Bronislav Kaminski]]; instead the Waffen Grenadier Brigade of SS (Italian no. 1) became the [[29th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Italian)]]. The [[30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS|30th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Russian)]] was formed from the ''Schutzmannschaft-Brigade Siegling''. The final new division of late 1944 was the [[31st SS Volunteer Grenadier Division]], formed from Hungarians and conscripted ''Volksdeutsche''.{{sfn|Stein|2002|p=189}}

In November 1944 the [[1st SS Cossack Cavalry Division|1st Cossack Division]], originally mustered by the German Army in 1943, was taken over by the ''Waffen-SS''. The ''SS Führungshauptamt'' reorganised the division and used further Cossack combat units from the army and the ''Ordnungspolizei'' to form a 2nd Cossack Division. Both divisions were placed under the command of the [[XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps]] on 1 February 1945. With the transfer of the 5th Volunteer ''Cossack-Stamm-Regiment'' from the ''[[Freiwilligen-Stamm-Division]]'' on the same day the takeover of the Cossack units by the ''Waffen-SS'' was complete.{{sfn|Tessin|1977|p=400}}{{sfn|Tessin|1966|p=37}}{{sfn|Tessin|1970|p=5}}