Azerbaijani Legion
| Azerbaijani Legion (Aserbaidschanische Legion) | |
|---|---|
Late 1943 pattern of the patch worn by the Azerbaijani Legion | |
| Active | 2 August 1942 – 8 May 1945 |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Wehrmacht |
| Size | up to 40,000 troops |
| Engagements | World War II |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Abdurrahman Fatalibeyli |
The Azerbaijani Legion (German: Aserbaidschanische Legion, Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan legionu) was one of the foreign units of the Wehrmacht. It was formed in December 1941 on the Eastern Front as the Kaukasische-Mohammedanische Legion (Muslim Caucasus Legion) and was re-designated 1942 into two separate legions, the North Caucasian legion and the Azerbaijani legion. It was made up mainly of former Azerbaijani POW volunteers but also volunteers from other peoples in the area. It was part of the Ostlegionen. It was used to form the 162nd (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division of the Wehrmacht in 1943. Similar to other Ostlegionen, it was organised to replenish the dwindling German manpower on the Eastern Front and to "save the German blood at the front."
The Azerbaijani Legion participated in the systematic killing of between 40,000 and 50,000 Polish civilians in Warsaw during the Wola massacre.