Suomi in France

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Kyrl
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Suomi in France

Post by Kyrl »

I have read in another section of the forum that the ss-Nord took some suomis SMG to France. I suppose they saw use during operation Nordwind against the US and French troops.
I would like to know in what kind of proportion did the soldiers of the Nord had the suomis when inFrance? Were there only a handful of them or were they relatively common?
I would very much like to find a photo of the suomi in use in France, if that exists.
Thanks!
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Ewald Koch
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Ewald Koch »

AFAIK only 120 or so Suomi M/31's were supplied to all German troops in Northern Finnland. How many "Nord" got, is not known - at least to me. I'd say that amount of Suomi M/31's in "Nord" is a small handful and even not that big.

Rumor says that a museum in Eastern France has a drum magazine of a Suomi M/31 on display. Would be nice to see ANY pics of "Nord" during Nordwind and even nicer to see a Suomi M/31 in one of those photos :lol:
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Franz repper
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Franz repper »

In the book seven days in January it is stated that some took their Suomi KPs to France But it gives no number .Like my Kamerad Ewald states very few photos were taken during the Nordwind action there was a magazine in the museum in Wingen I have not been back for some years so sadly cant say if its still there
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Kyrl
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Kyrl »

Thanks for the answers.
I didn't know but yeah now that you say it it's not surprising that there almost no pictures of this episode.

Thanks for the name of the town in Alsace, it allowed me to find a report on the fights at Wingen-sur-Moder mentionning the suomi:
"Two German companies had become isolated. Communications between the battalion in the town and the other on the ridge were cut. Lieutenant Zoepf and Lieutenant Hans Hermann Carlau rallied all the available men at the command post in the hotel, perhaps a dozen, and formed them into a 'fire brigade.' They moved out of the hotel, around the corner, and up the road to the railroad station, blazing away with Schmeisser machine pistols and Finnish Suomi submachine guns. The fighting was intense, but they managed to reestablish contact between the town and the ridge. Then the action quieted down as both sides caught their breath."
Kyrl
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Kyrl »

Just to add a little element which happens to be relevant, I found that some suomi m31 were used in France... By the French! In 1939-40! Apparently some suomis found their way into spain during the spanish civil war, and when the spanish republicans crossed the french border, driven out by Franco's troops, the French took their weapons. So the french army suddenly got no less than 300 suomi submachine guns. 150 of these were sent to the frontline durint the winter 39-40 to equip some of the French corps francs (equivalent of stosstruppen, ancestors of commandos).
Knowing this, I think it is entirely possible that the suomi magazine in the museum at Wingen originaly equipped a french soldier, and not one ss from division Nord... In fact we will never know.
Franz repper
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Franz repper »

As there was No French units in the Battle and that it was found in a old German position I would say it was one used by the Germans
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Kyrl
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Kyrl »

Franz repper wrote:As there was No French units in the Battle and that it was found in a old German position I would say it was one used by the Germans
I was speaking of a french soldier of 1939-1940, not during Nordwind. But if we know this magazine was found in a german position, then it was probably german used indeed. :)
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Enigma
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Re: Suomi in France

Post by Enigma »

A few years ago a book was published here in Norway were it is stated that Norwegian volunteers had Swedish Suomi’s. They were very fond of them. These Swedish ones were most likely supplied by Finland or (unlikely) sold directly from Sweden. The Germans also confiscated Danish manufactured ones. I have held in my hands a Danish with Waa stampings. There were also Finnish ones in Norway prior to WW2 that I am sure ended up in German service.
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