369th Croatian Reinforced Infantry Regiment (Wehrmacht)
| 369th Reinforced Infantry Regiment Verstärktes Kroatisches Infanterie-Regiment 369 369. pojačana pješačka pukovnija |
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|---|---|
Insignia worn by members of the regiment on the right side of the helmet and right upper sleeve of the tunic
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| Active | 16 July 1941–January 1943 |
| Country |
 Nazi Germany
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| Branch | Heer |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Reinforced regiment |
| Motto(s) |
Što Bog da i sreća junačka! ("What God gives and luck of heroes") |
| Engagements | |
| Decorations | Medal of Poglavnik Ante Pavelić for Bravery in gold |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Ivan Markulj Viktor Pavičić Marko Mesić |
The 369th Reinforced Infantry Regiment (German: Verstärktes Kroatisches Infanterie-Regiment 369, Croatian: 369. pojačana pješačka pukovnija) was a unit of the German Wehrmacht that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The regiment was raised from volunteers drawn from Croatia and was commonly referred to as the Croatian Legion (Hrvatska Legija).
On 10 April 1941, the Independent State of Croatia (NDH, Croatian: Nezavisna Država Hrvatska) was created as a puppet state aligned to the occupying Germans. The Ustaše fascist government of the NDH asked Germany for military assistance as they feared Italian territorial ambitions after ceding much of the coastal area of Dalmatia to Italy in treaties signed on 18 May 1941. By 25 June 1941, Poglavnik Ante Pavelić, the leader of the NDH, had sent an envoy to Berlin to offer volunteers to serve on the Eastern Front. By 2 July, Hitler had accepted the offer, and military units were formed under the supervision of two German army officers. The NDH viewed this as a means of strengthening its ties with Germany, potentially an ally in resisting further territorial losses to Italy.
Although the unit was considered by the NDH to be a part of the Croatian Home Guard and the NDH authorities retained responsibility for providing replacements, the members of the regiment swore an oath to Adolf Hitler. Whilst not an official part of the Wehrmacht, the regiment was under German military jurisdiction and direct German command throughout its existence, serving as part of the 100th Light Infantry Division. All soldiers wore Wehrmacht uniforms with a Croatian checkerboard patch incorporating the word Hrvatska (Croatia) on the upper right sleeve and right side of the helmet.
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