The Georgian Uprising

Texel was an important element in the Atlantic Wall; with well over 500 structures, including three coastal batteries and two anti-aircraft batteries, the Germans had turned the island into a heavily fortified strong point. Nevertheless, the circumstances of everyday life on Texel were not as bad as they were in the rest of the Netherlands. The island produced enough food and the Germans were not too much of a nuisance to the Texelaars. It was as if the war was going to bypass Texel…until the outbreak of the Georgian Uprising.

Via a long detour and after several postings, one of them an extended stay in Zandvoort, the 822nd Georgian Infantry Battalion arrived on the island in January 1945. The battalion consisted of about 800 Georgians and about 400 Germans. These Georgians had been Red Army conscripts who had been made prisoner-of-war and had been locked up in German camps. The circumstances in these camps were horrendous. The same SS killing squads that persecuted the Jews, the Einsatzgruppen, went on execution sprees in the camps. Add to that malnutrition, disease and extreme cold – down to -40°C – and the number of casualties was staggering. Of over 5.5 million such prisoners, more than 50% did not survive these camps. After some time, the Germans started to recruit auxiliary forces in the camps. These troops were known as Ostlegionen and they were allowed to carry the name of their country of origin. In doing so, the Germans played on the nationalist sentiments of the various ethnic groups among the Soviet peoples represented in the camps. The extreme conditions did the rest; enlisting as auxiliary troops in the German army meant food and a chance of survival.

After the Georgian battalion under the command of German major Breitner had arrived on Texel, the leaders of the Georgians sought contact with the resistance movement. In secret meetings, they revealed plans for a rebellion codenamed “Djenj rozjdjenji”, which was translated on Texel as “Day of birth”. On April 5th 1945, major Breitner received unexpected orders to prepare 500 of the 800 Georgians to take them to the front on the mainland, an event which jumpstarted operation “Day of Birth”. During the night of 5-6 April, at 01:00 a.m., the Georgians came into action. Almost all Germans in their own battalion were killed with knives and bayonets. A few Germans managed to grab their weapons and sound the alarm.

In spite of having been taken by complete surprise, the German counter offensive quickly got underway the next day. German reinforcements shipped in from Den Helder, and bombardment of the village of Den Burg ignited numerous fires and turned the streets to rubble. After one day of bloody fighting, Den Burg and Oudeschild were back in German hands. The Georgians did stand their ground in De Koog, near Texel airfield and around the lighthouse on the north end of the island. The Georgians recaptured the hamlet of De Waal but the coastal batteries on the shore had not fallen. The airfield was most tenaciously defended because it was hoped that here, the rebels would be welcoming Allied reinforcements. But German superiority prevailed, particularly when much heavier materiel was brought in. In fact, despite their initial success, the Georgians found themselves with their backs to the wall within a day.

In terms of atrocities committed, the warring parties were well-matched: it was a fight to the death. Because the German army appeared to be gaining the upper hand, the Georgians switched to the guerilla tactics of the Partisans. The island population helped them with food, concealment and medical care for the wounded, even though these acts were punishable by death. Sometimes, the rebels were given useful intelligence by the resistance about German troop movements. Repeated shelling of villages caused scores of local residents to leave their homes. The Germans showed the civilian population no mercy either; anyone behaving in a suspect manner was summarily executed.

When it became clear that the Allies were unaware of the uprising on Texel, a life boat was dispatched to England in the night of Sunday April 8. After a 24-hour trip, ten Texelaars and four armed Georgians landed on the other side of the Channel. The Dutch had with them a written request for military aid, but bailing out the Georgians did not really fit Allied plans. The British did agree to fly reconnaissance over the island to check out the situation. German commander Breitner later declared that the Germans purposely did not fire at this aircraft in order not to provoke the Allies.

Meanwhile, the battle on the ground raged without letup. The Georgians had to pull back farther and farther until all they could hold on to was the lighthouse. The Nordbatterie had already shelled the lighthouse, the Georgians nonetheless held on to this strategic position. In the end, it too, was recaptured. About fifty Georgians, most of them injured, were rounded up by the Germans outside of De Cocksdorp. First they were ordered to dig a mass grave, then they were shot. After that, members of the resistance movement and any surviving Georgians had to go into hiding.

The surrender of the German Reich on May 5th, 1945 did not bring about any change in the Texel situation. The Germans refused to hand over their weapons because they feared Georgian reprisals. Besides, they were still lusting for revenge. The Georgians regarded themselves as Allied conquerors who no longer needed to hide. This situation lead to numerous shooting incidents with dozens of casualties on either side.

On May 20th, 1945 the Canadian 1st Corps finally landed on Texel to arrange the surrender of the Germans. Of the 800 Georgians, about 228 were still alive, many of them wounded. German losses could not be accurately assessed because of the chaotic situation during the collapse of the German army. The Canadians estimated German casualties at 2347 men. Presumably, this number of “casualties” comprised dead as well as injured. There is no doubt that at least 420 Germans died on Texel in April and May of 1945. The Germans had had to bring in at least 4000 men to crush the Georgian Uprising.

A war cemetery has been established on the Hoge Berg to commemorate the Georgians.