Forces of WWII: Inside the Units
SS Prinz Eugen Division: Nazi Unit Behind Balkan Massacres in WW2
14m
April 1941. Nazi Germany invades Yugoslavia, bringing rapid collapse, occupation, and the beginning of brutal repression across the Balkans. As resistance movements emerge, the German response becomes increasingly ruthless.
The SS-Volunteer Division Prinz Eugen was formed to wage anti-partisan warfare, drawing heavily from ethnic German minorities in south-eastern Europe. Under the command of officers like Artur Phleps, the division quickly became known for its extreme violence against civilians.
From Serbia and Bosnia to Montenegro and Croatia, entire villages were burned, thousands of civilians were executed, and mass atrocities became a defining feature of its operations. Campaigns such as Operation Weiss and actions in regions like Piva and Kopaonik left a trail of destruction and mass graves.
This documentary explores the formation, operations, and crimes of the Prinz Eugen Division—and how, in the end, many of those responsible were brought to account for their actions.
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