SS-Standarte Kurt Eggers

The "Berichter" (literally: reporters) of the Standarte were fully trained and equipped for combat and expected to fight actively, if the situation demanded it.

The platoons were able to operate independently of each other, each equipped with still and movie cameras to enable units to visually document the actions of Waffen-SS men in combat.

A number of foreign Waffen-SS volunteers became Kurt Eggers photographers, movie cameramen, writers, broadcasters and recorders, and most were multilingual.

Several formations within the Standarte were formed to gather information for occupied or allied countries, and these sub-units were generally staffed by volunteers of the relevant nationality.

At least one American, Martin James Monti, several Britons, and a New Zealander served with the Standarte in the course of World War II.