The Turkestanische Legion was formed in December 1941 with support from among others the Turkestani nationalist Mustafa Shokay who had also been the leader of the anti-Bloschevik rebellion in Central Asia that led to the formation of Kokand Autonomous State 1917-1918 and who was living in European exile. It was made up of volunteers from Central Asia, including Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Turkomen as well as muslims from the Caucasus region, including Dagestanis and Chechens.
It was used to form 162. (Turkistan) Infanterie-Division in 1943.

Notable members

Baymirza Hayit (Uzbek historian and orientalist active in West Germany post-war)
Mustafa Shokay (Leader of the anti-Bloschevik rebellion in Central Asia that led to the formation of Kokand Autonomous State 1917-1918) (also spelled Mustafa Chokai-Beg, Mustafa Shokai etc)

Insignia

An oval sleeve badge with a mosque in white on a green background with "Turkistan" in blue across the base of the mosque and "Biz Alla Bilen" on the top was introduced in 1942.
In 1943 a new design was approved with a white bow and arrow on red/blue and the text "Turkistan" on top.
A third design was issued in 1944, it was similar to the first one but the mosque was now more colorful and the text on the top now read "Tanri biz meneni".

Flag of Turkestanische Legion (1942)

(Courtesy of Flags Of The World)

Flag of Turkestanische Legion (1943)

(Courtesy of Flags Of The World)

Turkic volunteers in northern France 1943, note first pattern sleeve badge

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Turkic volunteers in Greece 1943

(Courtesy of Bundesarchiv/Wikimedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 Germany)

Sources used

David Littlejohn - Foreign Legions of the Third Reich, vol 4

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -