Idel-Ural Volunteers Arm Shield

An unissued example of the Idel-Ural Arm Shield printed on a white cotton background and cut from a roll.

The Volga-Tatar Legion or Idel-Ural Legion denoted a series of units within the Wehrmacht in World War II. It was recruited among Muslim Volga Tatar in the Soviet Union, but also included other Idel-Ural peoples, including Bashkirs, Chuvashes, Maris, Tatars, Udmurts, and Mordvins.

The legion was established in 1942 and comprised around 12,500 men, spread over seven battalions numbered 825 to 831. On February 23, 1943, near Vitebsk, Belarus, the entire 825th Battalion (about 900 soldiers) went over to the partisans.