After a brief period of studying French violin style in Mitau (Latvia), Maurer went to Russia at age 17 in 1806, where he would stay for most of his life.
It was formed in 1944, from the SS Training and Reserve Regiments based in Latvia, to keep the road to Riga open and to counter the Red Armys summer offensive, which had captured Mitau and Tukums and putting the whole of Courland in danger.