This phenomenon, even if significant in size(depending on the source, some 15 000-20 000 Italian men volunteered in the Waffen-SS), has been hitherto largely unknown to historical research.... here a study with an English summary at the end. http://www.academia.edu/2099177/I_v...motivazioni_al_volontariato._Una_storia_orale
I've read about this before, and it's extraordinarily interesting (Despite what I've read being nowhere near as detailed as this). I'd actually just read an in-depth article about nationalist Spanish civilians volunteering to fight for the Waffen-SS, and how they were shipped to the eastern front.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/19453051/Italian-Volunteers-of-the-WaffenSS http://www.scribd.com/doc/75123938/...many-by-Warren-W-Odegard-and-Richard-E-Deeter Not my cup of tea - but they did exist.
the SS were from just about everywhere, its astonishing, if you just look at a list of SS divisions you'll see Croats, Arabs, Russians, Baltics, French, Belgians, Dutch, Scandinavians etc. Its more interesting to find out that over half of the professional soldiers (including SS) weren't actually German, it seems that either National Socialism or Anti-Communism was very popular in the world at this time!
http://www.feldgrau.com/gb.html It's about the British free corps. They're not particularly prestigious, mainly because at any one time, there were only ever a maximum of 29 soldiers. I think they were mainly recruited from prison camps after the fall of france or the african campaign, due to them wanting a better life than as a POW. (Very few defected as a result of beliefs)