Wilhelm Bittrich
Wilhelm Bittrich | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Bittrich as a Gruppenführer in 1943 | |
| Born | 26 February 1894 Wernigerode, German Empire |
| Died | 19 April 1979 (aged 85) Wolfratshausen, West Germany |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany Schutzstaffel |
| Service/ | |
| Years of service | 1914–45 |
| Rank | SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer |
| Battles/wars | See battles |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Clasp to the Iron Cross |
Wilhelm Bittrich (26 February 1894 – 19 April 1979) was a high-ranking
.After his arrest in May 1945, Bittrich was extradited to France to stand trial for allegedly ordering the executions of 17 members of the
World War I and inter-war career
Born in 1894 into the family of a traveling salesman, Bittrich volunteered for military service after the outbreak of
From March to July 1919, he was a member in the paramilitary
From August 1934, Bittrich was a commander of the Politische Bereitschaft (Political Readiness Detachment) in
World War II
He took part in the
He assumed temporary command of the
Conviction for war crimes
After his arrest on 8 May 1945 he was extradited to France on charges of having ordered the execution of 17 members of the Resistance in Nîmes. The trial revealed that Bittrich had not given such an order and even opened procedures against the responsible officers. As the overall commander of the troops who committed the execution, he was held responsible for their misconduct and sentenced to five years in prison. The sentence was considered as served after a long pretrial detention. He was put on trial for a second time in 1953 and sentenced to five years in prison for tolerating hangings, pillage and arson, and was released the same year.[14][12]
Activities within HIAG
Following his release from prison, Bittrich became active in HIAG, a revisionist organization of former Waffen-SS members. In the 1970s, he served as the organization's chairman.[15] Bittrich died in Wolfratshausen, Bavaria on 19 April 1979.[6]
Cultural portrayals
In the 1977 film, A Bridge Too Far, Bittrich is portrayed by actor Maximilian Schell.
Summary of career
- Decorations
- Iron Cross of 1914, Second and First Class[16]
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918(1934)
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (25 September 1939) & 1st Class (7 June 1940)[17]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 14 December 1941 as SS-Oberführer and commander of SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland" of the SS-Division "Reich" (in 1942 "Das Reich")[18]
- Oak Leaves on 28 August 1944 as SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS, and commanding general of the II. SS-Panzerkorps[18]
- Swords on 6 May 1945 as SS-Obergruppenführer and General of the Waffen-SS, and commanding general of the II. SS-Panzerkorps[Note 1]
- German Cross in Gold on 6 March 1943 as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Reserves in the 8. SS-Kavallerie-Division "Florian Geyer"[19]
- Promotions
| 19 October 1941: | SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS[5] |
| 1 May 1943: | SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS[5] |
| 1 August 1944: | SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS[5] |
Notes
- Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR). Bittrich was member of the AKCR.[13]
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d Stockert 2012, p. 227.
- ^ a b c Miller 2006, p. 128.
- ^ a b c Thomas & Wegmann 1992, p. 85.
- ^ Westemeier 2013, p. 137.
- ^ a b c d Thomas & Wegmann 1992, p. 87.
- ^ a b Miller 2006, p. 127.
- ^ a b Miller 2006, p. 129.
- ^ Miller 2006, p. 130.
- ^ Blood 2006, p. 75.
- ^ Miller 2006, pp. 130, 131.
- ^ Ryan 1966.
- ^ a b Miller 2006, p. 132.
- ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 121.
- ^ New York Times, June 24, 1953:6:6
- ^ Chairoff 1977, p. 460.
- ^ a b Miller 2006, p. 133.
- ^ Thomas 1997, p. 47.
- ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 224.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 44.
Bibliography
- Blood, Phillip W. (2006). ISBN 978-1-59797-021-1.
- Chairoff, Patrice (1977). Dossier Néo-nazisme (in French). Ramsay. ISBN 978-2-85956-030-0.
- Miller, Michael (2006). Leaders of the SS and German Police, Vol. 1. San Jose, CA: R. James Bender. ISBN 978-93-297-0037-2.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Ryan, Cornelius (2002). ISBN 978-8171676361.
- Stockert, Peter (2012). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 6 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 6] (in German) (3rd ed.). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
- Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1992). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 2: Bi–Bo [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 2: Bi–Bo] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1734-3.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
- ISBN 978-3-506-77241-1.
Further reading
- Kershaw, Robert J. (1994): It never snows in September. Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7818-0287-3.
- Mühleisen, Horst (2000). Wilhelm Bittrich. Paderborn: ISBN 3-506-78562-1
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
