Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (28 May 1892 – 21 April 1966) was a German politician and
SS commander during the
Nazi era
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. He joined the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
in 1928 and was elected to the
Reichstag of the
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic (german: link=no, Weimarer Republik ), officially named the German Reich, was the government of Germany from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a Constitutional republic, constitutional federal republic for the first time in ...
in 1930. Prior to 1929, Dietrich was
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945. He rose to power as the leader of the Nazi Party, becoming the chancellor in 1933 and the ...
's chauffeur and bodyguard.
Despite having no formal
staff officer training, Dietrich was, along with
Paul Hausser, the highest-ranking officer in the
Waffen-SS
The (, "Armed SS") was the combat branch of the Nazi Party's ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS) organisation. Its formations included men from Nazi Germany, along with Waffen-SS foreign volunteers and conscripts, volunteers and conscripts from both occup ...
, the military branch of the SS. Reaching the rank of ''
Oberst-Gruppenführer'', he commanded units up to army level during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. As commanding officer of the
6th Panzer Army
The 6th Panzer Army (german: 6. Panzerarmee) was a formation of the German Army, formed in the autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army was first used as an offensive force during the Battle of the Bulge, in which it operated as the northernmost element ...
during the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
, Dietrich bore responsibility for the
Malmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a Nazi Germany, German war crime committed by soldiers of the on 17 December 1944, at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). Sol ...
, the murder of U.S. prisoners of war in December 1944.
After the war, Dietrich was convicted of war crimes at the
Malmedy massacre trial
The Malmedy massacre trial (''U.S. vs. Valentin Bersin, et al.'') was held in May–July 1946 in the former Dachau concentration camp to try the German Waffen-SS soldiers accused of the Malmedy massacre of 17 December 1944. The highest-ranking ...
, conducted by the U.S. military tribunal. Upon his release from
Landsberg Prison, which was then under U.S. military jurisdiction, he became active in
HIAG
HIAG (german: Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der Angehörigen der ehemaligen Waffen-SS, lit=Mutual aid association of former Waffen-SS members) was a lobby group and a denialist veterans' organisation founded by former high-ranking Waff ...
, a lobby group established by former high-ranking Waffen-SS personnel. Dietrich died in 1966.
Early life
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was born on 28 May 1892 in
Hawangen, near
Memmingen in the
Kingdom of Bavaria
The Kingdom of Bavaria (german: Königreich Bayern; ; spelled ''Baiern'' until 1825) was a German state that succeeded the former Electorate of Bavaria in 1805 and continued to exist until 1918. With the unification of Germany into the German ...
,
German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
.
In 1911 he joined the
Bavarian Army with the 4. ''Bayerische Feldartillerie-Regiment "König"'' (4th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment "King") in
Augsburg
Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...
. In the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
he served with the Bavarian
field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, short range, long range, and extremely long range target engagement.
Until the early 20t ...
. He was promoted to ''
Gefreiter'' in 1917 and awarded the
Iron Cross 2nd class. In 1918 he was promoted to ''
Unteroffizier'' (Corporal). His last Bavarian Army record lists Dietrich as recipient of the
Iron Cross 1st class.
Interwar period
In the Weimar Republic
After the
Great War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
ended, Dietrich worked at several jobs, including policeman and customs officer. He joined the
Nazi Party
The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party (german: Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei or NSDAP), was a far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported t ...
(NSDAP) in 1928, got a job at
Eher Verlag, the NSDAP publisher, and became commander of Hitler's ''
Schutzstaffel
The ''Schutzstaffel'' (SS; also stylized as ''ᛋᛋ'' with Armanen runes; ; "Protection Squadron") was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe ...
'' (SS) bodyguard. His NSDAP number was 89,015 and his SS number was 1,117. Dietrich had been introduced to
Nazism
Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) i ...
by
Christian Weber, who had been his employer at the ''Tankstelle-Blauer-Bock'' filling station in Munich. He accompanied Hitler on his tours around Germany. Later Hitler arranged other jobs for him, including various SS posts, and let him live in the
Reich Chancellery
The Reich Chancellery (german: Reichskanzlei) was the traditional name of the office of the Chancellor of Germany (then called ''Reichskanzler'') in the period of the German Reich from 1878 to 1945. The Chancellery's seat, selected and prepared ...
. On 5 January 1930 Dietrich was elected to the
Reichstag as a delegate for
Lower Bavaria
Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state.
Geography
Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau-W ...
.
By 1931 he had become ''SS-
Gruppenführer
__NOTOC__
''Gruppenführer'' (, ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP), first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA. Since then, the term ''Gruppenführer'' is also used for leaders of groups/teams of the police, fire d ...
''. When the Nazi Party
seized power in 1933, he rose swiftly through the hierarchy. He became the commander of the ''
Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'' (LSSAH) and member of the
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...
n state council. As one of Hitler's intimates, Dietrich was often able to disregard his SS superior,
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was of the (Protection Squadron; SS), and a leading member of the Nazi Party of Germany. Himmler was one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany and a main architect of th ...
, at one time even banning Himmler from the ''Leibstandarte'' barracks. The LSSAH eventually grew into an elite
division of the Waffen-SS. Although the unit was nominally under Himmler, Dietrich was the real commander and handled day-to-day administration.
In the summer of 1934 Dietrich played a key role in the
Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives (German: ), or the Röhm purge (German: ''Röhm-Putsch''), also called Operation Hummingbird (German: ''Unternehmen Kolibri''), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Ad ...
. Hitler, along with Dietrich and a unit from the ''Leibstandarte'', travelled to Bad Wiessee to personally oversee
Ernst Röhm
Ernst Julius Günther Röhm (; 28 November 1887 – 1 July 1934) was a German military officer and an early member of the Nazi Party. As one of the members of its predecessor, the German Workers' Party, he was a close friend and early ally ...
's arrest on 30 June. Later at around 17:00 hours, Dietrich received orders from Hitler for the ''Leibstandarte'' to form an "execution squad" and go to Stadelheim prison where certain ''
Sturmabteilung
The (; SA; literally "Storm Detachment") was the original paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party. It played a significant role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s. Its primary purposes were providing protection for Nazi ralli ...
'' (SA) leaders were being held. There in the prison courtyard, the ''Leibstandarte'' firing squad shot five SA generals and an SA colonel. Additional SA personnel identified by the regime as traitors were shot in Berlin by a unit of the ''Leibstandarte'' after Hitler told him to take six men and go to the Ministry of Justice to shoot certain SA leaders. Shortly thereafter, Dietrich was promoted to ''SS-
Obergruppenführer''. Dietrich's role later earned him an 18-month sentence from a postwar court.
World War II
After
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
in Europe began, Dietrich led the ''Leibstandarte'' during the German advance into Poland and later the Netherlands. After the Dutch surrender, the ''Leibstandarte'' moved south to France on 24 May 1940. They took up a position 15 miles southwest of
Dunkirk
Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France. along the line of the Aa Canal, facing the Allied defensive line near Watten. That night the OKW ordered the advance to halt, with the
British Expeditionary Force trapped. The ''Leibstandarte'' paused for the night. However, on the following day, in defiance of Hitler's orders, Dietrich ordered his III Battalion to cross the canal and take the heights beyond, where
British artillery observers were putting the regiment at risk. They assaulted the heights and drove the observers off. Instead of being censured for his act of defiance, Dietrich was awarded the
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.
The Knight' ...
. During this campaign members of the ''Leibstandarte'' 2nd Battalion were responsible for the murder of 80 British and French POWs, in what became known as the
Wormhoudt massacre.
Dietrich remained in command of the ''Leibstandarte'' throughout the campaigns in
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
and
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
before being promoted to command of the
1st SS Panzer Corps
The I SS Panzer Corps (german: I.SS-Panzerkorps) was a German armoured corps of the Waffen-SS. It saw action on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during World War II.
Formation and training
The corps was raised on 26 July 1943 in Berlin-L ...
, attached to
Army Group Center, on the
Eastern Front. In 1943, he was sent to
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
to recover
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...
's mistress
Clara Petacci
Clara Petacci, known as Claretta Petacci (; 28 February 1912 – 28 April 1945), was a mistress of the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. She was killed during Mussolini's execution by Italian partisans.
Early life
Daughter of Giuseppina Persic ...
. He received numerous
German military medals.
Dietrich commanded the 1st SS Panzer Corps in the
Battle of Normandy. He rose to command
5th Panzer Army during the later stages of this campaign. Hitler gave him command of the newly created
6th Panzer Army
The 6th Panzer Army (german: 6. Panzerarmee) was a formation of the German Army, formed in the autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army was first used as an offensive force during the Battle of the Bulge, in which it operated as the northernmost element ...
. Dietrich led it in the
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
(December 1944-January 1945). He had been assigned to that task because, due to the
20 July Plot
On 20 July 1944, Claus von Stauffenberg and other conspirators attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of Nazi Germany, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia, now Kętrzyn, in present-day Poland. The ...
, Hitler distrusted
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...
officers. On 17 December, ''
Kampfgruppe Peiper''—an SS unit under his overall command—murdered 84 U.S. prisoners of war near
Malmedy
Malmedy (; german: Malmünd, ; wa, Måmdiy) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium.
On January 1, 2018, Malmedy had a total population of 12,654. The total area is 99.96 km2 which gives a popula ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
, in what is known as the
Malmedy massacre
The Malmedy massacre was a Nazi Germany, German war crime committed by soldiers of the on 17 December 1944, at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944 – 25 January 1945). Sol ...
.
In March 1945 Dietrich's 6th Panzer Army and the LSSAH spearheaded
Operation Spring Awakening, an offensive in Hungary near
Lake Balaton aimed at securing the last oil reserves still available to Germany. Despite early gains, the offensive was too ambitious in scope and failed. After that failure, the 6th SS Panzer Army (and LSSAH) retreated to the
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
area. As a mark of disgrace, the Waffen-SS units involved in the battle were ordered by Hitler to remove their treasured
cuff title
The cuff title (German: ''Ärmelstreifen'') is a form of commemorative or affiliation insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff, of German military and paramilitary uniforms. The tradition can be traced back to the foundation of the "Gibralta ...
s bearing his name. Dietrich did not relay the order to his troops. Shortly thereafter, Dietrich's troops were forced to retreat from Vienna by Soviet
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
forces. Dietrich, accompanied by his wife, surrendered on 9 May 1945 to the
U.S. 36th Infantry Division
The 36th Infantry Division ("Arrowhead"), also known as the "Panther Division", "Lone Star Division",[Gerd von Rundstedt
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (12 December 1875 – 24 February 1953) was a German field marshal in the '' Heer'' (Army) of Nazi Germany during World War II.
Born into a Prussian family with a long military tradition, Rundstedt entered th ...](_blank)
considered him to be "decent but stupid" and was especially critical of Dietrich's handling of the
6th Panzer Army
The 6th Panzer Army (german: 6. Panzerarmee) was a formation of the German Army, formed in the autumn of 1944. The 6th Panzer Army was first used as an offensive force during the Battle of the Bulge, in which it operated as the northernmost element ...
in the
Ardennes
The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...
. Even Dietrich's principal staff officer conceded that he was "no strategic genius".
Dietrich's long, personal acquaintance with Hitler allowed him to be more frank than other senior officers in his interactions with Hitler. He was reported by a fellow general to have "railed against the Führer and
isentourage" with promises to let Hitler know that he was "leading us all to destruction".
Honours
*
Golden party badge of the NSDAP
*
Honour Chevron of the Old Guard
*
Tank Memorial Badge
The Tank Memorial Badge ( German: ''Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen'') was a military decoration of the Weimar Republic awarded to former tank crewmen who fought in World War I.
Officially known as ''Memorial Badge for former German tank crews ...
*
SS Honour Ring (
Deathshead ring)
*
Blood Order
*
Anschluss Medal
The ''Anschluss'' Commemorative Medal () was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded during the interwar period, and the first in a series of Occupation Medals.
Description
Instituted on 1 May 1938, the medal commemorated the annexation of Austria ...
*
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
2nd Class 1914, Clasp for 1939
*
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...
1st Class 1914, Clasp for 1939
*
Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds.
*
Pilot’s Badge (Honorary)
War crimes conviction
Dietrich was tried as Defendant No. 11 by the U.S. Military Tribunal at Dachau (''United States of America vs. Valentin Bersin et al.'', Case No. 6-24), from 16 May 1946 until 16 July 1946. On that day he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the
Malmedy massacre trial
The Malmedy massacre trial (''U.S. vs. Valentin Bersin, et al.'') was held in May–July 1946 in the former Dachau concentration camp to try the German Waffen-SS soldiers accused of the Malmedy massacre of 17 December 1944. The highest-ranking ...
for his involvement in ordering the execution of U.S. prisoners of war. Due to testimony in his defence by other German officers, his sentence was shortened to 25 years. He was imprisoned at the
Landsberg Prison in Bavaria. Dietrich served only ten years and was released on parole on 22 October 1955.
He was re-arrested in
Ludwigsburg in August 1956. He was charged by the Landgericht München I and tried from 6 to 14 May 1957 for his role in the killing of SA leaders during the
Night of the Long Knives
The Night of the Long Knives (German: ), or the Röhm purge (German: ''Röhm-Putsch''), also called Operation Hummingbird (German: ''Unternehmen Kolibri''), was a purge that took place in Nazi Germany from 30 June to 2 July 1934. Chancellor Ad ...
in 1934. He was sentenced to 18 months for his part in that purge, after being convicted as an accessory to manslaughter for providing a firing squad for the executions of six SA men. After losing his appeals, Dietrich was returned to Landsberg Prison in August 1958.
He was released due to a heart condition and circulation problems in his legs on 6 February 1959.
Later life
Upon his release from prison he took an active part in the activities of
HIAG
HIAG (german: Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der Angehörigen der ehemaligen Waffen-SS, lit=Mutual aid association of former Waffen-SS members) was a lobby group and a denialist veterans' organisation founded by former high-ranking Waff ...
, an organization and
lobby group
In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...
of former Waffen-SS members. Founded by former high-ranking Waffen-SS personnel, it campaigned for the legal, economic and historical rehabilitation of the Waffen-SS, with success. In 1966, Dietrich died of a heart attack. Six thousand people, including many former
SS men, attended his funeral.
Dietrich was married twice: he was divorced from his first wife in 1937 and remarried in 1942. He had three children. Before his second marriage he was a visitor of the
Salon Kitty.
See also
*
Register of SS leaders in general's rank
This register of SS leaders in general's rank includes the members of the '' Allgemeine SS'' and Waffen-SS, in line with the appropriate ''SS seniority list'' (''Dienstaltersliste der Waffen-SS'') from July 1, 1944. It contains (incomplete) furth ...
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
::In English
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* Messenger, Charles (1988). ''Hitler's Gladiator: The Life and Times of Oberstgruppenfuhrer and Panzergeneral-Oberst Der Waffen-SS Sepp Dietrich''. London: Brassey's Defence. . .
*
*
*
*
*
*
::In German
*
* Höhne, Heinz. ''Der Orden unter dem Totenkopf'', Verlag
Der Spiegel
''Der Spiegel'' (, lit. ''"The Mirror"'') is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of 695,100 copies, it was the largest such publication in Europe in 2011. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...
, Hamburg 1966; English translation by Richard Barry entitled ''The Order of the Death's Head, The Story of Hitler's SS'', London: Pan Books (1969). .
*
*
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dietrich, Sepp
1892 births
1966 deaths
20th-century Freikorps personnel
Chauffeurs of Adolf Hitler
Members of the Reichstag of Nazi Germany
Members of the Reichstag of the Weimar Republic
Military personnel from Bavaria
Nazi Party officials
Nazis sentenced to death in absentia
German people convicted of manslaughter
German Army personnel of World War I
People convicted in the Dachau trials
People from the Kingdom of Bavaria
People from Unterallgäu
Prisoners and detainees of Germany
Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by the United States military
Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer
Waffen-SS personnel
Members of HIAG
Recipients of the Military Merit Cross (Bavaria)