__NOTOC__ Bernhard Siebken (4 April 1910 – 20 January 1949) was a German SS commander 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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and a convicted war criminal. He was sentenced to death for the killing of Canadian prisoners of war and was executed in 1949. Siebken was one of the original members of the

Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler The 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or SS Division Leibstandarte, abbreviated as LSSAH, (german: 1. SS-Panzerdivision "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler") began as Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard unit, responsible for guarding ...

(LSSAH). He took part in the

invasion of Poland The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week aft ...

in 1939 and went on to serve on the Eastern Front. In 1944, Seibken commanded the 2nd Battalion, 26th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment and later the 25th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment; both with the

SS Division Hitlerjugend The SS Division Hitlerjugend or 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" (german: 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend") was a German armoured division of the Waffen-SS during World War II. The majority of its junior enlisted men were drawn from me ...

. Siebken 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' ...

on 17 April 1945. After the end of the war, he stood trial for war crimes related to his activities while in command of the 2nd Battalion, 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the LSSAH. He was found guilty in the shootings of Canadian prisoners of war from the

Queen's Own Rifles The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment of the Canadian Armed Forces, based in Toronto. The regiment is part of 4th Canadian Division's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only reserve regiment in Canada to currently have a ...

during the

Battle of Le Mesnil-Patry The Battle of Le Mesnil-Patry during the Second World War, was the last attack by an armoured battle group conducted by Canadian troops in Normandy in June 1944. The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Cana ...

and hanged on 20 January 1949. Following the reburial of executed war criminals in

Hamelin Hamelin ( ; german: Hameln ) is a town on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Hamelin-Pyrmont and has a population of roughly 57,000. Hamelin is best known for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. H ...

in 1954, the cemetery became the focal point for veterans' reunions, with distinct

Nazi 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) in ...

overtones. In 1959, for example, the convention of the lobby group and revisionist organisation of former Waffen-SS members,

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 Waffen ...

, concluded with "comrades gathering around iebken'stomb" and laying a wreath.

Awards

on 17 April 1945 as SS-'' Obersturmbannführer'' and commander of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Siebken, Bernhard 1910 births 1949 deaths People from Pinneberg People from the Province of Schleswig-Holstein SS-Obersturmbannführer Curiohaus Trial executions Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Executed people from Schleswig-Holstein Waffen-SS personnel Executed German people Military personnel from Schleswig-Holstein