__NOTOC__ Herbert-Ernst Vahl was a German SS functionary during the

Nazi era Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

. In

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he commanded the SS Division Das Reich and the SS Polizei Division. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), 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. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. In February 1943, Vahl was promoted to ''

Oberführer __NOTOC__ ''Oberführer'' (short: ''Oberf'', , ) was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party (NSDAP) dating back to 1921. An ''Oberführer'' was typically an NSDAP member in charge of a group of paramilitary units in a particular geograph ...

'', and given command of the SS Division Das Reich which was stationed in the Soviet Union. While in command during the

Third Battle of Kharkov The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of battles on the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by Nazi Germany's Army Group South against the Soviet Red Army, around the city of Kharkov between 19 February ...

he was seriously wounded and awarded the

. After recovering from his wounds he became the Inspector of Panzer troops in the ''

SS Führungshauptamt The ''SS Führungshauptamt'' () () was the operational headquarters of the SS during the later years of the Nazi era in Germany. The office's tasks included the administration of the SS-Junker Schools, of medical services, of logistics, and o ...

'' (SS Leadership Main Office). In July 1944 Vahl returned to active service with the SS Polizei Division which was stationed in

Thessalonika Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. Vahl arrived to assume command of the Division on 13 July 1944 but was killed in an auto accident on 22 July 1944.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Vahl, Herbert-Ernst Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Recipients of the Gold German Cross German Army personnel of World War I SS-Brigadeführer 1944 deaths Military personnel from Poznań Military personnel from the Province of Posen 1896 births Road incident deaths in Greece Prussian Army personnel Waffen-SS personnel killed in action