Full name: Herbert Otto Wilhelm Hermann Gille
Date of Birth: 08.03.1897 - Gandersheim, Duchy of Brunswick (German Empire)
Date of Death: 26.12.1966 - Stemmen, Lower Saxony (West Germany)
Battles and Operations: Polish Campaign, Western Campaign, Operation Barbarossa, Caucasus Campaign, Kuban Bridgehead, Mius Front, Kursk defensive battles, Cherkassy Pocket breakout, Kovel defense, Vistula defense against Bagration, Budapest relief operations Konrad I-III, Operation Spring Awakening
NSDAP-Number: 537337 (01.05.1931)
SS-Number: 39854 (10.10.1931)
Religion : No information
Parents: Hermann Gille (manufacturer) and unknown mother
Siblings: three older brothers (names unknown, fourth son of the family)
Spouse: Sophie Charlotte Mennecke (married 04.01.1935)
Children: one daughter (born 09.10.1935)
Promotions:
01.09.1914 Fähnrich
27.01.1915 Leutnant
31.03.1919 Oberleutnant a.D.
10.10.1931 SS-Anwärter
25.09.1932 SS-Scharführer
27.01.1933 SS-Truppführer
20.04.1933 SS-Sturmführer
20.04.1935 SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1935 SS-Hauptsturmführer
20.04.1937 SS-Sturmbannführer
19.10.1939 SS-Obersturmbannführer
30.01.1941 SS-Standartenführer
01.10.1941 SS-Oberführer
01.12.1942 SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
09.11.1943 SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
09.11.1944 SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS
Career:
00.00.1903-00.03.1909 Bürgerschule Gandersheim then Gymnasium Braunschweig
00.04.1909-00.04.1914 Preußische Kadettenkorps, Kadettenschule Bensberg am Rhein
00.04.1914-00.08.1914 Haupt-Kadettenanstalt Groß-Lichterfelde
10.08.1914-28.12.1914 Fähnrich, 2. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 30, Rastatt
29.12.1914-24.01.1919 Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment 55, 75. Reserve-Infanterie-Division
27.01.1915 Zugführer and Batterieoffizier
00.01.1917 Führer 1. Batterie
25.01.1919-31.03.1919 2. Badisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 30
00.00.1920-00.00.1921 Administrator, Bamhof
00.00.1921-00.00.1923 Administrator, Abbesbüttel near Meine
00.00.1922-00.00.1926 Stahlhelm-Bund
00.00.1923-00.00.1925 Inspector various estates near Immendorf, Salzgitter and Bährdorf bei Oebisfelde
00.00.1925-00.10.1927 Independent inspector, private estate Stemmen bei Hannover
00.00.1928-00.00.1929 Independent inspector, private estate Poggenhagen bei Neustadt am Rübenberge
00.00.1929-00.00.1931 Travelling salesman, Büssing-NAG, Braunschweig
00.00.1931-00.00.1933 Self-employed businessman in automotive field
01.05.1931 joined NSDAP
10.10.1931 joined SS
30.09.1932-27.01.1933 Führer 5. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, 49. Standarte, Braunschweig
27.01.1933-20.04.1933 Führer Motorstaffel, 49. SS-Standarte
28.02.1933-00.03.1933 Führer 49. SS-Standarte
20.04.1933-09.04.1934 Stabsführer, SS-Abschnitt IV, Braunschweig
20.07.1933-27.10.1933 degraded and expelled from SS and NSDAP due to political intrigue, detained 14 weeks in Braunschweig prison
09.11.1933 proceedings dismissed
14.02.1934 acquitted and readmitted to NSDAP and SS at original rank
09.04.1934-29.05.1934 Führer z.b.V., II. Sturmbann, 49. SS-Standarte, Goslar
29.05.1934-09.11.1935 transferred to SS-Verfügungstruppe, Führer 11. Sturm, III. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 1 later Deutschland, Ellwangen
07.06.1934-14.08.1934 I. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 2
28.02.1935-07.08.1935 Kompanieführer-Lehrgang, Infanterieschule Döberitz
09.11.1935-01.10.1936 Führer 12. Sturm later 19.(MG-)Sturm, III./IV. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte Deutschland
01.10.1936-15.02.1937 Stabsführer, SS-Standarte Germania
01.02.1937-01.05.1939 Führer II. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte Germania
00.00.1937 Lehrgang für Stabsoffiziere, Heeressportschule Wünsdorf and Gasschutzlehrgang Berlin
03.05.1938-12.05.1938 Bataillon-Kommandeur Lehrgang, Infanterieschule Döberitz
25.03.1939-01.06.1939 Formationsstab SS-Artillerie-Standarte, Münsterlager
13.04.1939-16.05.1939 instructional course Artillerieschule Jüterbog
01.06.1939-15.11.1940 Kommandeur I.(schw.) Sturmbann later I. Abteilung, SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5, SS-Verfügungstruppe
15.11.1940-01.05.1943 Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment, SS-Division Wiking
01.02.1942-20.06.1942 Führer SS-Infanterie-Regiment Westland
20.06.1942-31.07.1942 Kommandeur Korps-Artillerie, SS-Generalkommando
31.07.1942-01.05.1943 Kommandeur SS-Infanterie-Regiment Westland later SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment Westland, SS-Division Wiking
00.07.1942-00.10.1942 Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Gille around Rostov-on-Don
22.11.1942-08.02.1943 stellvertretender Führer SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Wiking
01.05.1943-06.08.1944 Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking
06.08.1944-08.05.1945 Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzer-Korps
08.05.1945-21.05.1948 prisoner of war, U.S. captivity Salzburg, Augsburg, Dachau, Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, Sandbostel, Fallingbostel, Nuremberg
00.06.1946 Lagerführer War Criminals Camp Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen then Sandbostel and Fallingbostel
21.05.1948 released, owner of small bookstore in Stemmen
00.04.1949 tried by Entnazifizierungs-Spruchkammer Hannover, sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, later revised and released as Category V exonerated
00.00.1950 active in HIAG and founded Truppenkameradschaft Wiking e.V.
00.11.1951-26.12.1966 founder and editor of Wiking Ruf later Der Freiwillige
Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (World War I)
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 (World War I)
Braunschweiger Kriegsverdienstkreuz (World War I)
Österreichisches Militärverdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern (World War I)
Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer (February 1934)
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer (1934)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4. Stufe (1935)
Julleuchter der SS (16.12.1935)
DRL-Sportabzeichen in Silber (1936)
Silbernes SA-Sportabzeichen (01.12.1936)
Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS (01.12.1936)
SS-Ehrenring (01.12.1937)
Bronzenes SA-Sportabzeichen (01.12.1937)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 3. Stufe (1939)
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre (01.04.1939)
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 (1939)
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange Prager Burg (1939)
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse (26.10.1939)
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse (21.11.1939)
Allgemeines Sturmabzeichen (May 1941)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (28.02.1942) as SS-Oberführer and Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5 Wiking
Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (15.09.1942)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (08.10.1942) as SS-Oberführer and Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5 Wiking for actions in Caucasus and Kuban
Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (315. Verleihung, 01.11.1943) as SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking
Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub (47. Verleihung, 20.02.1944) as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking for Cherkassy breakout
Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (12. Verleihung, 19.04.1944) as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking for defense of Kowel
Nahkampfspange in Gold (for over 50 close-combat days)
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (06.04.1944 and 02.09.1944)
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Herbert Otto Gille, often affectionately called Papa Gille by his troops for his paternal leadership style and concern for the multinational volunteers under his command, rose from a World War I artillery officer to become the most highly decorated member of the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. After demobilization in 1919 he worked in agriculture and sales while maintaining contacts with nationalist circles through the Stahlhelm. His entry into the NSDAP and SS in 1931 marked the beginning of a turbulent but ultimately successful career in the SS-Verfügungstruppe. A brief expulsion from both organizations in 1933 following an intrigue against the Braunschweig government was overturned after rehabilitation by the party court, allowing him to continue his path as an artillery specialist.
Gille proved his worth as commander of the artillery regiment in the newly formed SS-Division Wiking, a unit composed of German and foreign volunteers from Nordic and other European countries. His leadership during the 1942 summer offensive in the Caucasus, including the recapture of Rostov and the establishment of the Kuban bridgehead, earned him the Knight's Cross. He later assumed command of the full division and guided it through the heavy defensive fighting after Kursk and the dramatic encirclement at Cherkassy in early 1944, where Wiking was one of the few formations to maintain cohesion during the breakout under appalling conditions. For this achievement he received the Oak Leaves. In March 1944 Gille personally flew into the encircled fortress town of Kowel to take direct command of the defense until relief forces arrived, an action that brought him the Swords. The Diamonds followed shortly afterward, making him only the second Waffen-SS officer to receive the highest grade of the Knight's Cross.
As commanding general of IV. SS-Panzer-Korps from August 1944 he conducted skillful delaying actions against the Soviet summer offensive toward Warsaw and later led repeated but ultimately unsuccessful relief attempts toward Budapest in January 1945. His corps also participated in the last major German offensive in Hungary, Operation Spring Awakening, in March 1945. Captured by American forces in Austria on 8 May 1945, Gille spent three years in various internment camps where he even served as camp leader. Released in 1948 he returned to his family in Stemmen, opened a small bookstore, and became a central figure in the Waffen-SS veterans' organization HIAG. He founded the divisional comradeship Truppenkameradschaft Wiking and edited its newsletter Wiking Ruf, which later evolved into the widely read Der Freiwillige. Gille advocated for the integration of former Waffen-SS members into broader veterans' associations rather than isolation, though internal disagreements led him to leave HIAG in 1955.
Unique and interesting facts include that Gille was one of the very few high-ranking SS leaders who never provided the required full ancestry proof back to 1750, simply ignoring repeated requests from the SS Kinship Office. Despite his high decorations he remained modest in demeanor and was respected across Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS lines for his tactical competence and care for his troops, many of whom were non-German volunteers. His postwar activities in HIAG and the veterans' press kept the memory of the multinational character of Wiking alive while navigating the delicate political landscape of the early Federal Republic. Gille died of heart failure in late 1966 at the age of 69.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Gille
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Gille
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/223/Gille-Herbert-Otto-Papa.htm
https://grokipedia.com/page/Herbert_Gille
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/ (general reference on Waffen-SS officers)
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945. Jena 2007.
Patzwall, Klaus D. / Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945. Norderstedt 2001.
https://rk.balsi.de/ (Ritterkreuzträger database)
https://www.unithistories.com/ (Waffen-SS unit histories)
https://forum.axishistory.com/ (archival discussions and documents)
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ (award documentation)
Bundesarchiv personnel files references
https://books.google.com/ (digitized references in Scherzer and Patzwall works)
Additional cross-referenced data from https://www.ww2.dk/ and related military archives.
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