A New Command - Erwin Rommel in Italy

This photo is taken from the book "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939 - 1945, Teil VI: Die Gebirgstruppe. Bd. 1: A - K" by Franz Thomas and Günter Wegmann, and it shows members of the Generalstab of Heeresgruppe B (Rommel) in northern Italy in the fall of 1943. This photo was taken during an anti-Partisan operation in Slovenia conducted by II. SS-Panzerkorps (Hausser), which lasted from 20 September to 20 November 1943. From left to right: Generalleutnant Konrad Haase (General z.b.V. Heeresgruppe B), General der Infanterie Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (Kommandierender General LXXXVII. Armeekorps), unknown, unknown, Generalintendant (Luftwaffe) Dr. Wilhelm Sander (Heeresgruppenintendant Heeresgruppe B), Generalleutnant Alfred Gause (Chef des Generalstabes Heeresgruppe B), unknown, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B), possibly Generalstabsarzt Dr.med. Karl Meinardus (Heeresgruppenarzt Heeresgruppe B), General der Gebirgstruppe Valentin Feurstein (Kommandierender General LI. Gebirgskorps), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser (Kommandierender General II. SS-Panzerkorps).

By : Mitch Williamson

The inglorious end of the North African campaign meshed poorly with the Nazi propaganda machine’s relentless portrayal of Rommel as an unbeatable military genius. This opened in Berlin the awkward question of precisely what use now to make of the erstwhile Desert Fox. Back in Germany, he was for some time virtually “unemployed”. On 23 July 1943 he moved to Greece as commander of Army Group E to defend the Greek coast against a possible Allied landing that never happened, and which the Germans were led to expect due to the elaborate British deception plan known as “Operation Mincemeat”—only to return to Germany two days later upon the overthrow of Mussolini. On 17 August 1943 Rommel moved his headquarters from Munich to Lake Garda as commander of a new Army Group B created to defend northern Italy.

By May, Hitler had earmarked Rommel for another high post, this time in Italy, namely to take overall command whenever it might prove necessary, should the Italians decide to opt for surrender. Rommel first found out that he was being considered for something new from his old SS aide, Alfred Ingemar Berndt, who was now back working in Goebbels’ Propaganda Ministry. Berndt was somewhat hazy about the post, implying that Rommel’s future sphere of influence would cover thousands of kilometres of European coastline – which is exactly what it eventually turned out to be, although first the Führer had more immediate needs for his abilities. Having heard from Berndt during the first week of May, on the 8th Rommel was ordered to report to Hitler in Berlin next day. ‘I should have listened to you before,’ Hitler told him, ‘but I suppose it’s too late now, it will soon be all over in Tunisia.’ It would appear that Hitler was determined to win back the adulation and support of his favourite Field Marshal and to some extent he succeeded, Rommel being in his company almost constantly for the next two months – ‘under the sunray lamp’ is how he succinctly put it, and clearly Hitler’s magnetic personality did have this effect upon him.

Rommel’s new appointment was to be kept secret from everyone -even from Kesselring, who, as C-in-C Southern Italy (OB Süd) was certainly going to be affected by the new HQ. So for May, June and most of July, Rommel did little overtly, spending his time recovering his health and forming an undercover headquarters, which received operational status in July, but whose true activities were still concealed. This HQ was first given the cover name of Arbeitsstab Rommel (Rommel’s Planning Staff), then later called OKW Auffrisschungsstab München (OKW Refitting HQ Munich). He was also concerned in Operation ‘Alarich’, which was a plan to infiltrate large numbers of German troops into northern Italy, ready to defend against an Allied invasion, and a second plan, Operation ‘Achse’, which envisaged the need to disarm the Italian forces and, if necessary, to capture or destroy them. Rommel’s staff was very small and came mainly from his ‘Afrikaners’, men such as Major-General Alfred Gause and Colonel von Bonin, both from the Panzerarmee, Captain Hermann Aldinger, his old adjutant, and the faithful Corporal Alfred Böttcher was still with him as private secretary. At the last minute, however, Hitler changed his mind and decided that Rommel would be C-in-C designate of the German forces in Greece, Crete and the Aegean Islands, able to ‘… jump over into Italy later on’. His HQ would be known as Army Group B, while Army Group E, (commanded by Colonel General Löhr) which was currently the highest German HQ in the Balkans, would merely control Serbia and Croatia instead of being OB Südost. No firm date was given for this change, but Rommel arrived in Greece on 23 July under orders from Hitler to survey the situation and report. Two days later he was told by the OKW that Mussolini had been overthrown and that he was to return immediately to see Hitler again.

On his return he was advised that his Italian assignment was now on once more and that his undercover HQ would ’emerge’ in Munich as Army Group B. He was to be responsible for all German troops in northern Italy and also for Operation ‘Alarich’, the security of the necessary lines of communication being of vital concern once the troops had been infiltrated into northern Italy. Thus Rommel’s army group was to be heavily involved in the protection of such vital areas as the Alpine passes, as well as with the actual details of the troop movements, which began on 30 July. The Italians did not like the movement of German troops into Italy and the Comando Supremo disputed every move, although it could do little to pre-vent the German build-up. Meanwhile, of course, there were still large numbers of German troops fighting in Sicily, most of whom would be successfully withdrawn to the mainland in mid-August, and the Allied invasion of Italy was still some weeks off. Field Marshal Kesselring, C-in-C South, also still had major forces with which to oppose the Allies and keep the Italians under control, so there was little the Italians could do. But, as Rommel noted in his diary, ‘… although they will obviously betray us, it’s not politically possible to march in’.

The intention was that Army Group B would take command of all German formations in northern Italy, and that although Kesselring’s OB Süd would keep command of those German formations in southern Italy plus those which might return from Sicily, he would be required to con-form to any orders that Rommel might give him. Not unnaturally Kessel-ring objected to this arrangement, telling everyone that he could not serve under Rommel. Hitler vacillated until the middle of August, then decided on a compromise which left Italy divided by a line running through Pisa-Arezzo-Ancona. Rommel would command all troops north of this line (his western boundary was the Franco-Italian border, and eastern, the Italo-Croatian frontier). Three Corps HQ were earmarked for Army Group B, two of which were ‘up and running’ in Italy by mid-August: LXXXVII Corps from France and II SS Pz Corps from Russia. The third Headquarters, LI Mountain Corps, was still forming at Innsbruck. Eight German divisions had either crossed or were about to cross into Italy. Six of them were re-formed ‘ex-Stalingrad’ divisions from France and Denmark; one had been brought from Holland and the remaining one (SS Pz Div Adolf Hitler) had come from the Eastern Front.

On 17 August Rommel moved his HQ from Munich to Lake Garda, setting up with some difficulty as the Italians bitterly resented his presence in Italy and hindered his requests for permission to lay telephone lines back to Munich. It was also at this time that Rommel began to worry about his family and the ever-increasing danger they were in from Allied air raids, the Messerschmitt factories being close to Wiener Neustadt. This was alarmingly brought home to him by news that Gause had lost his house and all his possessions, although fortunately his family was not in residence at the time. It took Rommel some time to persuade Lucie to move, but eventually he manned it, although initially they had to occupy temporary accommodation until their new house at Herrlingen near Ulm in Swabia, could be got ready.

Lucie would generously offer the Gauses accommodation in the new house, but sadly this would lead to family arguments and eventually to Gause being replaced as Rommel’s Chief of Staff. By the end of August the situation had deteriorated to the point where the Axis had virtually ceased to exist. The Italians had moved troops to guard Rome against a German coup, also to protect Italian naval units at Spezia and towards the Brenner Pass, so that they were ready should the Germans try to take any ‘collective hostility’ against them. For their part, the Germans were ready to put Operation ‘Achse’ into action, ready to dis-arm all Italian troops except any who were prepared to go on fighting under German command. In the north, Army Group B was to increase the protection of the mountain passes and to occupy Genoa, Spezia, Livorno, Trieste, Fiume and Pola. The Order of Battle of Rommel’s army was now as follows:

HQ (at Canossa, SW of Reggio nell’Emilia)

LI Mountain Corps (Feurstein)
65th Inf Division
305th Inf Division

LXXXVII Corps (von Zangen)
76th Inf Division
94th Inf Division

II SS Pz Corps (Hausser)
24th Pz Division
1st SS Pz Adolf Hitler
44th Inf Division
71st Inf Division

Controlled by Fliegerkorps XI
3rd Pz Gren Division
2nd Para Division


Corps Commanders

LI Mountain Corps. General der Gebirgstruppen Valentin Feurstein. He was born in 1885 in Bregenz. He served in the Austrian Army, reaching the rank of Major-General in 1935, then transferred to the Reichsheer and commanded 2nd Mountain Division. After commanding LI Mountain Corps, he became Inspector-General of the Tyrol and commander of the Alpenfront in April 1945. He was the holder of the Knight’s Cross. Manfred Rommel describes him as being: ‘… a stocky, black-moustached man, regarded as a first-class mountain specialist’.

LXXXVII Corps. General der Infanterie Gustav-Adolf von Zangen. Born in Darmstadt in 1892, he served in the army throughout the Great War, then with the police before transferring back to the army in 1935. He was promoted to Major-General in 1942 while commanding 17th Infantry Division. He went on to command Fifteenth Army in France, Belgium and Holland and distinguished himself in organising the successful evacuation of most of it across the Scheldt. In August 1944 he was sent back to Italy to prepare the last line of defences from the approaches to the Alps to the Adriatic coast, with large numbers of the Todt Organisation labour force units to carry out the work. He was the holder of the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves.

II SS Pz Corps. Colonel General Paul Hausser. He had commanded ‘Das Reich’ SS Infantry Division in Russia and went on to command II SS Pz Corps in NW Europe. An able commander, he had fallen slightly foul of Hitler by disobeying orders in Kharkov, but as the SS then did spectacularly well, he was forgiven. In early July 1944 he was appointed directly by Hitler to command Seventh Army – the first SS officer ever to command an army and to reach the rank of Colonel General. Despite his age – he was nearly 60 when war began – he had remarkable stamina and was very fit. Guderian called him ‘one of the most outstanding wartime commanders’, the Führer said that he ‘looked like a fox … with his crafty little eyes’, and Kesselring said that he was ‘… the most popular and ablest of the SS generals’.


Divisional Commanders

44th Inf Div ‘Hoch Und Deutchsmeister’. General der Infanterie Dr Franz Beyer. He was a Lieutenant-General when he commanded the division (promoted Gen d. Inf. in 1944). Reformed in Austria in 1943 after virtually ceas-ing to exist at Stalingrad, his division was an excellent fighting unit and fought well in Italy. It was later posted to the Eastern Front.

65th Inf Div. Lieutenant-General Gustav Heistermann von Ziehlberg. A Knight’s Cross winner, who was born in Hohensalza in 1898, he was pro-moted to Major-General in August 1943. His division was severely mauled by the British on the River Sangro Line in October 1943. He was badly wounded the following month and Lt Gen Dr Georg Pfeiffer took command. The division later formed part of I Para Corps’ attack at Anzio, then was transferred to North Italy.

71st Inf Div. Lieutenant-General Wilhelm Raapke. Born in Marienwerder in 1896, he commanded the division from its formation in Denmark in April 1943, through Italy and then in Hungary and Austria. He was the holder of the German Cross in Gold.

76th Inf Div. General der Infanterie Erich Abraham. Born in Marienburg in 1895. He took over the division in April 1943 and went on to command LXIII Corps. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves and the German Cross in Gold. In the late autumn of 1943 his division was sent to the Eastern front.

94th inf Div. Lieutenant-General Bernhard Steinmetz. Born in Neuenkirchen in l896. He commanded the division for most of the Italian campaign. After Stalingrad the division had been reformed in France and sent to Italy where it fought in many of the major battles.

305th Inf Div. Lieutenant-General Friedrich-Wilhelm Bruno Hauck. He was born in Breslau in 1897. Winner of the Knight’s Cross and the German Cross in Silver, he had been promoted to Major-General in June 1943. His division also fought in southern Italy, suffering many casualties south of Rome.

3rd Pz Gren Div. Lieutenant-General (later Gen d. Pz. Tr.) Fritz-Hubert Gräser. He was born in Frankfurt in 1888. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves. He went on to command XXIV Panzer Corps and then Fourth Panzer Army. His division (reformed in SW France in early 1943) fought in Italy, later in the Saar, Ardennes and Germany.

2nd Para Div. Major-General Hermann Bernard Ramcke. He had famously commanded Ramcke Para Brigade in North Africa. His senior Regimental Commander (Colonel Hans Kroh) took over in 1944 when he became commander of the fortress of Brest. Hitler ordered that the Diamonds to his Knight’s Cross be parachuted in (on 20 September 1944). Ramcke held on until the garrison ran out of supplies and was forced to sur-render.

24th Pz Div. Lieutenant-General Reichsfreiherr (Reichsbaron) Maximilian von Edelsheim. Born in Berlin in 1897. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves and Swords. Virtually wiped out at Stalingrad, the division was reformed in Normandy where von Edelsheim took command in March 1943. It was sent to Italy in August, and later sent back to the Russian Front.

1st SS Pz Div. Colonel General Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich. He had fought in the Great War as a sergeant tank commander/tank troop leader, being awarded the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class, together with Bavarian, Austrian and Silesian bravery awards. A rough diamond – he was one of the original Nazi storm troopers – he was at one time Hitler’s chauffeur and bodyguard. He rose very quickly through the ranks of the SS, commanding Leibstandarte (Life Guard) SS Adolf Hitler, which became 1st SS Pz Div and later I SS Pz Corps. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross, with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, becoming one of the 27 most highly decorated members of the German forces of the war. He eventually became disillusioned with his Führer, but this did not prevent his imprisonment at the end of the war. He was released in February 1958, and died in 1966, aged 74.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/03/album-foto-erwin-rommel-di-normandia.html
https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2015/08/28/a-new-command-rommel-in-italy/

Erwin Rommel Visits Goebbels Children

 

Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel visits Magda Goebbels, wife of Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, and her children on the Goebbels estate in 1943, during a break in assignments, September 1942. Mrs. Goebbels and Marshal Rommel pose in her garden. She holds the family dog while she and Rommel hold the hands of her youngest daughter, Heidrun. Magda, Rommel and Alfred-Ingemar Berndt watch as one of the Rommel military aides plays on a slide with the older Goebbels children. The Goebbels daughter, Helga, and the son, Helmut, both go down the slide. A photographer moves to a better vantage point in background. Marshal Rommel and Magda Goebbels both help Heidrun go down the slide. Rommel smiles and lifts up one of the daughters. He joins in a bit as the children play.

After a discussion with Benito Mussolini in Rome on 24 September 1942, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Panzerarmee "Afrika") flew to Germany in the afternoon. Rommel was then a celebrity guest of the Goebbels family in their retreat villa at Bogensee, located in Berlin, Isle of Schwanenwerder, Inselstraße nr 8. After the war only ruins remained there and the villa was was ransacked first by Soviet, then by American soldiers. It was demolished and replaced by Aspen Institute.

On 26 September 1942 Rommel drove to the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, where Hitler presented him his Field Marshal' s baton.

Source :
https://www.buyoutfootage.com/pages/titles/pd_dc_568.php#bottom_synopsis
https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675066074_Field-Marshal-Rommel_Rommels-wife_Nazi-officer-slides_sliding-down-a-ramp
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=98884&hilit=rommel+goebbels+children
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj6fOIWL8E0

Jochen Peiper Interview at Malmedy War Crimes Trials

MALMEDY WAR CRIMES TRIALS, DACHAU, GERMANY(MUNICH 250), 20 June 1946.

Malmedy War Crimes Trials, Dachau, Germany, June 20, 1946. Former German Colonel Joachim Peiper (#42) reading notes on witness stand about his treatment while being held as a prisoner by the Poles. CU, Peiper reading notes. MS, two German attorneys for the defense whispering to each other during trial. (Part of film showing Peiper testifying is out of focus.) MS, Lt. Col. Dwinell, counselor for the defense, as he conducts a cross-examination of Peiper (latter not in scene). MS, Peiper, back to camera, pointing to area on map which he covered during his encounter with US troops in Buelliagen, Belgium.

Source :
https://www.oorlogsbronnen.nl/bron/https%3A%2F%2Fportal.ehri-project.eu%2Funits%2Fus-005578-irn1001445
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-fphwzQ4AE

Alfred Jodl Speech about the Military Situation (24 February 1944)

Alfred Jodl was a German General and chief of the Operations Staff of the German Army High Command from 1940-1945.

He acted as the Chief of Staff during the Invasion of Norway and Denmark, and signed both the Commisar Order and Commando Order, which stipulates that captured Red Army Commisars and Allied Commando soldiers are to be shot immediatly after capture.

He was later tried and convicted at the Nuremberg Trials, and hanged in October 1946.

In this speech, he talked about the general military situation on the Eastern and Italian front, and about the fight against Titos partisans in Yugoslavia, as well as the impeding allied invasion of France.

Some excerpt from the video above:

3:05 The XI. Corps was a German army formation first deployed in 1936. It saw action in Poland, was then used as reserve during the Battle of France. It saw action again during the Balkan campaign, and then assigned to the Army Group South (11th Army)  during Operation Barbarossa. It was encircled and destroyed during the Battle of Stalingrad, then re-depolyed in January 1943 and assigned to the 8th Army. What Jodl is talking about here is the encirclement of the Corp, togehther with large parts of the 8th Army, during the Korsun–Cherkasy pocket battle, where it was destroyed again. It was re-deployed once more in April 1944 and assigned to the 1.Tank Army. It capitulated north of Prague in May 1945.

4:22 Mountain AOK 20: The Mountain AOK 20 (also called 20th Army, Lappland-Army and AOK Lappland) was a German army formed in January 1942, stationed in the northern parts of the Finnish front. The front there remained largley stable, so the Army didnt saw much action. After Finnland switched sides, it retreated to northern Norway where it capitulated in May 1945.

7:17 Agram is an old German name for Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZrGBTOhPIs

Eduard Dietl Funeral

Taken from 'Die Deutsche Wochenschau' Nr. 722 -5 July 1944: Black 4-door sedan drives up to group of German officers, doors opened by German soldier, Generaloberst Eduard Dietl wearing black leather coat steps out and is greeted by German Naval Officers. Dietl inspecting troops. Image and sound of German military snare drums, German Nazi flag waves in the breeze. Hitler arrives at state funeral for Generaloberst Dietl. Hitler shakes hands with widow, three young German girls and touches face of young German boy. Hitler delivers eulogy (no audio of Hitler). Hitler helps place large wreath at casket and gives Hitler or Nazi salute. All in attendance gives Hitler salute. Casket carried by German soldiers outside and placed on gun carriage. View of Nazi flag.

On Friday, 23 June 1944, exactly at 7:42 a.m., a Junkers Ju 52/3mg11 "A2+AA" (Werknummer 7596) transport aircraft belonging to the Wehrmacht crashed near the small village of Rettenegg, Styria (Austria). At the time of the incident, the aircraft was occupied by nine passengers, seven of whom died at the scene. Among those who lost their lives in the crash were leading Heer generals: Generaloberst Eduard Dietl (Oberbefehlshaber 20. Gebirgsarmee), General der Infanterie Thomas-Emil von Wickede (Kommandierender General X. Armeekorps), General der Gebirgstruppe Karl Eglseer (Kommandierender General XVIII. Gebirgskorps), and Generalleutnant Franz Rossi (Kommandeur Divisionsgruppe Rossi). Dietl last words were to the pilot shortly before take-off:  “No, we are not going to fly over the plain.  The clouds are six hundred meters above the ground.  I know the area and am glad to finally be back in my mountains.  I want to see them from above once more.  In Finland, everything is flat.  We will fly from Graz along the valley that goes to Judenberg.  From there we will follow the Semmering trace that goes to Mürzuschlag and from there to Vienna.”

The "Staatsbegräbnis" (State Funeral) was held on 3 July 1944. The honor guards were high-ranking Wehrmacht officers who were also Ritterkreuzträger (recipients of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes): General der Gebirgstruppe Rudolf Konrad (Führerreserve) and General der Gebirgstruppe Georg Ritter von Hengl (Chef Nationalsozialistische-Führungsstabes im Oberkommando des Heeres).

Wehrmacht Honor guards during "Staatsbegräbnis" (State Funeral) of Generaloberst Eduard Dietl, 3 July 1944. At front left is General der Gebirgstruppe Rudolf Konrad (Führerreserve), while at front right is General der Gebirgstruppe Georg Ritter von Hengl (Chef Nationalsozialistische-Führungsstabes im Oberkommando des Heeres).



General der Gebirgstruppe Rudolf Konrad. Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 1 August 1942 as General der Gebirgstruppe and Kommandierender General XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps.

Major Wilhelm von Goriany. Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 July 1943 as Major and Kommandeur II.Abteilung / Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 85 / 101.Jäger-Division.

Feldwebel Ulrich Karg. Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 5 July 1943 as Oberjäger and Zugführer in Radfahrzug 17 / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91 / 4.Gebirgs-Division.

Feldwebel Josef Ehinger. Received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 August 1943 as Oberjäger and Gruppenführer in 6.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 10 / 5.Gebirgs-Division.

From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Erhard Milch (Generalinspekteur der Luftwaffe) and Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge (Oberbefehlshaber West und Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe D).

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/11/album-foto-eduard-dietl.html
https://www.buyoutfootage.com/pages/titles/pd_dc_502a.php
https://www.thefifthfield.com/2000-quotes/state-funeral-for-general-dietl/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHL8cxpPj1w

Interview of Michael Wittmann after Villers-Bocage

Michael Wittmann was one of the most famous German tank commanders of the Second World War. With 138 tank kills, he was the 5th most succesfull German tank ace. He was also excessively featured in German Propaganda, shown in Newsreels and featured in radio broadcasts like this one, which was recorded shortly after the Battle of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944, where he destroyed 14 tanks, 15 personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns within 15 minutes, while being alone with his Tiger tank. Remark: Obersturmführer is a rank of the Waffen-SS, equivalent to Oberleutnant in the Wehrmacht or First Lieutenant in English-speaking armies.

Source :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhjTJrjDMZY

Heinz Guderian in Color

Studio portrait of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian which was taken in 1943, not long after Hitler appointed him as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (General-Inspection of Panzer Troops). The photographer is Walter Frentz. In February of 1943 - after Stalingrad - he was recalled as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, responsible for modernizing of the German armored troops. He quickly formed a good relationship with Albert Speer, the Minister for Armament and Ammunition and both were able to dramatically increase the rate of Panzers build per month, also many corrections to the Panzers were made by Guderian in person, who traveled relentlessly around factories and shooting ranges.




Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (wearing generalmantel, Befehlshaber Panzergruppe 2) with Generalleutnant Walter Model (left, Kommandeur 3. Panzer-Division) during the first weeks of Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union, July 1941. These are part of color slides that was broken-up at eBay back in 2007. It shows Panzergruppe 2 in the Eastern Front during Unternehmen Barbarossa. The slides were taken at the Panzer-Abteilung (Flamm) 100 which operated in the first part of Operation Barbarossa together with 18. Panzer-Divison. The photographer was Bildberichterstatter Heinz Eckert.

Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Befehlshaber Panzergruppe 2) with his troops during the first weeks of Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union, summer 1941. He is not yet wearing the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz, which he received on 17 July 1941. These are part of color slides that was broken-up at eBay back in 2007. It shows Panzergruppe 2 in the Eastern Front during Unternehmen Barbarossa. The slides were taken at the Panzer-Abteilung (Flamm) 100 which operated in the first part of Operation Barbarossa together with 18. Panzer-Divison. The photographer was Bildberichterstatter Heinz Eckert.

Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (facing the camera, Befehlshaber Panzergruppe 2) in front of his staff quarters in Smolensk, Eastern Front. The picture was taken during the Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union, August-September 1941.

Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Befehlshaber Panzergruppe 2) in Smolensk, Eastern Front. The picture was taken during the Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Soviet Union, August-September 1941.

Generaloberst Heinz Guderian with the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in his neck. He is also wearing the eight button Reichswehr uniform.



On 18-19 March 1943 Hitler visited the town of Rügenwalde in Pomerania (Germany) to see a demonstration of the world's largest cannon, Eisenbahngeschütz "Dora" (800mm caliber!) and newly built panzers. Witnessed by the Führer and his retinue, the artillery moving along a special railroad track fired two bullets of unbelievable magnitude. This photograph was taken on the second day - 19 March 1943 - by Walter Frentz and it shows, from left to right: Dr.-Ing. Albert Speer (Reichsminister für Bewaffnung und Munition), General der Artillerie Alfred Jodl (Chef der Wehrmacht-Führungsamt), Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen), Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef des Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), and Generalleutnant Walter Buhle (Chef vom Heeresstab im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht).



On 18-19 March 1943 Hitler visited the town of Rügenwalde in Pomerania (Germany) to see a demonstration of the world's largest cannon, Eisenbahngeschütz "Dora" (800mm caliber!) and newly built panzers. Witnessed by the Führer and his retinue, the artillery moving along a special railroad track fired two bullets of unbelievable magnitude. This photograph was taken on the second day - 19 March 1943 - by Walter Frentz and it shows, from left to right: General der Artillerie Alfred Jodl (Chef der Wehrmacht-Führungsamt), SS-Oberführer Prof. Dr.-Ing. e.h. mult. Ferdinand Porsche (Vorsitzender der Panzerkommission), Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen), Generalleutnant Walter Buhle (behind Guderian, Chef vom Heeresstab im Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef des Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), Hauptdienstleiter Dipl. Ing. Karl-Otto Saur (Staatssekretär im Reichsministerium für Rüstung und Kriegsproduktion), and SS-Gruppenführer Julius Schaub (Chefadjutant des Führer und Reichskanzler). Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.



Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (left, Chef der Oberkommando der Wehrmacht) chats with Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres). The picture was taken by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, in the summer of 1944. Guderian wished to have nothing to do with the July Conspiracy in 1944. Many of his erstwhile colleagues were successfully accused of complicity in the bomb plot against the Führer, which led to the execution of most of The Leader’s best commanders, including Rommel, who was forced to take poison.





Rare photo of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres) wearing black Panzer uniform, seen here at a war conference with Generalleutnant Walther Wenck (Stellvertretender Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres). The picture was taken by Walter Frentz in July 1944.



Around the table, from left to right: Generalleutnant Walther Wenck (Stellvertretender Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres), Colonel-General Janos Vörös (Chief of the Hungarian General Staff), Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (Chef des Generalstabes des Heeres), and General der Infanterie Hans von Greiffenberg (Bevollmächtigten General der Deutschen Wehrmacht in Ungarn). The picture was taken by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, on 11-12 September 1944.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/05/foto-foto-terbaik-heinz-guderian.html
https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/10-reproduction-color-photos-general-guderian-1760-c-fb34c4f9ec
http://thirdreichcolorpictures.blogspot.com/2010/02/generaloberst-heinz-wilhelm-guderian.html
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-g-h/

Studio Color Pictures of Heinz Guderian

Studio portrait of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian which was taken in 1943, not long after Hitler appointed him as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (General-Inspection of Panzer Troops). The photographer is Walter Frentz. In February of 1943 - after Stalingrad - he was recalled as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, responsible for modernizing of the German armored troops. He quickly formed a good relationship with Albert Speer, the Minister for Armament and Ammunition and both were able to dramatically increase the rate of Panzers build per month, also many corrections to the Panzers were made by Guderian in person, who traveled relentlessly around factories and shooting ranges.

Studio portrait of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian which was taken in 1943, not long after Hitler appointed him as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (General-Inspection of Panzer Troops). The photographer is Walter Frentz. In February of 1943 - after Stalingrad - he was recalled as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, responsible for modernizing of the German armored troops. He quickly formed a good relationship with Albert Speer, the Minister for Armament and Ammunition and both were able to dramatically increase the rate of Panzers build per month, also many corrections to the Panzers were made by Guderian in person, who traveled relentlessly around factories and shooting ranges.

Studio portrait of Generaloberst Heinz Guderian which was taken in 1943, not long after Hitler appointed him as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (General-Inspection of Panzer Troops). The photographer is Walter Frentz. In February of 1943 - after Stalingrad - he was recalled as Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, responsible for modernizing of the German armored troops. He quickly formed a good relationship with Albert Speer, the Minister for Armament and Ammunition and both were able to dramatically increase the rate of Panzers build per month, also many corrections to the Panzers were made by Guderian in person, who traveled relentlessly around factories and shooting ranges.

Source :
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen2.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-g-h/

Bio of General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf (1895-1945)

Wilhelm Emanuel Burgdorf

Date of Birth: 15.02.1895 - Fürstenwalde, Brandenburg (German Empire)
Date of Death: 01.05.1945 - Berlin, Brandenburg (Germany)

Promotions:
24.12.1914 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
31.01.1915 Fähnrich
02.04.1915 Offiziers-Stellvertreter
18.04.1915 Leutnant
01.06.1925 Oberleutnant
01.02.1930 Hauptmann
01.11.1935 Major
01.08.1938 Oberstleutnant
14.09.1940 Oberst
01.10.1942 Generalmajor
08.10.1943 Generalleutnant
09.11.1944 General der Infanterie

Career:
03.08.1914 Entered Army Service
03.08.1914 - 25.09.1914 Fahnenjunker in the Grenadier-Regiment 12
25.09.1914 - 24.10.1915 Transferred to the Regiment in the Field
24.10.1915 - 23.06.1917 Adjutant of the Fusilier-Battalion of the Grenadier-Regiment 12
08.05.1916 - 11.05.1916 At the same time, Temporary Adjutant of the Grenadier-Regiment 12
23.06.1917 - 12.02.1919 Adjutant Grenadier-Regiment 12
12.02.1919 - 15.05.1919 Regiments-Adjutant of the 12th Volunteer-Grenadier-Regiment
15.05.1919 - 08.02.1920 Regiments-Adjutant of the 54th Reichswehr-Grenadier-Regiment
08.02.1920 - 01.06.1920 Regiments-Adjutant of the 10th Reichswehr-Grenadier-Regiment
01.06.1920 - 01.01.1921 Platoon-Leader in the 10th Reichswehr-Grenadier-Regiment
01.01.1921 - 01.01.1923 Platoon-Leader in the 8th Infantry-Regiment
28.02.1922 - 01.03.1922 Detached to the Coastal-Defence-Battalion IV
03.05.1922 - 22.06.1922 At the same time, Leader of the Instruction-MG-Platoon of the Commission of the RWM for the Formation of the Sub-Machine-Gun-Firing-Instructions in Jüterbog
25.08.1922 - 25.09.1922 At the same time, Leader of the Instruction-MG-Platoon with the MG-Training-Course of the RWM in Jüterbog
01.01.1923 - 01.10.1923 Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 8th Infantry-Regiment
01.10.1923 - 01.10.1924 Transferred to the 13th Mortar-Company of the 8th Infantry-Regiment and Detached to Subsidiary-Leadership-Training
01.07.1924 - 30.09.1924 Detached to the 5th Artillery-Regiment
01.10.1924 - 01.10.1925 Transferred to the 9th Mounted-Regiment and Detached to Subsidiary-Leadership-Training with the Staff of Military-District-Command IV
01.10.1925 - 01.07.1926 Transferred back into the 8th Infantry-Regiment
01.07.1926 - 01.04.1927 Signals-Officer with the Staff of the 8th Infantry-Regiment
01.04.1927 - 01.09.1929 Regiments-Adjutant of the 8th Infantry-Regiment
22.10.1928 - 04.11.1928 Detached to Gas-Protection-Course B in Berlin
01.09.1929 - 06.03.1933 Company-Chief in the 8th Infantry-Regiment
20.09.1929 - 18.10.1929 Detached Firing-Course B for Heavy Infantry-Weapons in Döberitz
06.03.1933 - 01.05.1933 Transferred to the 12th Mounted-Regiment and Detached to the Staff of the 4th Division
01.05.1933 - 01.09.1934 Transferred to the Staff of the 4th Division
01.09.1934 - 01.01.1935 Instructor at the Infantry-School Dresden
01.01.1935 - 01.11.1936 Instructor at the War-School Dresden
01.11.1936 - 01.05.1940 Adjutant with the General-Command of IX. Army-Corps
01.05.1940 - 06.05.1940 Führerreserve OKH
06.05.1940 - 05.04.1942 Commander of the 529th Infantry-Regiment
05.04.1942 - 01.05.1942 Führerreserve OKH
01.05.1942 - 12.10.1944 Deputy Chief of the Army Personnel Office, OKH
12.10.1944 - 01.05.1945 Chief of the Army Personnel Office, OKH and Chief Adjutant of the Wehrmacht with the Führer
01.05.1945 Committed Suicide

Awards and Decorations:
24.01.1915 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
14.08.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
27.08.1917 Ritterkreuz des Königlich Preußischen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
27.02.1918 Österreichisches Militärverdienstkreuz III.Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
18.07.1918 Ritterkreuz II.Klasse des königlich Württembergische Friedrich-Ordens mit Schwertern
18.10.1918 Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
00.00.19__ Schlesischer Adler-Orden
20.12.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung II.Klasse
15.06.1940 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
17.06.1940 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
29.09.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberst and Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 529 / 299. Infanterie-Division. The following excerpt from Burgdorf’s Ritterkreuz recommendation describes why he received the award: “The capture of the important Hill 234 on the 09.07.1941 is first and foremost thanks to Oberst Burgdorf. This hill constituted the lynchpin of the Soviet position on the eastern side of the Slucz river, and it thus provided a decisive foothold for the Division on the eastern bank of the Slucz. It was only after the capture of this important hill that the Division found it possible to construct a bridge, and this in turn laid the groundwork for the future breakthrough of the Stalin Line. If Oberst Burgdorf had instead waited for an order to cross the Slucz river then the enemy would have had plenty of time to bring up new forces to Hill 234. This would have made the hill into such a strong position that it would have only been possible to capture it via a deliberate assault and heavy casualties.”
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)

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Wilhelm Burgdorf was born on February 15, 1895, in Fuerstenwalde/Spree. On August 3, 1914, as World War I was breaking out, the 19-year old Burgdorf joined the Imperial Army as a Fahnenjunker in the 12th Grenadier Regiment of the Brandenburger 5th Infantry Division. Commissioned second lieutenant in 1915, he rejoined the main body of his regiment on the Eastern Front in the spring of 1915 and was named adjutant of its fusilier battalion. Burgdorf fought in Belgium and France, including the battles of Verdun and the Somme. He became regimental adjutant in 1916 and held the post until after the end of the war, fighting in Alsace, Champagne, the Russian Front, and Italy. Returning to the Western Front in early 1918, he fought in the Battle of Picardy, the Aisne, the Marne, and the Ardennes.

After the armistice, Second Lieutenant Burgdorf joined the Reichsheer as adjutant of the 54th and then 10th Grenadier Regiment, a platoon leader in the Prussian 10th Grenadiers (1920–1921) and its successor unit, the 8th Infantry Regiment at Frankfurt/Oder (1921–1923). He became adjutant of the I/8th Infantry at the start of 1923, and began his General Staff training in the fall of that year. Despite a solid record, he was not promoted to first lieutenant until 1925.

After a thorough training program, Burgdorf returned to the 8th Infantry at Frankfurt/Oder (1925–1933), where he worked as a signals officer, regimental adjutant, and company commander. He was on the staff of the 4th Infantry Division at Dresden (1934–1936) and, by the end of 1936, was serving as adjutant of Wehrkreis IX (IX Corps) at Kassel. He was promoted to captain in 1930, major in 1935, and lieutenant colonel in August 1938.

During the early days of the war Burgdorf served as adjutant of the IX Corps on the virtually inactive Western Front. Prior to the invasion of France, however, he was named commander of the 529th Infantry Regiment, which he led in Belgium and France (1940) and in the savage battles on the central sector of the Russian Front (1941–April 4, 1942). After the Soviet winter offensive of 1941–1942 had been checked, Burgdorf (who had been promoted to full colonel in September 1940) was made a department chief in the Army Personnel Office (Heerespersonelamt, or HPA), a part of OKW, in May 1942. On October 1, 1942, he was promoted to major general and named deputy chief of the Army Personnel Office; he was elevated to lieutenant general in October 1943. No doubt his overt allegiance to the Nazi Party played a major role in his rapid advancement.

The failed assassination attempt by Colonel von Stauffenberg on July 20, 1944, led to further advancement for Burgdorf, as well as his participating in the extraction of revenge on the anti-Hitler conspirators. General of Infantry Rudolf Schmundt, the Fuehrer’s Army adjutant and chief of the HPA, was mortally wounded by the explosion, which only slightly injured Hitler. Taken to the Rastenburg hospital, Schmundt succumbed to his injuries on October 1, 1944, and Hitler named Burgdorf his successor.

Adolf Hitler demanded quick and brutal revenge be meted out to the conspirators. One victim was Germany’s most popular commander, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, the legendary Desert Fox, who was implicated in the plot. Field Marshal Keitel called upon Burgdorf to carry out a secret mission—to confront Rommel with the testimony that accused him of complicity in the “treason.” If the statements were true, the popular Rommel was to be given a choice: suicide or a trial before the People’s Court.

Obediently, Burgdorf and his deputy, Lieutenant General Ernst Maisel, went to Rommel’s home at Herrlingen on October 14, armed with the letter and a box of poison ampules. Burgdorf had the residence surrounded by SS men; then he and Maisel went inside and confronted the gallant field marshal with Keitel’s letter. To Maisel’s surprise, Rommel admitted that he had plotted to help have Adolf Hitler deposed. Burgdorf then presented the field marshal with his choices. If he chose suicide, Hitler promised him a state funeral with full military honors and guaranteed safety for his family, including a pension for his wife and son. If the Desert Fox chose the People’s Court, he could expect his family to share his fate. Erwin Rommel chose the poison and was dead within an hour.

While one can only speculate about Burgdorf’s thoughts when he carried out his mission at Rommel’s house, his later remarks clearly demonstrate his unwavering loyalty to Hitler and the Nazi cause. As the new chief of the Army Personnel Office and now an accessory to the murder of one of the Fuehrer’s opponents, Burgdorf became part of Hitler’s inner circle and remained at his side until almost the moment of his death. Hitler appreciated Burgdorf’s absolute loyalty and rewarded him with a promotion to general of infantry, effective November 1, 1944. Also, it was on Burgdorf’s recommendation that Hitler appointed General of Infantry Hans Krebs to replace Colonel General Heinz Guderian as chief of the General Staff in March 1945.

Wilhelm Burgdorf was a stocky, brutal man. He was a heavy drinker and was hated by much of the officer corps because of his slavish devotion to Nazism. During the last two months of the war, Burgdorf did his best to maintain order and did not believe the situation in Berlin was utterly hopeless—as in fact it was. As Goebbels recorded in his diary on March 13, 1945, “The Army Personnel section is the first Wehrmacht organization where everything is totally in order and of which no criticism can be made. Obviously therefore General Burgdorf has done a good job here too.” Indeed, although Hitler raged about army officers, SS officers, and even long-time party faithfuls, there is no record of him ever berating Burgdorf. Meanwhile, the general allied himself with Goebbels and Martin Bormann, the inner sanctum of Hitler’s unreal world in the last days of the Reich. Burgdorf and Bormann got along particularly well. At a party at Rastenburg, for example, the two hard-drinking Nazis actually danced together and denounced the treacherous field marshals.

Burgdorf briefly recognized his flaunting of duty and integrity as a German officer; on April 8, 1945, he told Krebs, “Ever since I took on this job, nearly a year ago, I’ve put all my energy and idealism into it. I’ve tried every way I know to bring the army and party closer together. . . . In the end they accused me in the forces of being a traitor to the German officer class, and now I can see that those recriminations were justified, that my work was in vain, my idealism wrong—not only wrong but naive and stupid.”

The chief of HPA soon recovered from his moroseness, however, and remained loyal to the Fuehrer and the Nazi cause until the end. As the Soviets closed in, Burgdorf made it clear that he would remain in the bunker. He was among those who were present at Hitler’s final farewell, shortly before the Fuehrer committed suicide. General Burgdorf, General Krebs, and an SS bodyguard were the only ones who remained in the bunker following Hitler’s death. It is generally believed that Burgdorf and Krebs shot themselves in the cellar of the New Chancellery on May 1, 1945, shortly before the Russians arrived. Their bodies were lost in the confusion accompanying the fall of Berlin, and their final resting places are unknown.

General der Panzertruppe Otto von Knobelsdorff (Kommandierender General XXXX. Panzerkorps) and Generalleutnant Hasso von Manteuffel (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland") have arrived for a briefing at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, 10 September 1944. Knobelsdorff is delegated with the leadership of 1. Armee while Manteuffel is promoted to General der Panzertruppe and delegated with the leadership of 5. Panzerarmee (as from 1 September 1944). The latter is wearing a Tank Assault Badge of the 2nd grade for 25 engagements (Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber mit Einsatzzahl "25"). For the identification, from left to right: Major Bernd von Brauchitsch (Chefadjutant des Reichsmarschall und Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe), Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe), Oberstleutnant Erik von Amsberg (Chefadjutant des Heeres beim Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), Generalleutnant Wilhelm Burgdorf (Stellvertretender Leiter vom Heeres-Personalamt), Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), SS-Sturmbannführer Richard Schulze (SS-Adjutant beim Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), Knobelsdorff, Manteuffel, and unknown

Source :
"Hitler's Commanders: Officers of the Wehrmacht, the Luftwaffe, the Kriegsmarine, and the Waffen-SS" by Samuel W. Mitcham & Gene Mueller
"Photos from Führerhauptquartier" by Hermann Historica
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Burgdorf
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General/BURGDORF_WILHELM.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28810/Burgdorf-Wilhelm.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-a-b/#&gid=1&pid=102

Bio of SS-Obergruppenführer Herbert Otto Gille (1897-1966)

Herbert Otto Wilhelm Hermann Gille

Date of Birth: 08.03.1897 - Gandersheim am Harz, Braunschweig, Niedersachsen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 26.12.1966 - Stemmen über Hannover, Niedersachsen (West Germany)

Nickname: "Papa"

NSDAP-Number: 537.337 (Joined 01.05.1931)
SS-Number: 39.854 (Joined 10.10.1931)
Deutsche Heer: 01.09.1914 - 31.03.1919
Spouse: Sophie Charlotte Mennecke (married 03.01.1935)
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 (mit Wirkung vom 09.11.1942)
09.11.1943 SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
09.11.1944 SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS

Career:
00.00.1903 - 00.00.1907 Bürgerschule in Gandersheim
00.00.1907 - 00.03.1909 Gymnasium in Braunschweig
00.04.1909 - 00.04.1914 Entered the Preußische Kadettenkorps, attending the Kadettenschule Bensburg-am-Rhein
00.04.1914 - 00.08.1914 Attended the Haupt-Kadettenanstalt Groß-Lichterfelde (graduated Obersekunda)
10.08.1914 - 28.12.1914 Entered service as Fähnrich, assign. to II.Abteilung / 2.Badische Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 30 (Rastatt)
29.12.1914 - 24.01.1919 Assigned to Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment 55 in 75. Reserve-Infanterie-Division based at Truppenübungsplatz Heuberg
27.01.1915 - 00.01.1917 Zugführer and Batterieoffizier in Reserve-Feldartillerie-Regiment 55
00.01.1917 - 24.01.1919 Führer 1.Batterie (until the regiment was disbanded)
25.01.1919 - 31.03.1919 Assigned to 2. Badischen Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 30.
31.03.1919 Discharged from active military service
01.04.1919 - 00.00.1920 Studied agricultural administration while gaining practical experience at the estate Bätzigerode bei Cassel
00.00.1920 - 00.00.1921 Administrator of the estate Bamhof
00.00.1921 - 00.00.1923 Administrator of the estate Abbesbuttel (near Meine)
00.00.1922 - 00.00.1926 Member of the ''Stahlhelm"-Bund
00.00.1923 - 00.00.1925 Inspector of an estate near Immendorf (in the vicinity of Salzgitter), then (for 8 months) of the estate Bährdorf bei Oebisflede near Magdeburg
00.00.1925 - Autumn 1927 Independent inspector for the private estate of Stemmen bei Hannover.
00.00.1928 - 00.00.1929 Independent inspector for the private estate of Poggenhagen bei Neustadt am Rübenberge (Steinhuder Meer).
00.00.1929 - 00.00.1931 Travelling salesman for the automotive factory Büsing-NAG Vereinigte Nutzkraftwagen, Braunschweig
00.00.1931 - 00.00.1933 Self-employed businessmau in the automotive field
25.01.1931 Sentenced to a 20 Reichsmark fine (with option of serving 4 days' jail time) for gambling
01.05.1931 Joined the NSDAP
10.10.1931 Joined the SS
30.09.1932 - 27.01.1933 Führer 5.Sturm / I.Sturmbann / 49.SS-Standarte (Braunschweig)
27.01.1933 - 20.04.1933 Führer Motorstaffel / 49.SS-Standarte
28.02.1933 - 00.03.1933 Temporary Führer of 49. SS-Standare. He ran this Standarte when its Führer, Friedrich Alpers, was suspended by the Abschnitt Führer Berthold Maack due to political intrigue in Braunschweig. Alpers was reinstated alter a short period
20.04.1933 - 09.04.1934 Stabsführer (nd.W.d.G.b.) of SS-Abschnitt IV (Braunschweig). Succeeded by Berthold Maack. Helmut Schöne acted as standing deputy from 12.10.1933, then officially assumed command from Gille
20.07.1933 Degraded and expelled from the SS and NSDAP due to 'parteizersetzenden Verhaltens" (conduct undermining to the [Nazi] Party)
20.07.1933 - 27.10.1933 Detained in the Braunschweig district prison for 14 weeks. As a supporter of Reichstag Vice-President Ernst Zörner, Gille was accused of involvement in Zörner's conspiracy against the Braunschweig Ministerpräsident, Dietrich Klagges. Interrogated on this matter by the Schutzpolizei on 09.11.1933, proceedings against him were dismissed when he declared that he was not a part of any secret circle against Dietrich Klagges. At his own request, his case was brought before a Party court on 14.02.1934. He was acquitted and readmitted to the NSDAP and SS at his original rank of SS-Sturmführer
09.04.1934 - 29.05.1934 Führer z.b.V. to II.Sturmbann / 49.SS-Standarte (Goslar)
29.05.1934 - 09.11.1935: Transferred to SS-Verfügungstruppen, assigned as Führer 11.Sturm / III.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte 1 (later redesignated SS-Standarte "Deutschland". Base: Ellwangen)
07.06.1934 - 14.08.1934 Detached to I.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte 2 / SS-Verfügungstruppen.
28.02.1935 - 07.08.1935 Attended Kompanieführer-Lehrgang (company commander training course) at the Infanterieschule Döberitz
09.11.1935 - 01.10.1936 Führer 12.Sturm / III.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Deutschland" (redesignated 19.Sturm / IV.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte 'Deutschland" when the unit expanded to four Sturmbanne on 01.07.1936).
01.07.1936 - 01.10.1936 Führer 19.Sturm (MG) / IV.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Deutschland" (Ellwangen). This was the old 12. Sturm renumbered; the old III. Sturmbann became IV. Sturmbann on 01.07.1936 and a new III. Sturmbann was formed. The old 12. Sturm became 19. Sturm and a new 12. Sturm was formed under August Zehender
01.10.1936 - 15.02.1937 Assigned as Major im Stab and Stabsführer of SS-Standarte "Germania". Succeeded by Werner Dörffler-Schuband
01.10.1936 - 25.11.1936 Führer III.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Gennania." Appointed as temporary commander following disciplinary problems in the unit. Gille reportedly acted with prompt and unmerciful severity during his brief assignment to this post. Succeeded Karl Meyer. Succeeded by Heinrich Köppen
01.02.1937 - 01.05.1939 Führer II.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Germania" (md.F.b. to 20.04.1937, then assumed permanent command). Succeeded Walter Krüger. Succeeded by Werner Dörffler-Schuband.
00.00.1937 - 00.00.1937 Lehrgang für Stabsoffiziere (training course for staff officers) at Heeressportschule Wesdorf
00.00.1937 - 00.00.1937 Gasschutzlehrgang (Gas Defense (training course) in Berlin
03.05.1938 - 12.05.1938 Bataillon-Kommandeur Lehrgang (battalion commander training course at Infanterieschule Döberitz
00.03.1939 - 01.06.1939 Assigned to the Formationsstab (formation staff) for the SS-Artillerie-Standarte / SS-Verfügungstruppe at Truppenübungsplatz Munsterlager (under SS-Obersturmbannführer Peter Hansen)
13.04.1939 - 16.05.1939 Attended an instructional course at the Artillerieschule Jüterbog
01.06.1939 - 15.11.1940 Kommandeur I.Sturmbann (schwere) / SS-Artillerie-Standarte ''V" (later redesignated I.Abteilung / SS-Artillerie-Regiment / SS-Verfügungstruppe (Jüterbog). He led this unit, attached to Panzer-Division "Kempf", during the Polish Campaign in September 1939 (for which he received the 1939 clasp to his World War I Iron Crosses). He also served as permanent deputy to the regiment commander, Peter Hansen, during this period. First holder of this post. Succeeded by Adolf Wunder.
15.11.1940 - 01.05.1943 Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment / SS-Division (mot.) "Germania" (redesignated SS-Division (mot.) "Wiking" on 21.12.1940 and to SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking" on 09.09.1942). Regiment formed at Truppenübungsplatz Amersfoort in the Netherlands. Succeeded by Joachim Richter. While in this command, Gille proved to be an apolitical soldier who led from the front. One revealing instance of this is recounted by Heinz Höhne: "[Like Felix Steiner], Standartenführer Gille, Steiner's Artillery Commander, was also in the Reichsführer's bad books. Gille was an entirely non-political officer who would have nothing to do with ideology. To Obersturmbannführer [Ernst] Fick, the divisional ideological observer, he growled: `Wearing of the brown shirt is not permitted in this aristocratic artillery regiment. I'll put a clean-out squad into your room." (Höhne, The Order of the Death's Head, p. 544, citing letter from Fick to Karl Wolff, 27.01.1942, RFSS Microfilm 38) Although Fick reported this "disrespect" to the chief of Himmler's personal staff, Karl Wolff, Steiner ensured that there were no reprisals against Gille for his political unorthodoxy and evident dislike of Fick, a belief that Steiner apparently shared." (Douglas E. Nash, From the Realm of a Dying Sun, Volume 1)
01.02.1942 - 20.06.1942 Führer (m.d F.b.) SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Westland". Assigned to this post according to the Dienstlaufbahn in his SS personnel file, but this is not confirmed elsewhere in the file, nor in the postwar memoirs of Felix Steiner. If he did in fact hold this post, he succeeded Artur Phleps and was succeeded by Berthold Maack.
20.06.1942 - 31.07.1942 Kommandeur Korps-Artillerie of the SS-Generalkommando (SS Corps HQ), formed at Bergen-Fallingbostel. First holder of this new Korps artillery command. Succeeded by Curt Brasack.
31.07.1942 - 01.05.1943 Kommandeur SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Westland" / SS-Division (mot.) "Wiking" (redesignated SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland" / SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking" on 09.11.1942). Succeeded Berthold Maack. Succeeded by Paul Geisler
00.07.1942 - 00.10.1942 Kommandeur Kampfgruppe "Gille"(made up of elements from "Wiking" and 13. Panzer-Division). Involved in fighting around Rostov-on-Don; retained command of the “Wiking" Division Artillerie-Regiment during this period
22.11.1942 - 08.02.1943 Stellvertretender Führer SS-Panzergrenadier-Division ''Wiking" (under Felix Steiner)
01.05.1943 - 06.08.1944 Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking." Succeeded Felix Steiner. Actually leaving the Division on 20.07.1944, he was temporarily succeeded by SS-Standartenführer Dr. Eduard Deisenhofer, then permanently replaced by SS-Standartenführer Johannes Mühlenkamp. In an evaluation of 03.06.1944, Felix Steiner (then Kommandierender General of III. [Germanische] SS-Panzerkorps) wrote: "Purposeful and energetic personality. Calm, thoughtful, full of drive and energy. An old national socialist. A good Truppenführer who has a positive effect both educationally and in terms of training and aligns his Führerkorps according to the right criteria. Experienced practitioner with sound judgment, tried and tested and confident in divisional leadership. Especially reliable in a crisis. A very good artilleryman with extensive experience in the field of Panzer artillery. In larger contexts, he is not always able to put aside his own interest. and is then occasionally prone to unfruitful criticism. Fulfills his position as Division Commander to the maximum. Under certain conditions also suitable for a position at the next levet of service." (SS-Personalakte Gille)
16.03.1944 - 06.04.1944 Kommandant des ''Festen Platzes" Kowel. Succeeded Erich von dem Bach, who had been evacuated due to illness on 15.03.1944. On 16.03.1944, Gille arrived via Fieseler Fi 156 "Storch" in the encircled city of Kowel (northwestern Ukraine) and took command of a garrison composed mostly Wehrmacht troops, members of the Deutsche Reichsbahn, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 17, as well as SS-Polizei and Gendarmerie troops. Marc Rikmenspoel writes: "Gille... organize(d) the defense of what was both an island in a swamp and a surrounded German strongpoint. Gille rallied the dejected, makeshift garrison, and energized them sufficiently to hold out until SS-Wiking and Heer armored units finally relieved the city on 5 April. (Rikmenspoel, Waffen-SS Encyclopedia, pp. 211-212)
From 15.03. to 06.04.1944, Gille and his ad hoc force defended an area of six square kilometers from continuous Soviet attacks They were ultimately saved by a relief attack made by 131. Infanterie-Division, 4. and 5. Panzer-Divisionen, and Kampfgruppe Richter comprising elements of "Wiking" (I.Abteilurg / SS¬Panzer-Regiment 5 and III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Germania"). As a result of his leadership and personal bravery, Gille besame the first of only two Waffen-SS members to receive the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leave and Swords (personally presented by Hitler on 19.04.1944)
06.08.1944 - 08.05.1945 Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps (actually arrived at Korps HQ on 20.07.1944)
08.05.1945 - 21.05.1948 captured by U.S. troops at Radstadt west of Wien and initially imprisoned at Salzburg
23.05.1945 transferred to Augsburg then to Dachau
00.00.1946 Lagerführer, War Criminals Camp Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen then Sandbostel, Fallingbostel,
00.06.1946 Nürnberg
21.05.1948 released, owner of a small bookstore in Stemmen/Niedersachsen
00.04.1949 tried by the Entnazifizierungs-Spruchkammer (de-Nazification court) in Hannover and sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment
00.00.1949 sentence revised and released due to the 3 years already done - categorized de-Nazification Category V reflecting his status as a minor offender
00.00.1950 active in the Waffen-SS veterans’ organization, HIAG and founded the "Wiking" Division veterans’ organization "Truppenkameradschaft Wiking e.V." - with Paul Hausser became members of its managing committee
00.11.1951 - 26.12.1966 founder and editor of the HIAG news organ "Wiking Ruf" later renamed "Der Freiwillige"

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.191_ 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.191_ 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Braunschweig Kriegverdienstkreuz 1914-1918 für Kämpfer II.Klasse
00.00.19__ Braunschweig Kriegverdienstkreuz 1914-1918 für Kämpfer I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Militärverdienstkreuz III.Klasse mit Schwertern
00.02.1934 Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
00.00.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
00.00.193_ SS-Zivilabzeichen
00.00.1935 SS-Dienstauszeichnung IV.Stufe (4 Jahre)
16.12.1935 Julleuchter der SS
00.00.1936 DRL-Sportabzeichen in Silber
01.12.1936 SA-Sportabzeichen in Silber
01.12.1936 Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
01.12.1937 SS-Ehrenring
01.12.1937 SA-Sportabzeichen in Bronze
00.00.1939 SS-Dienstauszeichnung III.Stufe (8 Jahre)
01.04.1939 Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
26.10.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
21.11.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.05.1941 Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen
28.02.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (Vorschlag submitted by Div.-Kdr. Felix Steiner)
15.09.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.00.1942 Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
08.10.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as SS-Oberführer and Kommandeur SS-Artillerie Regiment 5 / SS-Division "Wiking" (motorisiert). Gille’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows: “Following the crossing of the Don river SS-Oberführer Gille led the Division’s Vorausabteilung as far as the Kuban. On the 28.07.1942 this unit engaged fleeing enemy columns near Seljonaja Roschtscha (south of the Don), smashing these and thereafter continuing the attack as far as Rakowo Tawritscheski even as it was getting dark. By doing so it prevented the enemy from retreating towards the south. On the following day Oberführer Gille and his Vorausabteilung ejected strong elements of the 31st Rifle Division from their positions just to the south of Rakowo Tawritscheski and proceeded to capture the decisive and well-defended villages of Beswodnij and Andronoff. The enemy positions were broken through, and the unit commenced a bold thrust towards Metschetinskaja while disregarding the strong enemy elements along both open flanks. This village was likewise attacked as darkness fell and captured via an enveloping attack. Among the prisoners were members of 10 different divisions of the enemy’s 12th Army as well as parts of the Army’s HQ that had fled to Metschetinskaja as a result of the thrust on the afternoon of the 29.07.1942. On the 30.07.1942 the village of Jegorlikskaja was taken, and those elements of the 12th Army that had been deployed for defense there were thrown back. The rearward services of the 31st rifle division were ratted out and Sredny Jegolyk was reached in the late evening. After this the commander of a Zerstörergeschwader (Major Giesing) landed beside the Vorausabteilung. He alerted the Vorausabteilung to the fact that it was far ahead of all elements of the neighbouring Armee (17. Armee) and that uncounted numbers of Russians were moving around in its flanks and rear. On that same night the enemy attacked Ssredny Jegorlyk from the west with numerous tank and infantry forces (the latter including a motorized brigade) in order to destroy the Vorausabteilung. However they were repulsed with heavy losses. The counterthrust by newly arrived elements of the 14th Tank Corps was smashed. With this forward thrust, Gille’s Vorausabteilung significantly aided the forward movement of the 17. Armee’s eastern wing (namely the 125. Infanterie-Division), which was staggered to the west and rear. The Vorausabteilung also facilitated the secure march of the 13. Panzer-Division as it advanced behind Gefechtsgruppe Gille on the other flank, specifically in an easterly thrust towards Salsk. On the 01.08.1942 Oberführer Gille ejected the 21st motorized rifle brigade from the area around Belaja Glina in hard close combat, captured the village and continued its thrust towards Dimitrijewka during the same night. This bold and ruthless thrust deep into the enemy by Gille’s Vorausabteilung meant that the Kuban river was very swiftly approached, and the Division was thereby able to successfully reach and cross the river on the 03.08.1942. In all of this combat Oberführer Gille almost always led from the frontline, giving his men an example of energy and spirit as he did so. He continued to demand ruthless action from his men even during the night, inspiring them all the way through his personal devotion to duty and contagious impulse. He enabled: a) The swift advance of the neighbouring east wing of the 17. Armee. b) The smooth transition of the 13. Panzer-Division’s advance towards the east by throwing back those enemy forces to the latter unit’s front. c) The swift attainment of the Kuban river. He captured the following prisoners and booty: 8283 prisoners,  28 artillery pieces, and 18 anti-tank guns. He made a decisive contribution through his harshness, focus and ruthlessness. His actions facilitated the smooth flow of friendly operations south of the Don and the reaching of the Kuban river from the north in an unexpectedly short time. In all of these engagements he has never shied from getting personally involved in the combat. Without this demeanour such a decisive success would have been unthinkable. He has thereby fulfilled the requirements for the awarding of the Knight’s Cross. This is being advocated for here. Gille has served at the frontline without pause since 1939. He has distinguished himself as an Abteilung and regimental commander on every day of the fighting in Poland, the West and the East. He also bears the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold.” Vorschlag dated 18.09.1942 and signed by Div.-Kdr. Felix Steiner.
06.03.1943 Vapaudenristin 1.luokka (Finnish Cross of Liberty), with Swords
01.11.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #315, as SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking". Gille’s Eichenlaub recommendation reads as follows: “SS-Brigadeführer Gille took over acting command of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. Wiking in October 1942. In May 1943 he was named commander of this SS-Division. He was awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross for his successes as leader of a Vorausabteilung during the offensive battles of summer 1942 in the Caucasus. In the recent fighting SS-Brigadeführer Gille has decisively intervened in the combat along the southern front on several occasions through the outstanding leadership of his Division. He has distinguished himself through his confident and energetic leadership, his swift and superior issuing of orders and above all through his personal example and determination. His outstanding personal bravery in the foremost line was often the deciding factor in resolving situations both dangerous and critical alike. It is primarily to his credit that his Division has been able to perform as well as it has over the course of numerous battles in the thick of combat on the southern front. Throughout this time it has shown true devotion to duty and earned the respect of its comrades in the Heer. It has been named several times in the Heeresbericht and in the press due to its exemplary achievements on the battlefield. And to this day it continues to hold a sector of over 25 km wide on the Dnieper river despite having been employed in heavy fighting for two years. All of this is thanks to the tireless readiness for duty, responsibility and dutifulness of its commander. A breakdown of the Division’s success under the leadership of SS-Brigadeführer Gille are attached to this document as an addendum.” 315th Award. Vorschlag dated 30.10.1943 and signed by Reichsführer-SS Himmler; Personally presented by Hitler at Führer HQ “Wolfsschanze” on 13.11.1943.
00.00.1944 SS-Dienstauszeichnung II.Stufe (12 Jahre)
20.02.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub uns Schwertern #47, as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking". Awarded for the extremely distinguished leadership of his Division during the breakout from the Cherkassy pocket. In this time his Division was the spearhead of the German forces trapped within the pocket, and it played an invaluable role in allowing the encircled troops to escape. Immediate award, personally presented by Hitler at Führer HQ”Wolfsschanze” on 21.02.1944.
06.04.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
19.04.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten #12, as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking". Gille’s Brillanten recommendation reads as follows: “The weeks-long, heroic defense of the totally encircled Fortress Kovel despite the greatest of supply difficulties and significant losses against a much superior enemy is solely attributable to the determined leadership and great personal bravery of the General [Gille]. This recommendation is being sent as a radio message due to the situation at the front. A written submission will follow.” Vorschlag dated 09.04.1944 and signed by Korps Kom. Gen. General der Infanerie Friedrich Hossbach; Countersigned by Armee OB Generaloberst Walter Weiβ, Heeresgruppe OB Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch, and on 19.04.1944 by by Reichsführer-SS Himmler.
02.09.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht

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Born in Gandersheim, Herbert Otto Gille (March 8, 1897 – December 26, 1966) began his military career as a first lieutenant in the artillery branch during the First World War and won the Iron Cross First and Second Classes. He left the army in 1919 and remained a civilian working in agriculture and as a car dealer until 1931 when he joined the Nazi Party and the SS.

On January 3, 1935, Gille married 31-year-old Sophie Charlotte Mennecke and they had together one daughter (born on October 9, 1935).

In 1934 he was re-activated by the SS combat support forces. He became a Company Commander in Ellwangen, then a Battalion Commander of the SS regiment Germania in Arolsen. He later served as the commander of an artillery unit in Jueterbog. As the commander of the 1st Battalion of the SS-V Artillery Regiment Gille participated in the invasion of Poland and in the western campaign. In 1940 he took over the artillery regiment of the 5th SS Panzer Division, led by SS Obergruppenführer Felix Steiner.

After the assault on the Soviet Union, Gille, as a leader of an advance guard, reached the Kuban and received the Knight's Cross on 8 October 1942. Shortly thereafter he took command of the Wiking Division (5th SS Panzer Division) on the Eastern Front. Early in 1944, Gille was instrumental in the withdrawal of his command and others of the encircled Group Stemmermann through "Hells Gate" during the Korsun cauldron encirclement, also known as the Cherkassy Pocket. The Soviets greatly outnumbered the German forces but they failed to cut off their retreat, though they were able to inflict serious damage on the German formations. Gille received the diamonds in addition to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 19 April 1944. Shortly after his escape from the Cherkassy Pocket, Gille and members of his staff were flown into the encircled town of Kovel to organize its defense. Under Gille's steady leadership the mixed army and Waffen SS units maintained a vigorous defense until the siege was raised by approaching German units from the West.

His troops stood strong on the East Prussia border with the 3rd SS Panzer Division and prevented the planned Soviet breakthrough to Berlin in the autumn of 1944 destroying large numbers of Soviet tanks. In January 1945 Gille, as leader of the IV SS Panzer Corps comprising the 3rd and 5th SS Panzer Divisions, was sent to Hungary to attempt to relieve the encircled city of Budapest. However, his troops were unable to break through to the city. In March 1945 he led the IV SS Panzer Corps in the failed Lake Balaton Offensive and following the Soviet counter-offensive his corps was forced to retreat into Austria.

When the end of war was clear, he marched towards the U.S. troops in order to avoid surrendering to Soviet forces. He was held by the U.S. for three years, and released in May 1948.

Despite being an early Nazi Party member, Gille was known for his apolitical views. The author Heinz Höhne in The Order under the Death Head characterized Gille as an enigma and "Nur-Soldat" (soldier – nothing else) who once threatened a newly assigned Weltanschauungsoffizier (political indoctrination officer) with a clean-out squad to gather his uniforms and other possessions and throw them and the officer out of the unit.

Gille was highly regarded for his leadership qualities and tactical abilities. He commanded Waffen-SS units at the regiment, division and corps level with distinction during the war. Gille was popular with his men and admired for his personal bravery. He was well known for the unusual walking-stick he carried.

After the war he worked for a newspaper until 1958. He also owned a small bookshop. In the early 1950s, Gille became active in HIAG, a lobby group and a revisionist veteran's organisation founded by former high-ranking Waffen-SS personnel in West Germany to campaign for their legal, economic and historical rehabilitation. Gille, alongside Felix Steiner, Otto Kumm and Paul Hausser, became an early leading figure within HIAG. In 1951 Gille launched the periodical Wiking-Ruf ("Viking Call"). Initially it was aimed at the veterans of the SS Division Wiking. Within its first year of existence, in 1952, it became the official publication of HIAG and was eventually renamed to Der Freiwillige ("The Volunteer").

Gille faced his share of controversy with the organisation. In 1952, HIAG held its first major meeting in Verden. It began respectably, with Gille announcing that the veterans were ready to 'do their duty for the Fatherland' and Steiner declaring support for 'freedom, order and justice'. But the next speaker delivered a different message. Former paratroop general Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke, who had been invited to demonstrate so-called solidarity with the Wehrmacht, condemned the Western Allies as the 'real war criminals' and insisted that the blacklist on which all former SS members then stood would soon become "a list of honor". The outburst caused a furor within West Germany. Periodicals as far as the U.S. and Canada carried headlines Hitler's Guard Cheers Ex-chief and Rabble-Rousing General Is Worrying the Allies, with the latter article reporting that Ramcke's speech had been greeted with "roars of approval and cries 'Eisenhower, Schweinehund!' ("Eisenhower, pig-dog")."

Internal disagreements began to emerge within HIAG in the mid-1950s as to the stance of the organisation: Steiner and Gille favored a more political, outspoken orientation, while the rest of the leadership favored a moderate approach so that not to jeopardize HIAG's goals of legal and economic rehabilitation, which, in their opinion, could only come from the establishment.[Gille was the founder of a magazine for veterans of the Wiking division, "Wiking Ruf".

On 26 December 1966 Herbert Otto Gille died of a heart attack in Stemmen, near Hannover. He was also buried at the local cemetery in Stemmen. However, his grave no longer exists.

Members of the SS-Standarte "Germania" with their commanders sat at the front. From left to right: SS-Obersturmbannführer Werner Dörffler-Schuband (Kommandeur I.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Germania", based in Hamburg-Veddel), SS-Sturmbannführer Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur II.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Germania", headquartered in Arolsen), SS-Standartenführer Karl Maria Demelhuber (Kommandeur SS-Standarte "Germania"), and SS-Obersturmbannführer Heinrich Koeppen (Kommandeur III.Sturmbann / SS-Standarte "Germania", headquartered in Radolfzell). This photo was taken by Heinz Hillebrecht in Nuremberg on 5-12 September 1938 during the Reichsparteitag (Reich Party Day). This was the second participation of SS-Standarte "Germania" in the annual event, after the first one a year earlier. Now this photo is in the private collection of Markus Wolter.



A rare picture showing SS-Standartenführer Herbert Otto Gille as the Kommandeur of SS-Artillerie-Regiment / SS-Division "Wiking" (motorisiert) with his medal bars. The picture was taken in 1941, possibly before Operation Barbarossa (German invasion of Soviet Union). The medal bars are, from left to right: 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd class), Österreichisches Militärverdienstkreuz III.Klasse (Austrian Military Merit Cross 3rd class), Braunschweigisches Kriegsverdienstkreuz II.Klasse (Brunswick War Merit Cross 2nd class), Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918 (Cross of Honor for Front Fighters 1914-1918), Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 (Anschluss Medal), and Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 (Sudetenland Medal). The two decorations below the bars are Braunschweig Kriegverdienstkreuz I.Klasse (Brunswick War Merit Cross 1st class) and 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse (1939 clasp for 1914 Iron Cross 1st class).



From left to right: SS-Standartenführer Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5 / SS-Division "Wiking"), Lieutenant-General Harald Öhquist (representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Armed Forces at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht), SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Felix Steiner (Kommandeur SS-Division "Wiking"), Major Esko Riekki (former head of the Finnish Secret Police who became the main organizer for the recruitment of the Finnish SS volunteer legion), and SS-Hauptsturmführer Friedrich Meyer (Adjutant Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5 / SS-Division "Wiking"). While the majority of the "Finnische Legion" was still undergoing training in Gross Born (Germany), around 200 volunteers with combat experience were first distributed to different units of the Wiking Division. This caused unrest among these veteran volunteers, as they wanted to be gathered in the same unit, and they also thought that some German officers and non-commissioned officers had underestimated their abilities. To quell this unrest, Öhquist was brought to Wiking's operational area in Russia. During his four-day visit, the Finnish general took in the grievances of his compatriots and got a close look at their welfare conditions. The photo was taken between 27-30 August 1941, possibly near near Dnjepropetrovsk. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Felix Steiner (center) together with his subordinates from the SS-Division "Wiking" (motorisiert). The officer to the right of Steiner, wearing glasses, are SS-Oberführer Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie Regiment 5 "Wiking"). Between Steiner and Gille is probably SS-Obersturmbannführer Paul Geisler (Kommandeur SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Westland"), while the one standing to the far right behind behind Gille is probably SS-Standartenführer Dr.-med. Gerd Unbehaun (Divisionsarzt SS-Division "Wiking"). This photo itself was most likely taken in the spring of 1942.



From left to right: Prime Minister Vidkun Quisling (leader of the German-formed Norwegian puppet government), SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei Wilhelm Rediess (Höhere SS und Polizeiführer "Nord"), SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Felix Steiner (Kommandeur SS-Division "Wiking"), and SS-Oberführer Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 5 / SS-Division "Wiking"). Barely visible behind Quisling is Sverre Parelius Riisnæs (Norwegian Minister of Justice). This picture was taken at Kalinovo, Uspenskaya, May 1942. Quisling had traveled all the way from Norway to get a close-up look at the conditions of his country's SS volunteers in the SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Nordland" / SS-Division "Wiking" (motorisiert). He walks through a Soviet village to the Norwegian volunteers' assembly point.



SS-Oberführer Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment / SS-Division "Wiking") in 1942. Regiment formed at Truppenübungsplatz Amersfoort in the Netherlands in 1940. While in this command, Gille proved to be an apolitical soldier who led from the front. One revealing instance of this is recounted by Heinz Höhne: "[Like Felix Steiner], Standartenführer Gille, Steiner's Artillery Commander, was also in the Reichsführer's bad books. Gille was an entirely non-political officer who would have nothing to do with ideology. To Obersturmbannführer [Ernst] Fick, the divisional ideological observer, he growled: `Wearing of the brown shirt is not permitted in this aristocratic artillery regiment. I'll put a clean-out squad into your room." (Höhne, The Order of the Death's Head, p. 544, citing letter from Fick to Karl Wolff, 27.01.1942, RFSS Microfilm 38) Although Fick reported this "disrespect" to the chief of Himmler's personal staff, Karl Wolff, Steiner ensured that there were no reprisals against Gille for his political unorthodoxy and evident dislike of Fick, a belief that Steiner apparently shared." (Douglas E. Nash, From the Realm of a Dying Sun, Volume 1).

SS-Oberführer Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie Regiment 5 / SS-Division "Wiking") wearing a rare double-runes collar tabs. During a short period of time, the SS used double pair of runes on their collar tabs as they thought that the shoulder boards would be enough to distinguish a member's rank. For a period of time from October 1939 until May 1940 when collar rank insignia insignia were reintroduced for wear, dual insignia were authorized. After May 1940 use of dual insignia was forbidden, but some continued the practice. Newly formed elements of the SS-VT (SS-Verfügungstruppe) were authorized to wear runic insignia on both collars by officers only, while shoulder boards distinguished rank. Both mirrored runes and SS SS were used. This picture itself was taken between October-December 1942.

This picture was actually taken in 1943 and showing Herbert Otto Gille as SS-Brigadeführer and Commander of Wiking Division, but we can see that the rank in the Kragenspiegel (collar tabs) and Schulterklappen (shoulder boards) had been edited so now it shows Gille as SS-Gruppenführer. It was a common practice during war time to add additional grade of medals or higher rank when the only picture available is an old one. BTW, the medal hanging below the Ritterkreuz is Vapaudenristin 1.luokka (Finnish Cross of Liberty with Swords), which was received by Gille on 6 March 1943. This picture was probably taken on the occasion of its presentation. Other pictures from this series can be seen HERE.

Sepp Dietrich's 51st birthday celebration near Kharkov on 28 May 1943 which was attended by high-ranking Waffen-SS officers. Back to the camera from left to right: SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser (Kommandierender General SS-Panzerkorps), SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"). Seated facing the camera from left to right: Oberstleutnant Gerhard Engel (Adjutanten des Heeres beim Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), SS-Oberführer Hermann Prieß (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Totenkopf"), SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Albin Freiherr von Reitzenstein (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 / SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich"), and SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Baum (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Totenkopf" / SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Totenkopf"). Army officer Engel was also there as a special guest from the Führerhauptquartier for Hitler's former bodyguard commander's special day. Most photos from Dietrich's birthday were taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Klaus Weill, though it is not certain about this one. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Commanders of the first four Waffen-SS division engaged in conversation during the lull of the fighring in the Eastern Front. From left to right: SS-Oberführer Hermann Priess (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Totenkopf"), SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"), SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Walter Krüger (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich"), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler'). The picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Weill on 7 June 1943.

14 October 1943: SS-Brigadefuhrer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), at right, visited the Feldlazarett (Field Hospital) and decorates SS-Obersturmführer Hans Drexel (stellvertreter Führer II.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), second from left, with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Crosses). The picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Koch.



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) received two officers from 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" who had just awarded the Eichenlaub for their Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. In this picture - taken at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, in November 1943 - the Führer shakes hands with SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Dorr (Kommandeur I.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), while at left stands SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") photographed by Walter Frentz at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler in November 1943. Gille's Eichenlaub recommendation reads as follows: "SS-Brigadeführer Gille took over acting command of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. Wiking in October 1942. In May 1943 he was named commander of this SS-Division. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his successes as leader of a Vorausabteilung during the offensive battles of summer 1942 in the Caucasus. In the recent fighting SS-Brigadeführer Gille has decisively intervened in the combat along the southern front on several occasions through the outstanding leadership of his Division. He has distinguished himself through his confident and energetic leadership, his swift and superior issuing of orders and above all through his personal example and determination. His outstanding personal bravery in the foremost line was often the deciding factor in resolving situations both dangerous and critical alike. It is primarily to his credit that his Division has been able to perform as well as it has over the course of numerous battles in the thick of combat on the southern front. Throughout this time it has shown true devotion to duty and earned the respect of its comrades in the Heer. It has been named several times in the Heeresbericht and in the press due to its exemplary achievements on the battlefield. And to this day it continues to hold a sector of over 25 km wide on the Dnieper river despite having been employed in heavy fighting for two years. All of this is thanks to the tireless readiness for duty, responsibility and dutifulness of its commander."



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") in a picture taken in early 1944. Some source (like this one) claims that this picture was taken on 21 February 1942, which is not possible because since 20 February 1944 Gille was already received the Schwerter for his Ritterkreuz, while in this picture he is still wearing the Eichenlaub.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") awarded the Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse to Waffen-Untersturmführer der SS Hando "Tou" Ruus (16 May 1917 - 31 March 1945) of Bataillon "Narwa". Born Harald-Ferdinand Ruhs, he was a former member of the Estonian military who preferred to escape to the forest rather than join the Red Army shortly after his country was annexed by the Soviet Union. The German invasion of his country's invader was an opportunity for Ruus to join the SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Bataillon Narwa. He fought bravely in every action his unit undertook, including when he became commander of Battalion "Narwa" after all of the officers above him were killed or wounded! In September 1944 he was captured by the enemy after his battalion was surrounded. Later he was sent to Leningrad and was reportedly executed there on March 31, 1945. With the final rank of Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS (August 1944), Ruus was the only Estonian Wehrmacht volunteer to be awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (December 30, 1944).



SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien") and SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") during the Battle of Cherkassy Pocket (24 January – 16 February 1944). This picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Briessa with the original press photo caption as follow: "Zu den Durchbruckskämpfen westlich Tscherkassy. Die für die erfolgreichen Durchbruchskämpfe westlich Tscherkassy Ausgezeichneten. Im Vordergrund der vom Führer mit den Schwertern zum Eichenlaub des Ritterkreuzes ausgezeichneten SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Gille und der mit dem Ritterkreuz ausgezeichnete SS-Hauptsturmführer Leon Degrelle." (On the breakthrough battles west of Cherkasy. Those awarded for the successful breakthrough battles west of Cherkasy. In the foreground, SS-Gruppenführer and Lieutenant General of the Waffen-SS Herbert Gille, who was awarded the Swords to the Oak Leaves of the Knight's Cross by the Führer, and SS-Hauptsturmführer Leon Degrelle, who was awarded the Knight's Cross).

Award ceremony with Hitler for the three "Cherkassy Heroes" who led their men escaping from the Red Army encirclement in Korsun-Cherkassy pocket (24 January - 16 February 1944). The ceremony was held at Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, on 20 February 1944. The recipients are: Generalleutnant Theobald "Theo-Helmut" Lieb (Kommandierender General XXXXII. Armeekorps), SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), and SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien"). Lieb received both the Ritterkreuz (7 February 1944) and Eichenlaub (18 February 1944)  at the same time; Gille received the Schwerter (20 February 1944); while Degrelle received the Ritterkreuz (20 February 1944). The award ceremony was attended by the Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Chef der SS und deutschen Polizei) and SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Hermann Fegelein (Verbindungsoffizier der Waffen-SS zum Führerhauptquartier).



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) congratulates SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") during the award ceremony for "Cherkassy Heroes" which were held at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, on 20 February 1944. At left is another recipient, SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien"), while at right is SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Hermann Fegelein (Verbindungsoffizier der Waffen-SS zum Führerhauptquartier) and Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Chef der SS und deutschen Polizei). Other pictures from this ceremony can be seen HERE.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") photographed by Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, after the Schwerter award ceremony for the "Heroes of Cherkassy" with Hitler on 20 February 1944. The medal was formally awarded on the same day for the extremely distinguished leadership of his division during the breakout from the Cherkassy pocket. In this time his division was the spearhead of the German forces trapped within the pocket, and it played an invaluable role in allowing the encircled troops to escape.



Three "Heroes of Cherkassy" with SS-Obergruppenführer Dr.rer.pol. Otto Dietrich (right, Reichspressechef der NSDAP). From left to right: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), Generalleutnant Theobald "Theo-Helmut" Lieb (Kommandierender General XXXXII. Armeekorps), and SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien". The picture was taken by the unknown photographer from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann at the Reichspropagandaministerium in Berlin on 21 February 1944, one day after the award ceremony at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia.



Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler (Chef der SS und deutschen Polizei) sharing a lighter moment with two of the "Cherkassy Heroes" from Waffen-SS: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") and SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve Léon Degrelle (right, Kommandeur 5. SS-Freiwilligen-Sturmbrigade "Wallonien"). The picture was taken by the unknown photographer from Presse-Illustrationen Heinrich Hoffmann on 21 February 1944, one day after the award ceremony at the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") photographed by Kriegsberichter Etzhold (Propaganda-Kompanie 670) in his office in the Eastern Front, 21 March 1944. In his neck is the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub which he received on 20 February 1944, while in his uniform is Deutsches Kreuz in Gold which he received on 28 February 1942.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") was awarded the Schwerter to his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 February 1944 for his division’s role in the Cherkassy break-out. He poses with them here. Two months later, on April 19, Gille won the highly prestigious Brillanten after flying into surrounded Kovel and organizing its successful defense. This picture was taken from the book "Knight's Cross Winners of the Waffen SS' by Marc Rikmenspoel.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") in the Eastern Front with his "Wolchow" walking stick popularized by Wehrmacht higher commanders. A traditional Slavic craft made and presented to German officers, they were enhanced with emblems denoting the unit and often its notable engagements. The photo was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Ernst Baumann on 27 April 1944 a few kilometers west of the Polish (now Ukrainian) city of Kovel, during "Unternehmen ILSE" (Operation ILSE) which was designed to eliminate the remaining Soviet siege lines around Kovel. Kampfgruppe Gille was one of the maneuver elements taking part in the battle, along with the 131. Infanterie-Division.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. Gille flew into the encircled Polish city of Kovel to command its forces while Wiking and Heer units fought to the rescue. In the fortress, he requested assistance from the Luftwaffe, since a lengthy defense of the city would not be possible without supply from the air. The Fernglas (binoculars) he used in this photo are not Germans, and it looks like it was ex-WW1 French-made (probably made by Chevalier, Verdi, Huet, or Jumelle). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") is watching friendly bombers flying in the sky, which are flying to bomb the Soviet positions, in an observation trench outside the besieged Kovel, 27 April 1944. The Fernglas (binoculars) he used in this photo are not Germans, and it looks like it was ex-WW1 French-made (probably made by Chevalier, Verdi, Huet, or Jumelle). SS-Obersturmführer Hermann Kaufmann (centre, adjutant Divisionskommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") also used a non-standard 10x50 binoculars (like Carl Zeiss), although they are from more modern type. The third officer with binoculars at right (cropped) is SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.



Brillanten award ceremony for SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Gille formally received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten #12 on 19 April 1944, while the ceremony with Hitler itself was held in the Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze, Rastenburg, on 29 April 1944. Gille’s Brillanten recommendation reads as follows: "The weeks-long, heroic defense of the totally encircled Fortress Kovel despite the greatest of supply difficulties and significant losses against a much superior enemy is solely attributable to the determined leadership and great personal bravery of the General [Gille]. This recommendation is being sent as a radio message due to the situation at the front. A written submission will follow.” The Vorschlag dated 9 April 1944 and signed by Korpskommandeur General der Infanterie Friedrich Hossbach; Countersigned by Armee Oberbefehlshaber Generaloberst Walter Weiβ, Heeresgruppe Oberbefehlshaber Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch, and on 19 April 1944 by by Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.



A picture of Herbert Otto Gille as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS with the Brillanten medal, belong to author Mark C. Yerger. Signed in the late 1950s at his book shop, was Herbert Gille's favorite image of himself. Those who came to the shop got such larger size examples (to big for a standard letter envelope) with the same in a smaller size going to those who wrote him. Signed with his preferred color fountain pen. Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, he is the most combat decorated Waffen-SS officer, along with Sepp Dietrich.



SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (left, Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") in conversation with a grenadier from Heer (Army) who was wounded during the defensive fighting in Kovel, Ukraine. This picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Alois Jarolim on 2 May 1944 and was first published on 18 May 1944.

SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") presenting the Ritterkreuz to SS-Sturmbannführer Franz Hack (Kommandeur III.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania" / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), 14 May 1944. On the left of the photo (not visible) is the future Ritterkreuzträger Paul Senghas. Other pictures from this ceremony can be seen HERE.



Commanders’ Conference of 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", 17 July 1944. Divisionskommandeur Gille (seated) gave the orders for a rescue attempt for a Wehrmacht battalion surrounded by Russian forces. His subordinate officers listened attentively. There was a look of tension on their faces as they shifted closer to hear the Divisionskommandeur give the orders that would move the Wiking regiments to the battle front. From left to right: SS-Obersturmführer Fritz Wolf (Adjutant Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking"), SS-Sturmbannführer Paul Kümmel (Kommandeur I.Abteilung / SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 "Wiking"), SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Bünning (wearing M43 SS-Tropenuniform "Sahariana", Kommander SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 5 "Wiking"); SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Dorr (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Germania"), and SS-Sturmbannführer Günther Sitter (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Westland"). The picture was taken by SS-Kriegsberichter Ernst Baumann in the Kamieniec-Litewski region, Belarus. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.



Herbert Otto Gille as SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS. He was highly regarded for his leadership qualities and tactical abilities. He commanded Waffen-SS units at the regiment, division and corps level with distinction during the war. Gille was popular with his men and admired for his personal bravery. Despite being an early Nazi Party member, Gille was known for his apolitical views. The author Heinz Höhne in The Order under the Death Head characterized Gille as an enigma and "Nur-Soldat" (soldier – nothing else) who once threatened a newly assigned Weltanschauungsoffizier (political indoctrination officer) with a clean-out squad to gather his uniforms and other possessions and throw them and the officer out of the unit.



Lagebesprechung (briefing) between two Brillantenträger from Heer and Waffen-SS. From left to right: Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Mitte), SS-Gruppenführer and Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps), unknown Oberleutnant, and SS-Hauptsturmführer Werner Westphal (acting Ia Operation Officer IV. SS-Panzerkorps). The picture was taken on 28 July 1944 when Model made his first visit to Gille's HQ in Rogów, Poland, within days of the activation of his SS-Panzerkorps. They were then planning the armor counterstrike that became known as the Tank Battle of Praga. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.



Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (center, Kommandierender General XXXIX. Panzerkorps), confers with SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (left, Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) and his chief of staff, SS-Obersturmbannführer Manfred Schönfelder (right) during the opening stages of the tank battle at Praga, 31 July 1944. The picture is Courtesy of Günther Lange Archive and was taken from the book "From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.



From left to right: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (left, Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps), General der Panzertruppe Nikolaus von Vormann (Oberbefehlshaber 9. Armee), and Generaloberst Georg-Hans Reinhardt (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe Mitte). Between 30 July - December 1944, IV. SS-Panzerkorps were subordinated to 9. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte.



This picture was taken between July-November 1944. From left to right: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps), SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange (O5 Aide de Camp Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps), and SS-Sturmbannführer Karl-Willy Schulze (Adjutant Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps). Lange is holding a situation map for his corps commander. He had been serving as a platoon leader in the 2nd Battalion of SS Panzer Regiment 5 until he was selected to replace Hermann Kaufmann as Gille's O5. After the war, Lange returned to his art studio and earned a master's degree equivalent in art, while pursuing a career as an officer in the Bundeswehr, where he finally retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 20 years of service. The picture was taken from the book "From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.



As part of his normal duties, SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) made it a point to visit every division command post at least once a day. In this photograph, taken in early August 1944, Gille (left) is speaking to SS-Oberführer Helmuth Becker (center, Kommandeur 3. SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf"). Behind Becker stands two of his key officers, SS-Obersturmbannführer Josef Swientek (Kommandeur SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf") and SS-Obersturmbannführer Erich Eberhardt (Ia Operations Officer 3. SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf"). On the right, with map board slung over his shoulder, is SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange, Gille’s new O5 Begleitoffizier.



From left to right: SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps), SS-Standartenführer Josef Swientek (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 3 / 3.SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf”), and SS-Standartenführer Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp (Führer 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). This photo was taken in August 1944 on the Eastern Front. At that time Gille's SS-Panzerkorps was in charge of the Totenkopf and Wiking Divisions. The picture is Courtesy of Günther Lange Archive and was taken from the book "From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.



In this picture, SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (right, Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) and his Chief of Staff, SS-Obersturmbannführer Manfred Schönfelder (center) speak with the new First General Staff Officer (Ia) of the 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", German Army Major im Generalstab Otto Kleine. This photo was taken early August 1944 by SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange, Gille’s new O5 Begleitoffizier.



This photo was taken by SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange (O5 aide-de-camp Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) in mid-August 1944 east of Warsaw, and it depicts a conversation between SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille, who had been elevated to the position of commander of the IV SS Panzer Corps, and SS-Obersturmbannführer Fritz Darges (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"). Gille's pet dog "Strolch" can be seen in the foreground. Gille's dog survived the war, but what became of him afterwards is unknown. An enlisted man adopted him while the division was in its first camp shortly after the surrender but after that? No other information available. Lange escamped from the POW camp and of course Gille was taken into custody by duplicitous means and didn't have his dog with him at the time.



From left to right: General der Panzertruppe Nikolaus von Vormann (Oberbefehlshaber 9. Armee) and SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps). The picture was taken in the period between August-September 1944, when IV. SS-Panzerkorps were under the command of 9. Armee. Gille is wearing the Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in his neck, which he received on 19 April 1944.


This photo of (from L to R) SS-Obersturmbannführer Manfred Schönfelder (Chef des Stabes IV. SS-Panzerkorps), SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert-Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkrosp), and SS-Obersturmführer Günter Jahnke (1. Ordonnansoffizier 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking") was taken in November or December 1944 outside of the Modlin Fortress, Poland. The forward command post of the IV. SS-Panzerkorps was located in the fortress from mid-October to late December 1944.

On 9 November 1944, SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) dedicated the new Soldatenfriedhof (wartime cemetery) in Modlin, Poland. In addition to the ceremony itself, a reception was held shortly afterwards inside the Modlin Fortress. Besides Gille, in attendance were the commanders of the Totenkopf and Wiking Divisions, their staffs, and various local dignitaries from the German administration of occupied Poland. This picture shows Korpskommandeur Gille (center) views the newly-dedicated ceremony. To the immediate right of Gille stands SS-Standartenführer Karl Ullrich, the commander of the Wiking Division. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Polish Front, January 1945: While holding a wolchowstock (the walking stick for German officers and non-commissioned officers typical of the Eastern Front), SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) chatted with SS- Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Hellmuth Becker (Kommandeur 3. SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf") who was under his command. Far left behind Gille is SS-Sturmbannführer Adolf Pittschellis (Führer SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 / 3.SS-Panzer-Division "Totenkopf") who would later be killed in battle on January 26, 1945, just a few days after this photo was taken! BTW, the Ärmelstreifen (cufftitle) attached to Becker's arm is different from the ärmelstreifen commonly worn by other Totenkopf Division personnel. The ärmelstreifen bearing the skull was a sign that the wearer was a former member of the SS-Totenkopfstandard "Oberbayern" in Dachau, and they were allowed to keep it on their arm even after moving to another unit as a form of pride in their old unit.

A Facebook post by author Douglas E. Nash on 16 November 2021: Finally learned the correct name of Herbert Otto Gille's little terrier - his name was "Strolch" which loosely translates to "Scamp." A fitting name, I suppose. Source for the I.D. is the officer who used to be Gille's aide-de-camp, SS-Untersturmführer Günther Lange, who relayed the name to me today. One of the many duties Lange had in addition to making sure Gille got his bowl of Wheaties in the morning, his maps, and staff car on standby was caring for this little dog - walking it, feeding it, cleaning up after him, etc. He was helped in this by Gille's batman, SS-Unterscharführer Balk. The photo above was taken sometime during the first two weeks of March 1945, showing little "Strolch" mucking about in the foreground.

SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) in Hungary, April 1945, with SS-Sturmbannführer Herbert Jankuhn (left), his Ic Intelligence Officer from 27 July 1944 - April 1945. Jankuhn (8 August 1905 – 30 April 1990) was a German archaeologist who specialized in the archaeology of Germanic peoples. He is best known for his excavations at the Viking Age site of Hedeby, and for his instrumental role in the publishing of the second edition of the Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde. The picture is Courtesy of Günther Lange Archive and was taken from the book "From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.



From left to right: SS-Obersturmbannführer Hans Bünning (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 5 / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), SS-Standartenführer Karl Ullrich (Kommandeur 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"), and SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps). The picture was taken in Hungary in 1945. John P. Moore photo collection.

Former members of the Waffen-SS march through the streets of Verden, Niedersachsen, while being watched by the watchful eyes of British Military Police officer at left. They came to the post-war reunion of former members of the Waffen-SS (Nachkriegstreffen der Waffen-SS) which was held in Verden on 27 October 1952. Most likely this photo was taken just before the laying of wreaths in memory of their comrades in arms who have fallen during World War II. Second row after the wreath bearers are their leaders, from left to right: Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke, Felix Steiner and Herbert Otto Gille. Ramcke was a former general of the Fallschirmjäger (Paratroopers), while Steiner and Gille were both former commanders of the SS "Wiking" Division. Ramcke and Gille were both the recipients of Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, while Steiner "only" received the Schwerter for his Ritterkreuz (one level lower than Brillanten).

Former general of the Waffen-SS, Herbert Otto Gille, gives a speech on the 16th of November in 1952 during a meeting of the "Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit der Angehörigen der ehemaligen Waffen-SS e.V." (short: HIAG, translates as: "Mutual Help Association of Former Waffen-SS Members") in Gelsenkirchen. The HIAG fights for juristical and societal separation of the Waffen-SS and the Allgemeine-SS, which were on duty in the concentration camps of the Nazi period. In an article by Otto Kumm, former General of the Waffen SS, which appeared in Der Freiwillige, he notes that the origin of HIAG goes back to 1949. Kameraden of the former 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen" got together in Hamburg to form a group with the objective to assist ex-Waffen SS members in prison and in financial need and to combat the defamation of the Waffen SS by the Nuremberg trials. This small group grew quickly from 50 to 100. They decided on the name Hilfsgemeinschaft auf Gegenseitigkeit (HIAG): Fellowship for Mutual Support. In the following months the numbers grew to 700-800 men. In 1951 the number of members in the club were 1500 to 1700. The HIAG movement mushroomed all over Germany. The spread of information came from the original publication "Ausweg" which was later replaced by "Wiking Ruf" (published by Herbert Otto Gille). In the 50s and 60s the HIAG was quite active organizing meetings and get-togethers (Tagungen). The meetings and get-togethers with the marches always attracted a lot of mostly negative publicity. As the key leaders of HIAG died the HIAG movement lost its impetus and is no longer active. The HIAG movement was only partly successful in clearing the Waffen SS reputation (the motto being that they were soldiers like any others). In a way, HIAG was the final chapter of the history of the Waffen SS.

Retired SS-Obergruppenführer Herbert Otto Gille received the 1957 version of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten (Knight's Cross with the oak leaves, swords and diamonds) from the OdR (Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger e. V.) in November 1958. Retired Generalmajor Max Lemke puts on the high order.



Herbert Otto Gille gives the eulogy during the funeral of former Waffen-SS general Felix Steiner which were held on 25 May 1966. His funeral was attended by hundreds of his men who came from all over Europe to pay their last respects. Steiner died on 12 May 1966 in Münich, 11 days before his 70th birthday, and was buried in Friedhof Perlacher Forst (Plot 201, Reihe A, Grab 16). Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

26 December 1966: The funeral of fomer SS general Herbert Otto Gille in his house in Stemmen über Hannover, Niedersachsen, West Germany. On 26 December 1966 Gille passed away after suffering a heart attack in Stemmen, age 68. He was buried at the local cemetery in the city. Unfortunately, for some reason, now the grave is no longer there! Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Source :
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek photo archive
Bundesarchiv photo archive
Agustin Vazquez photo collection
Douglas E. Nash photo collection
Günther Lange photo collection
John P. Moore photo collection
Michael D. Miller photo collection
"From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash
"German Cross in Gold Holders of the SS and Police Volume 7 'Wiking': Adolph to Kempcke" by Mark C. Yerger
"Kampfgruppe Mühlenkamp" by Douglas E. Nash & Remy Spezzano
"Knight's Cross Winners of the Waffen SS' by Marc Rikmenspoel
"Leaders of the SS and German Police" by Michael D. Miller
"Unternehmen Ilse" by Remy Spezzano and Douglas E. Nash
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