Walter Bestmann
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Walter Bestmann
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| File:WalterBestmann.jpg | |
| Born | 2 October 1907 Lübeck, Germany |
| Died | 17 June 1958 (aged 50) Lübeck, Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ |
 Waffen SS |
| Years of service | 1933–45 |
| Rank | Oberführer |
| Unit | Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg SS-Junkerschule Klagenfurt |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Eastern Front Medal 1941/42 Demyansk Shield Wound Badge in Silver Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze |
Walter Bestmann (2 October 1907 – 17 June 1958) was an Oberführer (Senior Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Contents
Early life
Walter Bestmann was born on the 2 October 1907 in Luebeck. He was one of the early volunteers to join the SS (SS service number 20.135), NSDAP (Party Number 307,449) and was selected to become an officer promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) in August 1933. [1][2]
World War II
In September 1939 he was in command of the 4th (MG)(Machine Gun) Company, LSSAH (Leibestandarte 1st Division SS-Adolf Hitler) for the Polish Campaign and was then given command of the III.Battalion, 1st SS Infantry Regiment, in the newly formed SS Totenkopf Division for the Battle of France.[1][2]
He participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), in 1941 where he was awarded the Knight's Cross in September 1941 while in command of the 3rd SS Reconnaissance Battalion, SS Totenkopf.[1][2]
In September 1942, Walter Bestmann was promoted to Sturmbannführer (Major) and given command of the 10th SS Panzer Regiment, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg until September 1943 when he took over as the commander of the SS-Junkerschule at Klagenfurt until the end of the war.[1][2]
Post war
Walter Bestmann survived the war and died on the 17 June 1958 in Lübeck.[1][2]
Commands
- 4th (M.G.) Company, LSSAH
- III.Battalion, 1st SS Infantry Regiment, SS Totenkopf
- 3rd SS Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion, SS Totenkopf
- 10th SS Panzer Regiment, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg
- SS-Junkerschule Klagenfurt [2]
Promotions
- Untersturmführer 10.07.1933
- Obersturmführer 01.01.1935
- Hauptsturmführer 10.03.1935
- Sturmbannführer 1939
- Obersturmbannführer 01.09.1942
- Standartenführer 21.12.1943
- Oberführer
References
Further reading
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Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
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| Stab |
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| SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf" |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 5 "Totenkopf" |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 "Totenkopf" | ||
| SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1 |
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| SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke" |
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| SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3 |
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| SS-(Panzer-)Artillerie-Regiment 3 |
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| SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 3 |
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| SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung(-Batterie) 3 | ||
| SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung "Totenkopf" |
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| SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon "Totenkopf" later SS-Krad-Schützen-Regiment "Thule" |
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| SS-(Panzer-)Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 | ||
| SS-Pionier-Bataillon 3 |
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| SS-Flak-Abteilung 3 | ||
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1Knight's Cross with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke", Oak Leaves with the Stab. 2Knight's Cross with SS-Artillerie-Regiment 3, Oak Leaves and Swords with the Stab. 3 Knight's Cross with the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie, Oak Leaves with the SS-Panzer-Regiment 3 "Totenkopf". 4Knight's Cross with SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 3, Oak Leaves with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 5 "Totenkopf" and Swords with the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. 5Oak Leaves with the 16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS. 6Knight's Cross with SS-Pionier-Bataillon 3, Oak Leaves with SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke". 7Knight's Cross with the SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung "Totenkopf", Oak Leaves with the SS-Krad-Schützen-Regiment "Thule" and Swords with the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel.
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- Articles with dead external links from July 2012
- All accuracy disputes
- Articles with disputed statements from July 2012
- Pages with broken file links
- Death-date and age transclusions with invalid parameters
- 1907 births
- 1958 deaths
- SS-Oberführer
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Waffen-SS personnel
