Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Rank Oberfuhrer | Years of service 1933–45 Name Walter Bestmann Service/branch Waffen-SS | |
Unit Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf
10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg
SS-Junkerschule Klagenfurt 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 Died June 17, 1958, Lubeck, Germany | ||
Walter Bestmann (2 October 1907 – 17 June 1958) was an Oberfuhrer (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.
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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 Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) in August 1933.
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.
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.
In September 1942, Walter Bestmann was promoted to Sturmbannfuhrer (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.
Post war
Walter Bestmann survived the war and died on the 17 June 1958 in Lubeck.