Allegiance Nazi Germany Years of service 1935–45 Name Werner Potschke | Service/branch Waffen-SS Rank SS-Sturmbannfuhrer | |
Died 24 March 1945 (1945-03-25) (aged 31)
Veszprem, Hungary Unit 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler | ||
Werner Herman Gustav Potschke (6 March 1914 – 24 March 1945) was a German SS officer during World War II, eventually rising to the rank of Sturmbannfuhrer.
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Early life
Potschke was born in Brussels in Belgium on 6 March 1914. He joined the SS in 1935 with SS number 288 965, attached to the SS Disposal unit before being posted in 1938 to SS-Standarte "Der Fuhrer" as a platoon commander.
World War II
In 1939 he was involved in the invasion of Poland in charge of a platoon of the reconnaissance company of the SS Regiment "Der Fuhrer". By 1940 and the start of the Battle of France he was in command of the 1st Company, Reconnaissance Battalion, SS-Verfugungstruppe. In 1941 he took part in the Balkans campaign and fought from June 1941 in Russia. In April 1942 he was given command of the 2nd SS Reconnaissance Battalion SS Division "Das Reich", being awarded the German Cross in gold in November. In April 1943, he was transferred to command the I Battalion, SS Panzer Regiment 1 "LSSAH" in Grafenwohr and Erlangen, also seeing service in August 1943 in Italy. From December 1943 he was back in Russia and for his achievements in the cauldron of the Kamanets-Podolsky battle was awarded the Knights Cross. In November 1944 he was promoted to SS Sturmbannfuhrer and given command of the SS Panzer Regiment 1 "LSSAH", which led the German attack during the Ardennes offensive. During this campaign, troops under his command engaged in the Malmedy massacre. After the failure of that attack the Division was moved to Hungary and for his performance at the Gran bridgehead on 15 March 1945 was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross. Later that month while fighting to the south of Veszprem, he received serious wounds to the lower extremities caused by mortar shells during a commanders' briefing on 23 March. He died of his wounds on 24 March 1945.