Wilhelm Ahrweiler

Hauptscharführer

Date of Birth: 24. März 1910
Birth Place: Garmisch, Deutschland

Also known as "Wild Willi" for his crazy sense of humour, Wilhelm joined the SS-VT on 20 April 1936 and after training was transferred to SS-Sonderkommando Zossen in Berlin. Upon the outbreak of war, Wilhelm saw action in Poland, Holland, France, and Greece with the LSSAH Aufklarung Zug. He was wounded in the head, knee, and foot when his armored car was hit in Russia. Pfaffenberger and Ahrweiler survived... the rest of the crew perished. In 1941 he was transferred to the newly formed LSSAH Aufklarungs Abteilung and served in Kompanie 1. He was in Italy for the disarming of the Italian military and saw action in Normandy, the Ardenne, Hungary, and Vienna. He surrendered to the American Army in Austria with the remainder of his Kompanie in May of 1945.

More Photos of Wilhelm

Michael Würtz

Unterscharführer - Schwere MG Grupp

Date of Birth: 15. Okt 1914
Birth Place: Worms, Deutschland

Joined the SS in 1941 just in time for "BARBAROSSA". Served as a runner for Jochen Peiper during his 1st year in Russia. Fought at Karkov, Kursk and was in Italy for disarmement of Italian Military. Lost his family in Allied air raid in 1944. Was with the 1st Aufklarung in Normandy through "WACHT AM RHEIN" and "SPRING AWAKENING". Surrendered to Amis in Austria in 1945.

More Photos of Würtz

Jurgen Haack

Unterscharführer

Date of Birth: 24. Jan 1915
Birth Place: Stuttgart, Deutschland

Haack was born the son of a wealthy businessman in Stuttgart. Not wishing to enter into the family business, Haack was accepted into the Wurttemberg Landespolizei in 1934. In 1935 Haack joined the NSDAP and in 1937 enlisted in the Schutzstaffel. Haack was assigned to the SS- Leibstandarte. Standing 203.2 cm tall Haack was posted to the 4th Wach Battalion and served at the Reich Chancellery as a guard on Voss Strasse. With the Leibstandarte gearing up for war, Haack was assigned to SS-Obersturmfuhrer Kurt Meyer's Panzerabwehr Kompanie. Haack participated in the annex of Austria, occupation of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland. Haack did not see much action while serving with the Panzerabwehr Kompanie. Wishing to see more battle, he transferred to the Kradschutzen Kompanie and saw action in the invasion of France and the Low Countries. Following the western campaign the Kradschutzen Kompanie was reorganized into the LSSAH's Aufklarungs Abteilung. Haack saw extensive action in the Balkans and Greece. During the early stages of invasion of Russia Haack was promoted to Unterscharfuhrer. Haack distinguished himself during the battle for Kharkov. Due to the losses the unit suffered on the eastern front Haack was sent to SS-Junkerschule Bad Tolz as an Officer candidate. Haack was able to escape over the Elbe and surrender to the Americans. After spending a year at Flossenberg prison Haack returned to Stuttgart. In 1955 he joined the Bundeswehr and was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann. After retiring from the Bundeswehr, Haack worked for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG as a salesman.

Dirk Welker

Sturmmann - Scharfschutze

Date of Birth: 20. März 1916
Place of Birth: Danzig, East Prussia

With the re-unification of Danzig with Germany in 1939, Welker volunteered for the SS Heimwehr Danzig to serve the Fatherland in the invasion of Poland. His unit was later dissolved, and Welker used family political connections to have himself transferred to the 1st Waffen-SS Panzer Division. Records have him with the LSSAH Aufklarungs Abteilung, serving in Kompanie 1 for the remainder of his service. After being wounded and captured by British forces in early 1945, he has unlawfully executed upon discovery that he was a sniper.

Garin Hellmann

Date of Birth: 9 Feb. 1926
Birth Place: Bremen, Deutschland

As a youth, Garin was an active member in the Hitler Youth. He joined the 12th SS Hitlerjugend in 1943 and after training was sent with the division to the area just south of Caen. On 6 June, Garin's unit, the 2. Kp. Panzer Grenadier Regiment 25 was mobilized on the order to get ready for the front as Allied paratroopers had landed. Fighting the Canadians and British, Garin narrowly escaped the Falaise Gap. Was seperated with his unit soon afterwards and was transferred to 1st SS Aufklarung. Fought with the Aufklarung until the end of the War and surrendered with them to American forces in Austria in 1945.

Ottilie Louise von Tonn

Oberwachtfuhrerin

Date of Birth: 1. Aug. 1918
Birth Place: Bonn, Deutschland

“Tillie” was the youngest of three. Her father Fritz Erich was a Junkers landowner and farmer, her mother Almeda was a minor aristocrat, both were from East Prussia. Eldest brother Caption Fritz Erich von Tonn was in the 6th Panzer Division and killed in France in 1940. Her other older brother, Waldo Erich von Tonn, was a pilot and was shot down over the desert at the Battle of El Alamein. Her family was very anti-Communist and supported Tillie joining the BDM in 1933. She held a leadership role as a Gaufuhrerin before attending medical school at Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin in 1937. In 1939 she joined the National Socialist Women’s Organization Frauenschaft. After losing both her brothers in 1940, she left college and volunteered as a Nurse for the politically controlled NS under the control of the NSV.

Highest promotion in 30.1.1944 was Oberwachtfuhrerin. Performed medical duties on the Eastern Front and at the Battle of the Bulge. Her parents were killed by advancing Allied troops in 1945. Tillie was stationed at a Berlin hospital until it fell to Russian troops on May 1st. She and another nurse were cornered in the basement of the hospital and the only way to defend themselves was to shoot the first four Soviets that attacked before turning the gun on herself and her friend.

Udo Kraus

Oberscharführer

Date of Birth: 06. Okt 1917
Birth Place: Hammelburg, Deutschland

Udo was born the son of a butcher in Hammelburg in 1917. After his father entered the Wehrmacht in 1941, Udo felt he should uphold his family's military history and soon after joined the 1st SS. Saw heavy fighting in Russia at Merefa and Kursk. Participated in several anti-partisan operations in Italy in the fall of 1943. Also fought at Normandy and in the Ardennes offensive. Captured by Russian forces in Hungary in 1945, Udo escaped captivity and eventually made the long journey home, walking most of the way.

More Photos of Kraus

1. Rotte

Hans Maurer

Unterscharführer

Date of Birth: 19. Jan 1915
Place of Birth: Fürth, Deutschland

Hans Maurer was born in Fürth, outside Nürnberg in 1915, the son of a brewer. He completed Gymnasium in Nürnberg and an apprenticeship with his father before joining the SS-Standarte Deutschland in 1940. He completed basic training and infantry specialist school, joining his regiment, part of the then-SS Division Reich, in time for operations in Yugoslavia. He fought with the Division through Barbarossa, and was injured and evacuated in Nov 1941. Following a stay in hospital, he was transferred to LSSAH, initially to 2. Kp, II Btl. With the exception of short recuperation periods, he fought with the Division through all its major actions through to the end of the war, surrendering with it in Austria in May 1945.

Marcus Hertz

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 8. Sept 1919
Birth Place: Rostock, Deutschland

Born a fisherman's son, Marcus joined the Waffen SS in late 1941 after his cousin was killed fighting in Russia. He was assigned to Ahrweiler's gruppe from the start and remained there through the fighting in Russia where he was wounded in anti-partisan actions. He continued with the gruppe through Russia, Normandie, Belgium, and was captured in Hungary. After his release, he fled to the west before the Iron Curtain trapped the rest of his people inside Communist controlled East Germany.

More Photos of Hertz

Thomas Kalter

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 16. Dez 1920
Birth Place: Fuchsstadt, Deutschland

While a student at Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Kalter learned of the death of his older brother Ernst during the Second Battle of Kharkov. Mourning the loss of his brother, Kalter believed the responsibility for defending the Reich had fallen to him. He left school and enlisted with the Waffen-SS. He was promptly integrated into the 1. SS LAH Aufklärung during the spring of 1943; in time to take part in the battle of Kursk. During the disarmament of Italy, Kalter was involved in a number of small skirmishes against partisans. Furthermore, in 1944 he fought without fear in the defense of Normandy and the Ardennes Offensive. Kalter stayed with his unit for the remainder of the war. However, his ultimate fate is unknown.

More Photos of Kalter

Detlef Lebeau

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 1. Okt 1912
Birth Place: Saint-Dizier, Frankreich

Born to a French father and a German mother, Detlef was taunted as a youth by his schoolmates as being “Le boche”. Later, as an adult, he would prove his loyalty to France upon joining the French Army in 1938. He fought in the 1940 campaign, was captured, and sent to a POW camp in Germany. In 1941 Detlef was recruited into the “Legion des Volontaires Francais contre le Bolchevisme” or LVF and served on the Eastern front. In 1942 after being wounded in the neck by a piece of shrapnel and nearly dying from loss of blood, he was sent to Paris to recuperate in a military hospital. A week before he was due to be released he snuck out of the hospital and walked into the central Paris Waffen SS recruiting office and enlisted. Due to his half German lineage and combat experience he was accepted and assigned to the 1st SS Aufklarung who were were refitting near Paris at the time. Detlef served with the Aufklarung for the remainder of the war and surrendered to the Americans along with the rest of his unit in 1945. The US Army handed him over to the French and he was convicted of treason and sentenced to 20 years hard labor. Once again he found himself in a POW camp and once again he was recruited to fight communism. In 1948 he was shipped off to Indochina with the French Foreign Legion. Detlef was killed during a firefight with the Viet Minh in 1951 when he was trampled and gored by a startled water buffalo.

Anton Schmidt

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 14. Nov 1909
Birth Place: Pankow, Deutschland

The son of a municipal official and vehement anti-communist, Schmidt spent his teenage years fighting in the streets of depression-era Berlin. Joined the LSSAH in February 1940, serving in the regiment's Kradschützenkompanie. He stayed with the unit through reorganization into Aufklärungs Abteilung and participated in the Balkan Campaign and the invasion of Russia. It was in Russia where Schmidt discovered a talent for destroying enemy tanks, amassing a sizeable but unconfirmed kill tally. Schmidt was with his Kompanie on 2 May 1945 when, on learning of the unconditional surrender of Germany, produced a pistol and took his own life.

Stefan Götz

Sturmmann

Date of Birth: 12 April, 1912
Place of Birth: Köln, Deutschland

Stefan was born and raised in Köln. Like his father, he was a factory worker building diesel motors for Klöckner-Humbolt-Deutz AG until shortly after the outbreak of war. Stefan joined the Waffen SS and was assigned to 1st SS. He participated in the battles of Kursk, Karkhov, the Ardennes and Vienna. On April 14, 1945, Stefan was killed during fierce combat outside Vienna. His death was not in vain, however, as the fighting in which he participated allowed thousands of refugees to flee westward and escape the atrocities which assuredly awaited them at the hands of the Russians.

Michael Plaas

Sturmmann

Date of Birth: 1904
Birth Place: Frankfurt am Main

Too young for WW1 he joined Freikorps "von Neufville“ in 1919. The vicious street fighting aged young Michael and educated him more than any school ever could. He fought in the Baltikum and Oberschlesien. In the late 1920´s he worked in the new airline business, organizing material transports to and from the Soviet Union for the secret rearming of the Reichswehr. Through his dealings with the Soviets, he learned the truth about the "Paradise of Workers“ firsthand. In the late 1930´s, after the end of the cooperation with the Soviets, he joined the Verfügungstruppe. Barbarossa saw Michael advancing on Moscow with the "Das Reich“ Division where he suffered severe frostbite in the winter of 1941. Michael's outspoken criticism and nausea of Nazi policies often got him in trouble. He even went as far to insulted the Führer and the Nazi leaders several times in public. Only due to his Freikorps merits was he was allowed to join the LAH to die at the front instead of being shot. In 1945 he disappeared over the Alps. He is believed to live somewhere in South-America.

Friederich Lang

Sturmmann

Date of Birth: 24 Dez. 1910
Place of Birth: Waldenburg, Deutschland

Friederich volunteered for the Luftwaffe in the Fall of 1942 to avoid being conscripted. After completing training, he and several hundred other Luftwaffe personnel were loaded into trucks and delivered to the LAH barracks of Berlin-Lichterfelde, given LAH uniforms, and were informed they had been transferred. He was sent to the Russian front while the LAH was in a brief rest period after the Charkov battle in May 1943. Volunteered for the Aufklarung upon arrival in Russia. Fought at Kursk that summer and participated in the disarming of the Italian Army in Italy. Friederich was lightly wounded in the battles of Normandy and returned to duty prior to the beginning of the Ardennes Offensive. Afterwards was hospitalized during the offensive due to a case of frostbite. Recovered from frostbite and deployed to Hungary with the LAH for the relief of Budapest. He was recovering from serious wounds received near Lake Balaton when the hospital was overrun by the Soviet Army. Friederich was able to conceal his membership in the Waffen SS due to lack of blood group tatoo. He was deemed unfit for hard labor and released from Soviet captivity in 1946. Returned to West Germany and found work at the Wolfsburg VW plant, where he was employed until retirement.

Jurgen "Gert" Wiedenbruck

Oberschütze

Date of Birth: 18. Dez 1912
Place of Birth: Freising, Deutschland

Jürgen “Gert“ Wiedenbrück, the son of a policeman and a seamstress, was born in Freising in 1912. His family moved to Müchen when he was 3 years old as his father looked for work. Gert’s father returned his family back to Freising after civil unrest in Müchen due to the loss of the Great War. He went on to study history at the Universität Müchen and became a teacher of history. Wiedenbrück left home and enlisted in the Waffen-SS just weeks prior to Operation Barbarossa in 1941 as the fear and threat of communist Russia grew within Deutschland. While in Russia he was attached with the 1st SS and in 1943 attached to the 1st SS Aufklärung. Wiedenbrück participated in many battles with the 1st SS including those in Kharkov, Italy, Normandy, and the Ardennes. Wiedenbrück answered Hitler’s call and went to defend Berlin in 1945 in the “Last Days” battles. He believed that it was his duty to defend the Vaterland against the threat of the Bolshevik invaders. His family received his last letter from Berlin in late April ’45. Wiedenbrück’s fate is unknown he was never heard from or seen again.

Heinrich Berthold

Oberschütze

Date of Birth: 22 Juni 1919
Place of Birth: Bamberg, Deutschland

Heinrich was born to a school teacher mother and a World War 1 cavalry veteran father in the summer of 1919. At a young age he was informed his uncle had been murdered by communist revolutionaries in 1920. Because of this he grew into an adamant anti-communist. When his cousin was wounded in action serving with SS-V Regiment Germania in the Battle of France he enlisted in the Waffen-SS. After training he was assigned to LSSAH Aufklärungs Abteilung Kompanie 1. Schutze Berthold saw his first action in the Balkans Campaign. On Heinrich’s birthday he got his chance to fight in Operation Barbarossa. He participated in the capture of Rostov and the hard fighting at Kharkov and Kursk. He remained with the Aufklärungs Abteilung seeing heavy action at Normandy and in the Ardennes Offensive. Heinrich fought in the successful Sudwind Offensive in February 1945 and the Fruhlingserwachen Offensive in March. He surrendered with the rest of his unit to American forces in Austria in May 1945. In 1948, growing tired because of boredom, he contacted his old LSSAH comrade Detlef Lebeau. Joining the French Foreign Legion with Lebeau he soon was ordered to French Indo-China to fight the communist Viet-Minh. In 1952 his Legionnaire unit was over run by a much larger force of Viet-Minh. Heinrich Berthold was reported killed in action 4 July 1952.

Dietrich Kriel

Schütze

Date of Birth: 30. Okt 1927
Place of Birth: Hundheim, Deutschland

Dietrich was born into a wealthy family in Hundheim, Deutschland. He was involved in the Hitlerjugend from a young age and showed an ability to lead while a member. In 1943, at age 16, he was drafted into the 12th SS Hitlerjugend. When his unit was destroyed in the Falaise Gap, he was transferred into the 1st SS Aufklarung with his cousin Jurgen "Gert" Wiedenbruck. Dietrich fought with the unit throughout the remainder of the year and into 1945. He answered the call in the "Last Days", and was killed by Russian troops while attempting to surrender on April 25, 1945.

Erwin Bältze

Schütze

Date of Birth: 2. Jan 1924
Birth Place: Salzburg, Austria

Erwin was born in Salzburg, Austria in 1924. Having completed Gymnasium in 1942 Erwin decided to enlist in the Waffen-SS. Erwin grasped military concepts quickly and had no trouble making it through basic training. Upon graduation Erwin was assigned to the 1.SS and was put into the Aufklärung. He saw his first combat in the third battle of Kharkov, beginning in February of 1943, and was in the thick of the fighting the whole campaign. While he was in Italy he helped with the disarmament of the Italians and enganged partisan forces in the area. Erwin went on to serve with the 1.SS throughout the rest of the war and saw more heavy fighting in Normandy and the major Ardennes offensive, serving bravely in both areas. He stayed with the unit the remainder of the war and was eventually reported missing in the last days of fighting but he most likely made it into allied hands on his own.

Heinrich Grimm

Schütze

Date of Birth: 18. Okt 1920
Place of Birth: Hesse, Deutschland

Rudolf Warbeck

Schütze

Date of Birth: 22 May 1922
Place of Birth: Munich, Deutschland

Rudolf joined the Waffen SS in 1941 and was posted to the 8th Company LSSAH in time for Operation Barbarossa. After battles at Kiev and Kursk, his division was sent to France for rest and refit. Soon after he was transferred to the Aufklärung where he stayed until the closing days of the war. He reportly deserted and went West where he surrendered to American forces.

Lukas Schafer

Schütze

Date of Birth: 21. Apr 1922
Place of Birth: Aue,Deutschland

Lukas was born to a military family in Aue, Duetschland. His father had served in the first Weltkrieg and instilled strong national pride into his son. Schafer joined the Hitlerjunged in 1935. However, upon the invasion of Poland, Lukas left the HJ early against the wishes of his father and joined the 10th Panzer Division. He served in the invasion of France and was slightly wounded in the leg during the siege of Calais. While recovering, Schafer began to see flaws in the Heer when compared to the SS. Afterwards, Schafer put in for a transfer to the 1st SS in August 1940. He served with the 1st from the Balkans until surrendering in Austria with the unit.

Rothgar Röhm

Schütze

Date of Birth: 18 Aug. 1921
Place of Birth: Gustrow, Deutschland

Rothgar worked as a fisherman in a small village on the outskirts of Gustrow. Torn between feeding his family or his loyalty to Germany, he left his home at the begining of the war to fight alongside others in the fight against Bolshevism. He fought in Operation Barbarossa, seeing action at both Uman and Kiev. After brutal winter fighting near the River Mius, he went missing in action and was never heard from or seen again.

Hugo Schweiger

Unterscharführer

Date of Birth: 17. Nov 1921
Birth Place: Solingen-Wald, Deutschland

After Schweiger's recruiter promised him a chance to drive a motorcycle, he enlisted in the Waffen-SS in August 1940 to escape the boredom of RAD service. After completing recruit and infantry training with SS Feld Ersatz Abteilung 1, Schweiger's motorcycle instruction was cut short in September 1941 because the invasion of Russia was bogging down after its initial success and casualty-depleted LAH Aufklarungs Abteilung urgently needed replacements. Hurriedly shipped to southern Russia, he received a cruel baptism of fire during the assault on Melitopol. Ironically, Schweiger's abbreviated motorcycle training was never completed because his company was re-equipped with Volkswagen amphibious cars the following spring. Schweiger remained with LAH Aufkl. Abt. 1 until he was reported missing near Vienna during last week of April 1945. His fate is unknown.

More Photos of Schweiger

Christian Krüger

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 26. Feb 1917
Birth Place: Bad Allorman, Deutschland

Christian Krüger was born 26 Feb 1907 in the town of Bad Allorman outside of Panderborn, Germany. His father, a professor of political science, encouraged him to enlist in the Waffen SS after the war began. Joined 9th SS Hohenstaufen on July 18th 1943. After SS recruit training he reported to company HQ. Krüger grew tired of administration work and begged to be transferred to the Infantry. Transferred to 1st Battalion 2nd Kompanie 20th Panzer Grenadier regiment soon after. In Late March 1944, the unit was sent to Russia to releive the 1st Panzerarmee from encirclement. Krüger was involved in heavy fighting at Caen and Arnhem and was sent home on leave afterwards. Upon returning to the front, he was informed of his transfer to the 1st SS Aufklarung. Fought in the Ardenne, Operation Frühlingserwachen, and Vienna. Krüger surrendered along with his unit to American forces in May 1945.

Jurgen Krieg

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 25. April 1915
Place of Birth: Pirmasens, Deutschland

Jurgen was born the son of a coal miner in the small village of Muenchweiller. He attended the University in Kaiserslautern to pursue a career as a policeman. Shortly after the invasion of Poland, his brother was killed in combat, and soon after he enlisted in the Waffen SS to take up what his brother had started. After infantry and pionier training he took part in Unternehmen Barbarossa. Was attached to the LSSAH 1st Aufklarung soon after and participated in the 1943 Kursk Campaign. Later was sent to Italy to help disarm the surrendering Italian forces and hunt partisans. Afterwards fought in western France after the D-Day invasions. Fought several retreating battles in various rearguard actions until finally surrenduring to the US Army in 1945. Went on to be a Policeman after the war and assisted the US Army with law enforcement duties.

Walter Jäkel

Rottenführer

Date of Birth: 27. July 1922
Place of Birth: Leipzig, Deutschland

Walter joined the Waffen SS in 1941 after dropping out of flight school for medical reasons. He was assigned to the 1.SS LSSAH and saw his first combat in the Crimea during the battle for the Perekop Isthmus. He requested to be transferred to the 1. SS Aufklarung so he could train as a pionier. He remained with the unit until going missing near Graz in March 1945.

Erik Faulhaber

Sturmmann

Date of Birth: 21. Aug 1919
Place of Birth: Dortmund, Deutschland

Erik grew up on a farm working the land with his father, mother, and 3 younger brothers. As the war broke out, Erik felt that it was his duty as a German to fight for his country. He joined the fight and because of his ancestry, was assigned to the 1st SS in 1941. He was trained as a Pionier and sent to the Aufklarung gruppe. Erik first saw action during Operation Barbarossa, where he remained with the unit for several years fighting on the Eastern and Western fronts. While on a night patrol, Erik's pionier gruppe was hit by allied mortar fire. Erik received several wounds to the head and neck and lost his hearing in the right ear. He spent 2 weeks in a field hospital where he recovered and returned to the fight. After his unit surrendered in Austria, he was handed over to the Russians where he was kept in a POW camp. Erik and 3 other members of his unit escaped the Russian POW camp in 1947. Erik returned to Germany only to find his home in ruin and his family gone.

Ludwig Hemmer

Oberschütze

Date of Birth: 2. Feb 1904
Birth Place: Neunstadt Wurttemburg
Ludwig was born the son of a police officer. A woodworker by trade, Ludwig decided he wanted to do more for his country and enlisted in the Luftwaffe in 1938. He qualified for the Fallschirmjagers and was attached to the 7th Fleiger division. He then participated in Operation Fall Gelb, the invasion of France, the Netherlands and Belgium, and was involved in the battles for the Veldwezelt and Vroenhoven bridges. He fought at Herakleion on Crete. From Crete he was posted on the East Front in the area South East of Leningrad defending against fierce Russian resistance. In March of 1943 he was incorporated into the 2nd Fallschirmjager Division and dispatched to Avignon France to serve as reserve for the German 10th Army in Italy. Longing for more action and observing the combat savvy of the SS, Ludwig applied for a transfer into the Waffen SS and was accepted. He participated with the LAH in various actions such as the disarmament of Italian troops after their capitulation to the Allies and also in Russia in numerous offensive and holding battles, eventually transferring with the LAH to the Western front. Along with 12th SS HJ, Ludwig participated with the LAH in the attack of the Bridge Head at Gran Hungary, in which the Russian 7th Guards Army was destroyed in the battle. From there Ludwig fought along with the Unit in a series of delaying actions until the final capitulation in April 1945, where his Unit Commander and a number of kameraden surrendered at Kufstein just South East of Munich.

Eckhart Adler

Oberschütze

Date of Birth: 8. April 1922
Place of Birth: Frankfurt, Deutschland

Eckhart was born into a low class family in Frankfurt. He joined the Waffen SS in 1938 to please his father. He saw action in Poland, Holland, France and Russia. In 1941 he transferred to the 1 SS Aufklarung. He fought in the battles at Normandy and the Ardennes. He stayed with the group until their surrender in Austria in 1945.

Robert Zessle

Schütze

Date of Birth: 8, Aug. 1921
Place of Birth: Thal, Österreich

Robert Zessle was born in a small town in southern Austria where he excelled at school work and studies. In 1938 Robert was at the university in Vienna when the Anschluss of Austria was declared. He welcomed the Germans with open arms, as did the majority of his class mates. In 1941 Robert joined the fight against the Russian hordes. He was originally assigned to an Austrian infantry unit but later requested to be transfered to the Waffen SS. Robert's reason for requesting transfer was from him witnessing the effectivness in combat performed by the Waffen SS. He was assigned to the 1st SS where he became a pioneer for the Aufklarung Gruppe. Robert stayed with the unit until its surrender in Austria. He was taken to a Soviet POW camp, his fate is unknown.