Dieter Kesten
Encyclopedia
Dieter Kesten was a Sturmbannführer
(Major), in the Waffen SS during World War II
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
.
He volunteered to join the SS in September 1933, and served with the 7th and 79th Standarte, before being selected to become an officer and was posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig
in April 1936.
After graduation he was posted to the II.Battalion, Germania Regiment, becoming the Ordonnanz offizier on the regimental staff.
Fritz Herrmann the Commander of the Waffen SS Nord, until December 1940. He also occupied the same position for the Commander of the Waffen-SS Ost.
In May 1941 he was posted to the Kampfgruppe Nord, again as the Adjutant until May 1942, when he returned to the Das Reich Division.
He was given command of the 1st Company, SS Regiment Langemarck (27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck) and later was made the Division Adjutant.
He moved to the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment as the 6th Company Commander until November 1943 and it was while in command of the 6th Company that he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
During the Battle of Kharkov
, Das Reich had been transferred south to oppose the Russian
counterattack across the Mius River, and destroying 391 tanks and SU
s (Samokhodnaya ustanovka
(self propelled guns)) from 30 July to 21 August. Das Reich then moved to the outskirts of Kharkov, where it was involved in even heavier fighting. Its Panther battalion first saw combat on 22 July, around Starja-Ljubotin and Kommuna
, knocking out 53 Russian tanks.
The next day, 12 Kilometers west of Kharkov, the platoon of Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) Karl Mühleck
broke up a Russian tank assault. He alone destroyed 7 tanks. On the 24 July, Kesten's 6th Company, newly supplied with side-skirted Panzer IV
s, battled 60 T-34
s between Udy-Bogens and Orkan, south west of Kharkov, which had fallen to the Russians on the previous day. Kesten's panzers knocked out 29 of the 60 tanks. Karl Mühleck and Kesten would later receive Knight's Crosses for these actions.
Kesten was the given the command of the II. Battalion, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment in November 1943.
He was killed in action, near Möllersdorf south of Vienna
on the 3 April 1945.
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major), in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Early life
Dieter Kesten was born on the 9 June 1914 at GelsenkirchenGelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
.
He volunteered to join the SS in September 1933, and served with the 7th and 79th Standarte, before being selected to become an officer and was posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
in April 1936.
After graduation he was posted to the II.Battalion, Germania Regiment, becoming the Ordonnanz offizier on the regimental staff.
World War II
In May 1940 he left the regiment to become the Adjutant to SS-BrigadeführerBrigadeführer
SS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
Fritz Herrmann the Commander of the Waffen SS Nord, until December 1940. He also occupied the same position for the Commander of the Waffen-SS Ost.
In May 1941 he was posted to the Kampfgruppe Nord, again as the Adjutant until May 1942, when he returned to the Das Reich Division.
He was given command of the 1st Company, SS Regiment Langemarck (27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck) and later was made the Division Adjutant.
He moved to the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment as the 6th Company Commander until November 1943 and it was while in command of the 6th Company that he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
During the Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
, Das Reich had been transferred south to oppose the Russian
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
counterattack across the Mius River, and destroying 391 tanks and SU
Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon
An anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon or self-propelled air defense system , is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability...
s (Samokhodnaya ustanovka
Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon
An anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon or self-propelled air defense system , is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability...
(self propelled guns)) from 30 July to 21 August. Das Reich then moved to the outskirts of Kharkov, where it was involved in even heavier fighting. Its Panther battalion first saw combat on 22 July, around Starja-Ljubotin and Kommuna
Kommuna
Kommuna is a village and municipality in the Qazakh Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 1,002....
, knocking out 53 Russian tanks.
The next day, 12 Kilometers west of Kharkov, the platoon of Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) Karl Mühleck
Karl Mühleck
Karl Mühleck was a Obersturmführer , in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.Mühleck was awarded his Knight's Cross,...
broke up a Russian tank assault. He alone destroyed 7 tanks. On the 24 July, Kesten's 6th Company, newly supplied with side-skirted Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
s, battled 60 T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
s between Udy-Bogens and Orkan, south west of Kharkov, which had fallen to the Russians on the previous day. Kesten's panzers knocked out 29 of the 60 tanks. Karl Mühleck and Kesten would later receive Knight's Crosses for these actions.
Kesten was the given the command of the II. Battalion, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment in November 1943.
He was killed in action, near Möllersdorf south of Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on the 3 April 1945.