Heinrich Bastian
Encyclopedia
Heinrich Bastian was a Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant), 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.
Heinrich Bastian was born in Weissenfels on the 3 April 1920.
In September 1940 he joined the Waffen SS and was posted to the SS Artilley Regiment stationed in Berlin
, he then transferred to the SS Regiment Deutschland in March 1942, being selected as an officer cadet (SS-Oberjunker).
By August 1943 he was in the Headquarters staff of the II.Battalion, 3rd SS Panzer Grenadier regiment Deutschland which was part of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich
, he was promoted in September 1943 to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) and in November 1944 to Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant) and commanded the II/3rd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment during the Ardennes Offensive
and Operation Spring Awakening in Hungary
in 1945 and was still in command when it surrendered to the advancing American Forces, on the 8 May 1945.
He was held as a prisoner of war until October 1946 when he was handed over to the new German Authorities and released in December 1947.
Bastian was awarded the Knight's Cross by Sepp Dietrich
in May 1945, as what became known as Dietrich awards and at the time was the commander of the VI SS Panzer Army and there is some doubt as to the legality of these awards.
Heinrich Bastian died on 13 January 2002 in Darmstadt
.
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
(First Lieutenant), 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.
Heinrich Bastian was born in Weissenfels on the 3 April 1920.
In September 1940 he joined the Waffen SS and was posted to the SS Artilley Regiment stationed in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, he then transferred to the SS Regiment Deutschland in March 1942, being selected as an officer cadet (SS-Oberjunker).
By August 1943 he was in the Headquarters staff of the II.Battalion, 3rd SS Panzer Grenadier regiment Deutschland which was part of the 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich
Das Reich
Das Reich is the name of:* a German SS-division, see 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich* a national socialist newspaper, see Das Reich * the main work of German right-wing intellectual Friedrich Hielscher...
, he was promoted in September 1943 to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) and in November 1944 to Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
(First Lieutenant) and commanded the II/3rd SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment during the Ardennes Offensive
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
and Operation Spring Awakening in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in 1945 and was still in command when it surrendered to the advancing American Forces, on the 8 May 1945.
He was held as a prisoner of war until October 1946 when he was handed over to the new German Authorities and released in December 1947.
Bastian was awarded the Knight's Cross by Sepp Dietrich
Sepp Dietrich
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was a German SS General. He was one of Nazi Germany's most decorated soldiers and commanded formations up to Army level during World War II. Prior to 1929 he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard but received rapid promotion after his participation in the murder of...
in May 1945, as what became known as Dietrich awards and at the time was the commander of the VI SS Panzer Army and there is some doubt as to the legality of these awards.
Heinrich Bastian died on 13 January 2002 in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
.