Walter Seebach
Encyclopedia
Walter Seebach was a soldier, a Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
by Nazi Germany
. He was also one of only 631 men awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp
in Gold.
Netherlands
, but both his parents were German
. They moved back to Germany and after Seebach graduated from school aged sixteen he joined the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) in March 1933. He completed his compulsory labour service between November 1938 to March 1939 and then volunteered to join the Allgemeine-SS in April 1937 and the Waffen-SS in April 1939 and was assigned to the 6th Company, SS Regiment Germania.
and then on to the SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig
in April 1940. He was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in November 1941 and posted to the 9th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Germania, 5th SS Division Wiking. In February 1942, he was made the adjutant
of the II. Battalion and given command of the 2nd Company in December 1942.
In May 1943, he was transferred to the 24th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Danemark as the adjutant. He was awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions around 31 January 1944, as the commander of the 5th Company, 24th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Danemark (11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland). His company had fought off eight attacks by superior Russian forces, when Seebach decided to launch an attack of his own. This tactic succeeded, but Seebach was wounded during the assault. Refusing to leave his men, he remained on the front line leading further counterattacks. When ordered to withdraw, he discovered that seven wounded men had been left behind. Ordering an immediate attack, he managed to retrieve his lost men and then withdraw to safety at Narva
. The efforts of his company made it possible for the division to withdraw from the Luga
bridgehead.
Sent to hospital to recover from his wounds, he was given command of the SS Reconnaissance Training and Reserve Battalion between April and June 1944, and command of the SS Panzergrenadier Training and Reserve Regiment until November 1944.
He ended the war as the regimental adjutant of the 9th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Germania. (5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
)
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain) 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...
. He 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...
by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. He was also one of only 631 men awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Gold.
Early life
Walter Seebach was born on 5 November 1918, in HeerlenHeerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, but both his parents were German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
. They moved back to Germany and after Seebach graduated from school aged sixteen he joined the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) in March 1933. He completed his compulsory labour service between November 1938 to March 1939 and then volunteered to join the Allgemeine-SS in April 1937 and the Waffen-SS in April 1939 and was assigned to the 6th Company, SS Regiment Germania.
World War II
In November 1939, Seebach was selected to become an officer and sent to the SS-Junkerschule at Bad TölzBad Tölz
Bad Tölz is a town in Bavaria, Germany, and administrative center of the district of Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen.- History :Since the retreat of the glaciers at the end of the Ice Age, archaeology has shown continuous occupation of the site of Bad Tölz...
and then on to the SS-Junkerschule in 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 1940. He was promoted 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) in November 1941 and posted to the 9th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Germania, 5th SS Division Wiking. In February 1942, he was made the adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of the II. Battalion and given command of the 2nd Company in December 1942.
In May 1943, he was transferred to the 24th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Danemark as the adjutant. He was awarded the Knight's Cross for his actions around 31 January 1944, as the commander of the 5th Company, 24th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Danemark (11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland). His company had fought off eight attacks by superior Russian forces, when Seebach decided to launch an attack of his own. This tactic succeeded, but Seebach was wounded during the assault. Refusing to leave his men, he remained on the front line leading further counterattacks. When ordered to withdraw, he discovered that seven wounded men had been left behind. Ordering an immediate attack, he managed to retrieve his lost men and then withdraw to safety at Narva
Narva
Narva is the third largest city in Estonia. It is located at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, by the Russian border, on the Narva River which drains Lake Peipus.-Early history:...
. The efforts of his company made it possible for the division to withdraw from the Luga
Luga
Luga is a town and the administrative center of Luzhsky District of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the Luga River south of St. Petersburg. Population:...
bridgehead.
Sent to hospital to recover from his wounds, he was given command of the SS Reconnaissance Training and Reserve Battalion between April and June 1944, and command of the SS Panzergrenadier Training and Reserve Regiment until November 1944.
He ended the war as the regimental adjutant of the 9th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment Germania. (5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
)