Personalities of the Leibstandarte

SS-Oberstgruppenführer Josef 'Sepp' Dietrich
Born: 28.Mai.1892 In Hawangen/Bayern, Deutschland
Died: 21.April.1966 (heart attack)

Fought in WW1 attaining the rank of Captain. 
Joined NSDAP on 05.Mai.1928. 
Commanded LSSAH until 16.Maz.1943.
Overall Commander of der Waffen-SS.
Promoted to Oberstgruppenführer on 01.Aug.1944.

In German, 'Dietrich' means 'key'. The key used in the LSSAH Divisional symbol directly reflects high esteem the men of the LSSAH felt for him   Highly respected and beloved by his men, over 6,000 former Waffen-SS Soldaten attended his funeral in 1966.

 

SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Witt
Born: 25.May.1908 in Hohenlimburg, Deutschland
Died: 14.June.1944 in combat (Normandy)

Joined both the NSDAP and SS on 01.Dec.1931
Served as Kompanie and Bataillon Commander in both LSSAH and SS-Deutschland.
Transferred to 12. SS Pz. Division 'Hitlerjugend' as Division Commander on 31.Juli.1943.

 

SS-Standartenführer Jochen Peiper
Born: 30.Jan.1915 in Berlin
Died: 14.July.1976 Murdered by French Communists.

Joined SS on 12.Okt.1933.
Served as Adjutant to Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler before serving the LSSAH as a Zugführer in Mai 1940.
In June of that year he was transferred back to his Adjutant position until Aug.1941 where he assumed command of 11. Komp.
He distinguished himself on the battlefields of Russia as well as in Belgium during the "Battle of the Bulge".
He served as Commander in several different Kompanies and Kampfgruppen before surrendering to the Allies on 08.Mai.1945.

SS-Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann
Born: 22.April.1914 in Vogetal, Deutschland
Died: 08.Aug.1944 in combat near St. Aignan-de-Cramesnil, France.

Joined the Wehrmacht on 30.Okt.1934 and was posted to 10.Komp. Infantrie Rgt.19.
On 30. Sept. 1936, he joined the SS.
At the begining of the war he was posted as commander of a Sd.Kfz.222 Spähwagen attached to an Aufklärung unit in the LSSAH.
On 01.Juli.1940 he was given command of a Sturmgeschütz 3.
After distinguishing himself on the battlefield, he entered Officer training at SS-Junkerschüle Bad Tölz and began his trianing on the Panzer VI "Tiger".
On 14.Jan.1944 he and his gunner Balthasar "Bobby" Woll received die Ritterkreuz for destroying 88 enemy panzers but his greatest feat was yet to come. At Villers-Bocage he, Woll, and his crew single-handedly destroyed 25 Allied fighting vehicles!! Michael Wittman was killed in battle after being credited with 138 tank kills. .

 

SS-Obersturmbannführer Kurt Meyer
Born: 23.Dec.1910 in Jerxheim, Deutschland
Died: 23.Dec.1961 (heart failure)

Joined NSDAP on 01.Sept.1931 and SS on 15.Okt.1931.
Served as Kompanie Commander in several LSSAH units until transfered to 12. SS Pz Div. "Hitlerjugend' in June of 1943.
Meyer assumed command of the division after the death of Fritz Witt and continued to lead the division until his capture on 06.Sept.1944.

 

SS-Sturmbannführer Max Wuensche
Born: 20.April.1914 in Kittlitz, Deutschland.
Died: 14.April.1994

In July 1933 he joined the SS and attended Junkerschule Bad Tölz in 1936.
Served as Kompanie Commander in Sturmgeschütz and Panzer Kompanies in LSSAH until transfered to 12. SS Pz. Div. "Hitlerjugend" in June of 1943.
Was captured on 24.Aug.1944.

 

SS-Obersturmfuehrer Rudolf von Ribbentropp
Born: 10.Mai.1921 in Wiesbaden, Germany
Vallhalla has not requested him as of yet.

His father was Germany's Foreign Minister under Adolf Hitler. Served as Zugführer in an Aufkl. Abt. in 6.SS "Nord" before being transfered to LSSAH.
Served as Kompanie Commander before being transfered to 12. SS Pz. Div. "Hitlerjugend" on 01.Aug.1943.
Served as Kompanie Commander until his surrender on 08.Mai.1945 to American forces.