Heinrich Bastian

Heinrich Bastian
Born	3 April 1920 Weissenfels, Germany
Died	13 January 2002 (aged 81) Darmstadt, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1940–45
Rank	Obersturmführer
Unit	2nd SS Division Das Reich
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class

Heinrich Bastian (3 April 1920 – 13 January 2002) was an Obersturmführer (first lieutenant), in the Waffen-SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.^[1]

Heinrich Bastian was born in Weissenfels on the 3 April 1920.^[1] In September 1940 he joined the Waffen-SS and was posted to the SS Artillery Regiment stationed in Berlin, he then transferred to the SS Regiment Deutschland in March 1942, being selected as an officer cadet (SS-Oberjunker).^[1]

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 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.^[1] 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.^[1]

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.^{[2] [Note 1]}

Heinrich Bastian died on 13 January 2002 in Darmstadt.^[1]

Notes

1. Several awards made by SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich in May 1945; on his own account Dietrich was authorized to award KCs and higher grades up to swords by a personal authority he received from Adolf Hitler in May 1944; this is questionable and his "eidesstattliche Erklärung" about this issue is either not existent or at least not confirmed; what is published in von Seemen and Krätschmer is a letter containing a statement which is open to interpretation; it is very likely this passage is misinterpreted; as a matter of fact there has been made many promotions (backdated 20.04.1945) and awards by 6. SS-Pz.Armee, announced on 06.05.1945 to the troops; all these awards made their way from staff 6. SS-Pz.Armee to Berlin offices as well as to SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Kment [Verbindungs-Offz des Reichsführers SS zum OKH/HPA and "Sachbearbeiter W-SS" im HPA P 5 a 1. Staffel, at that time in Austria] and back beneath the ordinary proposal system and awarding procedure ; "06.05.1945" = day of announcement, is the award date for all these awards.

References

Citations

1. "ritterkreutztragger".
2. "axishistory".

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.