Hermann Dahlke

Herman Dahlke
Born	11 February 1917 Greifswald, Germany
Died	5 July 1943 (aged 26) Belgorod, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1933–43
Rank	Untersturmführer
Unit	1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hermann Dahlke (11 February 1917 – 5 July 1943) was an Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early years

He was born on 11 February 1917 in Greifswald. In 1933 he joined the Hitler Youth, then later joined the volunteer labour service and then applied to join the SS and was posted to the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler.

World War II

Dahlke was awarded the Knight's Cross on 3 March 1943 for his actions during the Third Battle of Kharkov. Promoted to SS-Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant), he was given command of the 3rd Company, 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment LSSAH and was killed in action on 5 July 1943 on the Russian Front near Belgorod.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (8 July 1940)^[2]
  • 1st Class (3 December 1941)^[2]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (3 August 1941)^[2]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (23 February 1942)^[2]
• Eastern Front Medal (17 September 1942)^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 March 1943 as SS-Oberscharführer of the Reserves and leader of 3./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"

References

Citations

1. "front.kemper".
2. Thomas & Wegmann 1998, p. 116.

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.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1998). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C–Dow [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 4: C–Dow] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2534-8.

External links