Oberführer and
General der Panzertruppen Der Waffen-SS, Joseph (Josef) "
Sepp"
Dietrich was born in
Hawangen, Bavaria on May 28, 1892 to a simple
peasant family. Joseph fought in
World War I and earned a good share of decorations, as well as advancing to the
rank of
Sergeant Major. After the war ended he strived to make a living holding jobs such as a
butcher, and
petrol pump attendant, and
Bavarian police officer. He also fought in
Silesia as a member of
Freikorps Oberland. The
Freikorps were volunteer military groups that popped up after World War I due to the lack of any formal
armed forces in Germany.
Dietrich joined the
Nazi party, and the Waffen-
SS in the year 1928. He quickly gained rank and notariety with the party leader,
Adolf Hitler, whose confidence he won over.
Hitler appointed Dietrich
commander of a elite SS unit to be the fuhrer's personal
bodyguard. The
Leibstandarte SS (Known as the "Adolf Hitler" squadron because that what was embroidered their
cuffbands) was officially formed in March of 1933 to protect the
Reich Chancellry.
Although occasionally disagreeing with
Heinrich Himmler,
Reichsführer der SS (the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany), Dietrich would play prominent roles taking command of various SS divisions and important roles in notable events - such as the
Night of the Long Knives in which Dietrich helped in Hitler's ordered overthrow of the
SA backed
Röhm-
putsch.
He served on different fronts and campaigns throughout
World War II, received the
Knights Cross to the Iron Cross in July 1940, and remained a supporter of Hitler. He survived the war, and afterwards was convicted of killing captured
US troops and sentenced to
life by the Allies
international war tribunal at
Nuremburg. He was paroled 1955. The German's tried him in court for his part in Night of the Long Knives of killing six SA men, and he was sentenced to a short term, but never served that out completely either. He died on the 22nd April, 1966 - and while not the best military strategist, he was obviously admired by his men. More than 6,000 previous SS men showed for his
funeral services.