Wilhelm Trabandt
Encyclopedia
August Wilhelm Trabandt was a Brigadeführer
(Brigadier General) in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
He also served in World War I
and because of this service held the Iron Cross
I & II class in both the 1914 and 1939 versions.
, Germany
on the 21 July 1891. He served in World War I
and was awarded the Iron Cross
I & II class and the Wound Badge
.
II class in September 1939.
He was also involved in the Battle of France
. He has been given the credit for designing the Leibstandarte insignia in 1940, after the campaign in France had ended. The insignia was a picklock that opens all doors, (a reference to the performance of the LSSAH in the battle of France) and it was also the name of the regiment's commander Sepp Dietrich
: dietrich means picklock in German.
Trabandt was disgraced at the end of the Battle of France. When trying to cross the border back into Germany, he was stopped at the customs post who discovered a large quantity of French wine bottles. Facing accusations of smuggling, he was posted to the 1 SS Infantry Brigade
.
The 1 SS Infantry Brigade was used on anti partisan
duties and also took part in the extermination of the Jewish population of the occupied territories in the Soviet Union
.
He was given command of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 39 in March 1943, and took over command of the Brigade in September 1943. As the brigade commander he was awarded the Iron Cross I class in September and the German Cross
in Gold in October.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross on the 6 January 1944, just before the Brigade was disbanded and used to form the cadre of the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel. Trabandt was given command of the Division and remained in command until April 1945.
for the next nine years and released in 1954.
He died on 19 May 1968, in Hamburg
, Germany
.
Brigadeführer
SS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
(Brigadier General) 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...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership 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...
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 also served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and because of this service held the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
I & II class in both the 1914 and 1939 versions.
Early life
August Wilhelm Trabandt was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on the 21 July 1891. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
I & II class and the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
.
Between wars
In May 1936, Trabandt volunteered to join the SS-VT (SS service number 218.852).World War II
At the start of World War II, Trabandt was the commander of the III. Battalion, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Regiment. He took part in the Polish Campaign and was awarded the Iron CrossIron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
II class in September 1939.
He was also involved in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
. He has been given the credit for designing the Leibstandarte insignia in 1940, after the campaign in France had ended. The insignia was a picklock that opens all doors, (a reference to the performance of the LSSAH in the battle of France) and it was also the name of the regiment's commander Sepp Dietrich
Sepp Dietrich
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich was a German SS General. He was one of Nazi Germany's most decorated soldiers and commanded formations up to Army level during World War II. Prior to 1929 he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard but received rapid promotion after his participation in the murder of...
: dietrich means picklock in German.
Trabandt was disgraced at the end of the Battle of France. When trying to cross the border back into Germany, he was stopped at the customs post who discovered a large quantity of French wine bottles. Facing accusations of smuggling, he was posted to the 1 SS Infantry Brigade
1 SS Infantry Brigade
The 1 SS Infantry Brigade was a unit of the German Waffen SS formed from former concentration camp guards for service in the Soviet Union behind the main front line during the Second World War. They conducted anti-partisan operations in the rear of the advancing German army and were involved in...
.
The 1 SS Infantry Brigade was used on anti partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
duties and also took part in the extermination of the Jewish population of the occupied territories in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
.
He was given command of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 39 in March 1943, and took over command of the Brigade in September 1943. As the brigade commander he was awarded the Iron Cross I class in September and the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold in October.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross on the 6 January 1944, just before the Brigade was disbanded and used to form the cadre of the 18th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Horst Wessel. Trabandt was given command of the Division and remained in command until April 1945.
Post war
Trabandt survived the war and became a captive in the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
for the next nine years and released in 1954.
He died on 19 May 1968, in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.