User:LargelyRecyclable/sandbox3
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Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (28 May 1892 – 21 April 1966) was a member of the Weimar Reichstag, soldier, and Waffen-SS officer, who participated in both World Wars. He was the first and longest serving commander of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. He commanded both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS troops at the filed army level and, along with Paul Hausser, was one of only two Waffen-SS officers to reach the rank of SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer. An early member of the SS, he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard until 1929; thereafter he was appointed to the Waffen-SS where he received rapid promotion. Dietrich was one of Hitler's most trusted subordinates and he played a key role in the Night of the Long Knives purge of 1934. At the Dachau trials he was found guilty of war crimes by the United States after being found culpable for the Malmedy massacre and was later tried and imprisoned by Germany for killings he coordinated during the 1934 purge.
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich | |
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![]() Dietrich as an SS-Oberst-Gruppenführer | |
Nickname(s) | Sepp, Ujac |
Born | (1892-05-28)28 May 1892 Hawangen, Bavaria, German Empire |
Died | 21 April 1966(1966-04-21) (aged 73) Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany |
Allegiance |
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Years of service | 1911–19 1928–45 |
Rank | ![]() |
Service number | NSDAP #89,015 SS #1,117 |
Commands held | Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler 1st SS Panzer Corps 5th Panzer Army 6th Panzer Army |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
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Spouse(s) | Barbra (née Seidl) 1921-1937 Ursula (née Monigner) 1942-1966 |