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Hermann Fegelein

Hermann Fegelein
A black-and-white photograph of a smiling man in semi profile wearing a military uniform and a neck order in shape of an Iron Cross.
Hermann Fegelein as SS-Standartenführer
Birth name Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein
Nickname(s) "Flegelein"
Born (1906-10-30)30 October 1906
Ansbach, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Died 28 April 1945(1945-04-28) (aged 38)
Berlin, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany
Allegiance
Service/branch Reichswehr
Waffen-SS
Years of service 1925–45
Rank SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS
Service number NSDAP #1,200,158
SS #66,680
Commands held
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Relations

Hans Otto Georg Hermann Fegelein (30 October 1906 – 28 April 1945) was a high-ranking commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany. He was a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage and brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl.

Fegelein joined a cavalry regiment of the Reichswehr in 1925 and transferred to the SS on 10 April 1933. He became a leader of an SS equestrian group, and was in charge of preparation for the equestrian events of the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936. He tried out for the Olympic equestrian team himself, but was eliminated in the qualifying rounds.

In September 1939, after the Invasion of Poland, Fegelein commanded the SS Totenkopf Reiterstandarte (Death's-Head Horse Regiment). They were garrisoned in Warsaw until December. In May and June 1940, he participated in the Battle of Belgium and France as a member of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (later renamed the Waffen-SS). For his service in these campaigns he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 15 December 1940. Units under his command on the Eastern Front in 1941 were responsible for the deaths of over 17,000 civilians during the Pripyat swamps punitive operation in the Byelorussian SSR. As commander of the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer in 1943, he was involved in operations against partisans as well as defensive operations against the Red Army, for which he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp in bronze.


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