Dirlewanger-Oskar

**zwerge** · 03-15-2009, 09:19 PM

Kaminsky`s brigade was also withdrawn and he was executed on Himmler`s order I believe.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-15-2009 09:19 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Woolgar** · 10-09-2009, 05:16 PM

Dirlewanger was a nightmare, just been reading about him and his 36th Waffen Regiment SS cut throats!!

The history of the Dirlewanger Brigade is inextricably linked to the life of its commander, Oskar Dirlewanger. Born in 1895, Oskar Dirlewanger was arguably a skillful, fearless and ambitious psychopath. After winning the Iron Cross first and second class while serving in the Imperial German Army during World War I, Dirlewanger joined the Freikorps and took part in the vicious street fighting against communist insurgents. When the crisis was averted, he returned to university and obtained a PhD in political science. Joining the NSDAP in 1923, he was soon expelled and was forced to reapply and rejoin the formation.

After completing his PhD, Dirlewanger went on to hold a teaching job. In 1934, he was convicted of sexually assaulting a female minor. He lost his position and was forbidden from returning to teaching. After serving a two year jail sentence, Dirlewanger was released. Soon after, he was again accused of sexual assault and was thrown into a concentration camp. Desperate, Dirlewanger contacted Gottlob Berger, an old Freikorps comrade now working closely with Heinrich Himmler, Reichsführer-SS. Despite the two convictions and the fact that Dirlewanger was an alcoholic, Berger secured his comrade's release and an appointment for him with the Legión Cóndor, a German volunteer unit fighting in the Spanish Civil War on the side of Franco's Falange Española. Dirlewanger fought bravely during this campaign, being wounded in combat three times.

Returning to Germany in 1939, Dirlewanger was granted admission to the Allgemeine SS and given the rank of SS-Untersturmführer. Berger realized that Dirlewanger could be kept in check only while on military duty, so he organized the creation of a military unit which would be used to rehabilitate convicts.

**big ned** · 10-09-2009, 06:37 PM

Hi Guys,

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the end of this story about what happened to the cadaverous looking doctor.

Long story short, he was captured by the French and handed over to Polish troops in their service at Althausen prison on 1st June 1945. The bastard was beaten and tortured by them until, on or about 5th June, he died.

The French, not surprisingly, covered up this fact, and consequently rumours and sightings of Dirlewanger flew round for years. This came to a head in 1960, so the French exhumed his body complete with dog tag to the worlds press in November that year.

Regards, Ned.

**zwerge** · 10-09-2009, 07:07 PM

A happy ending.

**G.B.** · 10-10-2009, 01:37 AM

big ned.,,, Can you please reveal your source material for your statement:

"This came to a head in 1960, so the French exhumed his body complete with dog tag to the worlds press in November that year."

Thanks..,G.

**Medi** · 10-17-2009, 12:19 PM

by Paul E

The sad thing about Dirlewanger apart from his horrendous crimes is that he wears a Ritterkreuz which compares him to a lot of brave men who won theirs for combat fighting.

I always thought that too

Jonesy · 10-17-2009, 01:57 PM

by John Brandon

Here is a much nicer picture, one of my favourites

doesn't he look proud

Excuse my ignorance, who is this a photgraph of?

regards

Mark

Vedran · 06-03-2012, 08:41 PM

What type of waffenfarbe he wore on his shoulderboards?
As Oberfuhrer he must have some if I am correct.
Looking at those photos of him it looks like this is black piping on his boards. any opinions?
Thanks in advance!

**HPL2008** · 06-04-2012, 05:45 PM

by Vedran

What type of waffenfarbe he wore on his shoulderboards?
As Oberfuhrer he must have some if I am correct.
Looking at those photos of him it looks like this is black piping on his boards. any opinions?

Waffen-SS officers' shoulder boards had double underlay: Waffenfarbe on top and below that black. Dirlewanger would have worn white for infantry.

Vedran · 06-06-2012, 12:32 PM

Thank you for the answer Herr HPL. I know for double underlay that was used by Waffen SS and I assumed it was white infantry piping above black underlay. Anyway I asked that because all of Dirlewanger photos I have seen it looks like he has both of them black underlays (and Waffenfarbe) like Pioneer officers had. Maybe low resolution of photos makes me wrong. Thanks anyway for the explanation!