• Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:

April 5th, 1910 (Pinneberg/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)

Date of death:

January 20th, 1949 (Hameln British prison/Lowersaxony, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 44.894 // NSDAP-Nr.: 558.752

Nationality:

German

Originally a driving and riding instructor, Siebken joined the SS in 1931 and the NSDAP shortly thereafter. In 1933, he was assigned to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, rising steadily through the ranks before World War II.

Siebken commanded supply and infantry units during campaigns in Poland and the Soviet Union. By 1944, he led battalions in the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" and was promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer. In April 1945, he received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.

Following the Normandy landings, Siebken was implicated in the execution of three wounded Canadian POWs near Caen. Later investigations suggested his superior, Wilhelm Mohnke, had issued the order during Siebken’s absence, and that Siebken may have resisted such directives.

Captured by Allied forces, Siebken was tried in 1948 by a British military court for the Le Mesnil Patry shootings. He was convicted and hanged in January 1949 alongside SS-Untersturmführer Dietrich Schnabel. The verdict drew criticism, including from British historian Basil Liddell Hart.

Promotions:
02.05.1934: SS-Untersturmführer
04.07.1934: SS-Obersturmführer
12.09.1939: SS-Hauptsturmführer
20.04.1941: SS-Sturmbannführer
21.06.1944: SS-Obersturmbannführer

Career:
00.00.1931: entered in the SS and the NSDAP
00.03.1933: SS-Oscha, 1. Sturm, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH)
00.08.1933: Truppführer and Zugführer in 2 Sturm Sonder-kommando Berlin (later LAH)
00.10.1933: Truppführer and Zugführer Beritt Zug
00.00.1934: SS-Untersturmführer and Zugführer, Reiterstaffel, SS-Standarte-Regiment LSSAH
00.00.1935-00.00.1939: SS-Ostuf, Schulungsleiter, Stab, III. Sturmbann, LSSAH
01.09.1939: SS-Hstuf, Chef, leichte Infanterie-Kolonne, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - campaign in Poland
20.06.1941-22.10.1942: SS-Stubaf, Kdr., Nachschubtruppen der Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
00.06.1943: SS-Stubaf, Kdr., II. Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 - 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Hitlerjugend'
00.07.1943-00.09.1943: SS-Stubaf, Lehrgang für Bataillons-Kommandeur
00.09.1943-00.09.1944: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, II. Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26, 12. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Hitlerjugend'
00.10.1944: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr., SS-Panzergrenadier-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Bataillon 12, 12.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Hitlerjugend'
00.02.1945: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Feldersatz-Brigade 501/101, I. SS-Panzer-Korps
00.02.1945: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr., SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2, 1. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 'LSSAH'
00.05.1945: British then Canadian POW
09.11.1948: trialed and found guilty and sentenced to death for the killing of Canadian prisoners of war in Le Mesnil Patry - Normandy - France the 09.06.1944
20.01.1949: executed by hanging in the British POW prison in Hameln

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - LUTHER, C.W.H., Blood and honor, Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2012.
  - MARGOLIAN, H., Conduct Unbecoming.
  - Royal Decree No. 2020/16 July 1942, Romania
  - Bernhard Siebken - de.LinkFang.org
  - http://media.offenes-archiv.de/Rathausausstellung_2017_Curio_40.pdf
  

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