Sepp Dietrich
Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (28 May 1892 in Hawangen, Bavaria, Germany – 21 April 1966 in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany) was a German Waffen-SS general, Senior SS Officer and one of the closest men to Adolf Hitler. For his wartime services, he was one of only 27 men to be awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Dietrich and other members of the Waffen-SS were tried for war crimes after WW2. He died in 1966 21 years after World War 2 ended in 1945. He served Germany’s Imperial German Army from 1911 and was an infantry soldier until 1919 . He later became a Junior SS-Officer in 1928 and later risen to a Senior SS-Officer in 1933 in Germany where he remained until 1945. During World War 2 in Europe from 1939-1945 he commanded both Waffen-SS Troops and regular German Army troops from the Wehrmacht military where he and his troops committed various horrific crimes.
| SS Officer rank equivalent | German Army Officer rank Equivalent | Date and Years |
|---|---|---|
| SS-Sturmbannfuhrer | Major | 1928-1929 |
| SS-Standartenfuhrer | Colonel | 1929-1930 |
| SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und SS-Oberstgruppenfuhrer | General | 1931-1945 |