Emil Seibold
Encyclopedia
Emil Seibold was a Hauptscharführer
, in the Waffen SS during World War II
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Emil Seibold was born in Basel
, Switzerland
on the 26 February 1907. He joined the Nazi Party on the 1 April 1933 and the Waffen SS on the 10 April 1940. He was first posted to the SS Totenkopf Standarte and served with the Infantry.
He was later transferred to the Das Reich Division attached to the 3rd Battery, of the Panzerjäger
Battalion as a motorcyclist, and later commanded one of the batteries guns.
In March 1943 the Division had captured a large number of Russian
T-34
tanks and formed a III. Battalion for the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment with them, from the remnants of the Panzerjäger troops. Seibold was one of the men selected to command a T-34, for the Das Reich and was later transferred to the 8th Company, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment.
Seibold was the Divisions most successful tank commander with 65 tank kills to his credit, by the end of the war for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1945.
Seibold survived the war and died on the 11 September 1990.
Hauptscharführer
Hauptscharführer was a Nazi paramilitary rank which was used by the Schutzstaffel between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank was the highest enlisted rank of the SS, with the exception of the special Waffen-SS rank of Sturmscharführer....
, in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. Which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Emil Seibold was born in Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on the 26 February 1907. He joined the Nazi Party on the 1 April 1933 and the Waffen SS on the 10 April 1940. He was first posted to the SS Totenkopf Standarte and served with the Infantry.
He was later transferred to the Das Reich Division attached to the 3rd Battery, of the Panzerjäger
Panzerjäger
Panzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
Battalion as a motorcyclist, and later commanded one of the batteries guns.
In March 1943 the Division had captured a large number of Russian
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
tanks and formed a III. Battalion for the 2nd SS Panzer Regiment with them, from the remnants of the Panzerjäger troops. Seibold was one of the men selected to command a T-34, for the Das Reich and was later transferred to the 8th Company, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment.
Seibold was the Divisions most successful tank commander with 65 tank kills to his credit, by the end of the war for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1945.
Seibold survived the war and died on the 11 September 1990.