33:
328:
In early 1942, after another session of heavy drinking, Gesche pulled his pistol and threatened a fellow SS officer. After
Himmler was informed of these events, even Gesche's close relationship with Hitler could not save him from Himmler's wrath this time. Gesche was dismissed from his command of
319:
Seizing on Gesche's frequent bouts of intoxication, Himmler enforced an SS requirement that had been established in 1937, forbidding SS men from consuming alcohol in excess of certain mandated limits. After obtaining evidence that Gesche was in violation of the mandate, Himmler had him sign a
400:
and perhaps wipe out the shame...by proving yourself before the enemy. I expect you to refrain from the consumption of alcohol for the rest of your life... If your will power has been so destroyed by alcohol that you are not capable of making such a decision, I expect you to submit your
419:
was promoted to be the next commander of the FBK. Gesche's assignment to the notorious SS penal unit, Dirlewanger, at that stage of the war, was for all practical purposes a death sentence. Although Hitler did not personally intervene on Gesche's behalf, other allies in the SS did so.
264:. One of the handpicked men was Bruno Gesche. Not long after the unit's creation, Gesche managed to draw the ire of Himmler To Himmler's consternation, Hitler's fondness for Gesche stemming from their days as old guard comrades would define Gesche's fate for practically the duration of
438:
successfully argued that assignment to the
Dirlewanger Brigade, which was then operating on the Eastern Front, would be in contravention to the Hitler order forbidding such deployments. Although Gesche was spared certain death with the Dirlewanger unit, he never again rejoined the
307:
On another occasion in 1935, Himmler as part of his attempts at consolidating his authority ordered that salaries of Hitler's personal bodyguard detail be suspended. Gesche responded by enlisting the help of the commander of Hitler's personal bodyguard regiment,
320:
statement on 26 September 1938, promising to abstain from alcohol consumption for three years or else face expulsion from the SS. After a few months
Himmler lifted the ban. Hitler's fondness for Gesche had again forced Himmler's hand.
295:
dismissed in 1934. Eventually
Gildisch was dismissed from the SS, as well as the Nazi Party in 1936, for repeated instances of drunkenness. Gesche as second-in-command succeeded Gildisch as commander of the
213:(NSDAP Member No. 8592) proved to be a tremendous asset to him during the better part of the subsequent two and a half decades. In 1927 Gesche left the SA to join what was then its subordinate branch, the
364:, and the retreat through the Caucasus by the remnants that had not surrendered, Gesche had been evacuated from the front after being wounded in combat in October, 1942. Gesche was awarded the
376:. Hitler decreed that no man who had served in Hitler's HQ should be sent to the Eastern Front, for fear of capture and interrogation by the Soviets as to security information.
280:
on 14 October 1932. Himmler regarded this as a personal affront. Both
Himmler and the SS Group Commander South demanded that Gesche be demoted and removed from the
390:"...I became aware in 1938, as well as through reports in recent years and months that you are a drunkard without any self control...I reduce you in rank to a SS-
610:
Registry Office
Hannover: Death Certificate 5188/1982. The published literature erroneously often states his year of death to be 1980 (see e.g. Rochus Misch:
276:
The first incident arose when Gesche levied criticism against
Himmler for the security detail provided by another SS unit during a Hitler campaign speech in
444:
120:
383:
came to an end. In his strongly worded rebuke, soon after an incident that featured a drunken Gesche firing shots at a comrade, Himmler wrote in part:
348:. He served with 1./SS-Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 5. The 5th SS, from the moment Gesche arrived in the summer of 1942, engaged in bitter battles with
32:
586:
447:, 5./SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 35, ultimately surrendering to the Americans in Italy in 1945. According to records housed at the
1037:
179:
Gesche's aspirations for a career in the German military as an officer were effectively ended by the limitations imposed by the
993:
971:
952:
930:
908:
623:
372:
in black. Hitler was very pleased with Gesche's performance, and by
December 1942, he was reinstated as commander of the
1012:
1032:
260:
163:
112:
396:. Only as an act of clemency...I allow you to remain a member. I shall give you the opportunity to serve in the
342:
309:
116:
1027:
448:
334:
918:
615:
452:
523:
161:'s entourage and the fourth commander of Hitler's personal bodyguard (originally known as the
141:
99:
1022:
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581:
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and again required to abstain from drinking for three years. Gesche was transferred to the
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and his limited education. Gesche joined what was then a fringe political movement, the
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Himmler did succeed in having Gesche's immediate superior, the third commander of the
247:
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movement cost him his job at a bank in 1923, his status within the Nazi Party as an
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171:) for the periods June 1934 – April 1942 and December 1942 – December 1944.
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Der letzte Zeuge. Ich war
Hitlers Telefonist, Kurier und Leibwächter
541:
353:
254:, Hitler chose eight from a prospective twelve SS men presented by
861:
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in June 1934. The unit was later expanded and became known as the
219:(SS Member No. 1093). The SS, as in its earlier incarnations, the
731:
653:
284:. However, Hitler ordered that Gesche receive only a reprimand.
52:
945:
The Last Days of Hitler: The
Legends, the Evidence, the Truth
194:
709:
707:
923:
Hitler's Personal Security: Protecting the Führer 1921-1945
277:
204:
405:
After Gesche was reduced by nine grades in rank from a SS-
102:
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139:(5 November 1905 – 7 August 1982) rose to the rank of
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203:(SA) in 1922. Although Gesche's association with the
947:. Trans. Helmut Bögler. London: Brockhampton Press.
813:
782:
770:
719:
379:In December 1944 Gesche's time as commander of the
988:. New York; Toronto: NAL Caliber (Penguin Group).
316:, who was able to have Himmler's order reversed.
238:
1004:
451:, Bruno Gesche's last date of internment by the
445:16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS
121:16th SS Panzergrenadier Division Reichsführer-SS
901:Guarding Hitler: The Secret World of the Führer
939:
867:
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197:(Nazi Party), and its paramilitary wing, the
587:Uniforms and insignia of the Schutzstaffel
258:, to serve as his personal bodyguard, the
31:
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245:On 29 February 1932, with the advice of
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459:Promotions, demotions and decorations
352:forces for control of the oil-rich
13:
903:. London: Pen and Sword Military.
14:
1049:
986:Army of Evil: A History of the SS
443:. He was instead assigned to the
889:
174:
1038:Military personnel from Berlin
604:
304:(Führer Escort Command; FBK).
261:SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
240:SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
164:SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
113:SS-Begleitkommando des Führers
1:
618:, Piper München Zürich 2008,
592:
356:. Before the collapse of the
310:Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
117:5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
597:
449:Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt)
323:
183:on the post-First World War
7:
925:. New York: Da Capo Press.
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130:World War II, Eastern front
10:
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126:
108:
95:
82:
71:
59:
39:
30:
23:
1033:Sturmabteilung personnel
662:, p. 48, 49, 52-54.
544:) (demoted by Himmler)*
464:Promotions and demotion
343:5th SS Panzer Division
1013:SS-Obersturmbannführer
549:Decorations and awards
403:
272:Conflicts with Himmler
962:McNab, Chris (2009).
941:Joachimsthaler, Anton
441:Führerbegleitkommando
385:
381:Führerbegleitkommando
374:Führerbegleitkommando
331:Führerbegleitkommando
302:Führerbegleitkommando
169:Führerbegleitkommando
157:. He was a member of
870:, pp. 293, 294.
582:List of SS personnel
570:Iron Cross 2nd Class
565:Wound Badge in Black
436:Maximilian von Herff
366:Iron Cross 2nd Class
181:Treaty of Versailles
1028:Waffen-SS personnel
966:. Amber Books Ltd.
868:Joachimsthaler 1999
740:, pp. 16, 287.
738:Joachimsthaler 1999
614:. With foreword by
524:Obersturmbannführer
455:was 22 March 1947.
407:Obersturmbannführer
398:Dirlewanger Brigade
235:'s bodyguard unit.
149:equivalent) in the
142:Obersturmbannführer
100:Obersturmbannführer
716:, pp. 52, 53.
555:Golden Party Badge
529:lieutenant colonel
298:SS-Begleitkommando
289:SS-Begleitkommando
282:SS-Begleitkommando
147:lieutenant colonel
995:978-0-451-23791-0
973:978-1-906626-49-5
964:The SS: 1923–1945
954:978-1-86019-902-8
932:978-0-30680-947-7
910:978-1-78159-305-9
810:, pp. 96–97.
686:, pp. 26–29.
674:, p. 14, 16.
624:978-3-492-25735-0
432:Obergruppenführer
167:, later known as
134:
133:
16:German SS officer
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537:Unterscharführer
498:Hauptsturmführer
472:Untersturmführer
427:Hermann Fegelein
412:Unterscharführer
393:Unterscharführer
389:
252:Heinrich Himmler
231:, functioned as
228:Stoßtrupp-Hitler
185:national defence
84:
49:
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511:Sturmbannführer
485:Obersturmführer
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402:
401:resignation..."
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358:German 6th Army
326:
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248:Reichsführer-SS
243:
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51:
50:5 November 1905
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978:
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882:, p. 159.
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534:20.12.44 – SS-
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521:9.11.44 – SS-
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508:20.4.35 – SS-
506:
495:1.7.34 – SS-
493:
490:1st lieutenant
482:9.11.33 – SS-
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477:2nd lieutenant
469:20.7.31 – SS-
466:
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200:Sturmabteilung
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844:Hoffmann 2000
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765:Hoffmann 2000
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660:Hoffmann 2000
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293:Kurt Gildisch
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890:Bibliography
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233:Adolf Hitler
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210:Alte Kämpfer
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178:
175:Early career
168:
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159:Adolf Hitler
155:Nazi Germany
140:
137:Bruno Gesche
136:
135:
127:Battles/wars
76:Nazi Germany
66:West Germany
25:Bruno Gesche
18:
1023:1980 deaths
1018:1905 births
880:Felton 2014
856:Felton 2014
823:Felton 2014
808:Felton 2014
796:Felton 2014
777:Felton 2014
726:Felton 2014
370:Wound Badge
187:force, the
78:(1933–1945)
1007:Categories
684:Weale 2012
672:McNab 2009
593:References
362:Stalingrad
222:Stabswache
190:Reichswehr
72:Allegiance
46:1905-11-05
943:(1999) .
921:(2000) .
598:Citations
339:Waffen-SS
324:War years
55:, Germany
984:(2012).
899:(2014).
576:See also
542:sergeant
354:Caucasus
337:and the
83:Service/
503:captain
429:and SS-
992:
970:
951:
929:
907:
622:
409:to SS-
350:Soviet
345:Wiking
85:branch
53:Berlin
516:major
195:NSDAP
990:ISBN
968:ISBN
949:ISBN
927:ISBN
905:ISBN
620:ISBN
368:and
329:the
278:Selb
225:and
205:Nazi
109:Unit
96:Rank
91:(SS)
63:1982
60:Died
40:Born
420:SS-
360:at
153:in
1009::
830:^
815:^
784:^
745:^
706:^
691:^
630:^
415:,
388:—
341:,
312:,
291:,
268:.
151:SS
119:,
115:,
998:.
976:.
957:.
935:.
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540:(
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