Hermann Prieß

Hermann Prieß (May 24, 1901 – February 2, 1985) was the commander of 3rd SS Division Totenkopf following the death of Theodor Eicke in February 1943. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

He was promoted to SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS on April 20, 1944. On October 30, 1944 he became the commanding officer of the 1st SS-Panzerkorps Leibstandarte and led it during the Battle of the Bulge.

After the war, Hermann Prieß was convicted of war crimes because of his involvement in the Malmedy massacre and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He was released in 1954.

Awards

 * Wound Badge in Black
 * Demyansk Shield
 * Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (22 September 1939)
 * 1st Class (15 October 1939)
 * German Cross in Gold on 6 January 1942 as SS-Standartenführer in the SS-Artillerie-Regiment "Totenkopf"
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
 * Knight's Cross on 28 April 1943 as SS-Oberführer and commander of Artillerie-Regiment of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf
 * 297th Oak Leaves on 9 September 1943 as SS-Brigadeführer and commander of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Totenkopf
 * 65th Swords on 24 April 1944 as SS-Brigadeführer and commander of the 3. SS-Panzer-Division Totenkopf