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Hellmuth BeckerNazi military leader, SS Brigadeführer
Date of Birth: 12.08.1902
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Helmut Becker: A Nazi SS Officer
- Service in the Totenkopf Division
- Invasion of the Soviet Union and Combat Leadership
- The Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves
- Final Campaign and Capture
- Imprisonment and Death
Helmut Becker: A Nazi SS Officer
Early Life and Military CareerHelmut Becker was born in Neuruppin, Brandenburg, Germany in the year 1902. He joined the German Army in August 1920, where he quickly rose through the ranks. By 1928, he had been promoted to Staff Sergeant and transitioned from infantry to artillery. In 1933, Becker joined the SS and met Wilhelm Bittrich and Hermann Priess.
Service in the Totenkopf Division
In 1935, Becker was assigned to the Totenkopf division, where he assumed responsibilities as a training leader and transport officer. He rose to the rank of Sturmbannführer (Major) in 1937 and Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel) in 1938. Following the outbreak of World War II, Becker's infantry regiment was converted into a motorized division. After the French campaign, he was promoted to Standartenführer (Colonel) and commanded the battalion of the 1st Infantry Regiment.
Invasion of the Soviet Union and Combat Leadership
During Operation Barbarossa, Becker assumed temporary command of the regiment, despite being wounded. By September 1941, he was leading a motorcycle battalion that played a decisive role in the Battle of Demyansk. Becker's bravery earned him the Gold German Cross. He later commanded the Theodor Eicke Tank Grenadier Regiment, where he continued to excel in combat situations.
The Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves
On September 7, 1943, Becker's achievements were recognized with the Knight's Cross. His regiment had captured the village of Nikitovka and two strategic heights in fierce fighting. Becker's leadership in this operation led to the destruction of two Soviet infantry divisions, two tank brigades, and a motorized infantry division. In October 1943, Becker commanded the division and was promoted to Tank Grenadier Regiment Commander in March 1944.
Final Campaign and Capture
Becker saw action in Romania and Grodno in July 1944, where his leadership was recognized with the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross and a promotion to Brigadeführer (Brigadier General). In early 1945, his division was twice mentioned in the German Wehrmachtbericht daily radio broadcast. Weeks later, it was ordered to Warsaw and eventually Budapest. In the closing days of the war, Becker's division encountered American forces while crossing the Danube on its way to Vienna. The Germans attempted to surrender but were turned over to the Soviets by the Americans.
Imprisonment and Death
In captivity, Becker attempted to establish contact with his former soldiers, drawing attention from the guards. He was tried by a Soviet military tribunal in November 1947 and sentenced to 25 years of penal labor. Becker, however, sought ways to sabotage his sentence and was caught hiding an unexploded grenade in a brick wall. In February 1953, during another sabotage attempt, Helmut Becker was killed.
