Helmut Wendorff

Who was Helmut Wendorff?

Helmut Max Ernst Wendorff was an Obersturmführer in the Waffen SS. He was issued with the SS number 365 017 and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Wendorff was born on 20 October 1920 in Grauwinkel. In 1931, his family moved to Damme, in the Uckermark, where his father leased a farm.

In the autumn of 1939, Wendorff graduated from the Numburg National-Political School and volunteered for military service when war broke out and joined the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler on 4 September 1939.

On 6 November 1939, Wendorff joined up with the Regiment in Prague, where it had temporarily taken up quarters after the Polish Campaign. Wendorff was assigned to the 11th Company, but was transferred to the Sturmgeschütz Battery in June 1940. He saw action in the Balkans and the Soviet Union with this Company.

On 14 September 1941, Wendorff was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class; he was also promoted from Sturmmann to Oberscharführer. On 1 November 1941, Wendorff was sent to the SS Junkerschule in Bad Tölz and returned to the Sturmgeschütz battalion in April 1942, as an Untersturmführer.