Info Needed on Dr. Ingemar Berndt

German SS and Waffen-SS 1923-1945.
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Doug Nash
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Info Needed on Dr. Ingemar Berndt

Post by Doug Nash »

I'm looking for more details on an obscure Hauptsturmfuehrer who served as Rommel's Ordonnanz Officer in North Afrika. He was posted to the Wiking to command II./SS-Pz.Abt. 5 in March 45 and died of wounds recieved near Veszprem on 26 March. Does anyone know what his prior service was with the Allgemeine SS, what his Army rank was in North Afrika, and how was it that he took a decrease in rank from Obersturmbannfuehrer in the Allgemeine-SS in order to serve in a field unit? What position did he have before the war? (i.e., was he in the Press Corps, diplomatic service, or what?). I can't find any other record of his Waffen-SS service. He was one of the few members of the Waffen-SS who was authorized to wear the Afrika Cuff title. He's certainly an international man of mystery!
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Michael Miller / ABR
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Post by Michael Miller / ABR »

Hello, Doug.

As a DKiG holder and Waffen-SS Reserve office, information from Berndt's SS-Personalakte may be found on John P. Moore's CD-Rom. Here are the bare-bones details of his career (haven't had a chance to update it yet using John's material). Btw, an excellent photo of Berndt as SS-Ostubaf. (Allg.-SS) appears in David Irving's Rommel bio "Trail of the Fox".

Incidentally, posting a query on Berndt to the Axis Biographical Research message forum will probably result in a reply from Andreas Schultz (aka- AnDie), and his bios of NS figures are the most detailed I've ever seen.

Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR


Alfred-Ingemar Berndt
SS-Brigadeführer /
SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve /
Ministerialdirektor

Born: 22. April 1905 in Bromberg/Schlesien.
Killed in Action: 21. March 1945 in Körment, Hungary.

NSDAP-Nr.: 1 101 961
(first joined 1924; left, then rejoined, 1932)
SS-Nr.: 242 890
(Joined 16.10.34)

Promotions:
SS-Hauptsturmführer d.R.:
SS-Brigadeführer: 20.04.43
Leutnant d.R. (Heer): (30.01.42)
SS-Oberführer: 10.09.39
SS-Standartenführer: 20.04.36;
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 1.01.35
SS-Sturmbannführer: 16.10.34

Career:
Kommandeur of II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 5 / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking": - 21.03.45.

Assigned to SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Regiment: September 1944 -.

SD-HA/RSHA: (1.12.37) - (9. November 1944)

Chief aide (Leutnant d.R.) to Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel in North Africa: 1941 - 1943

Hauptschriftleiter des Deutschen Nachrichtenbüros:

Amtsleiter "Rundfunk" in der Reichsleitung der NSDAP:

Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates der
Reichs-Rundfunkgesellschaft GmbH in Berlin:

Vorsitzender der Deutschen
Rundfunk-Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. Berlin:

Ministerialdirektor and Leiter of the
Abteilung Rundfunk (Radio Division) of the Reichsministerium für
Volksaufklärung und Propaganda:.

Ministerialrat and stellvertreter Pressechef (deputy press chief) of the Reich Government:

Co-founder of the Bund "Deutscher Osten" (League of Eastern Germans):

Published Works:
"Panzerjäger brechen durch" (1940);
"Der Marsch ins Großdeutsche Reich" (1939);
"Meilenstein des Dritten Reiches" (1938);
"Gebt mir 4 Jahre Zeit" (1937);

Decorations & Awards:
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold:
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse ohne Schwerter
Kriegsverdienstkruez II. Klasse ohne Schwerter
Panzerkampfabzeichen
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber
Ärmelband "Afrika"
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Traditions-Gau-Abzeichen
SA-Sportabzeichen
Ehrendegen des RF SS
Totenkopfring der SS

Notes:
* Described in David Irving's biography of Erwin Rommel, The Trail of the Fox, as follows: "Burly, wavy-haired and dark-skinned, Berndt had the lumbering gait of a bear and a physiological oddity- six toes on one foot. He was literate and personable, poked his nose in everywhere, and was put in charge of keeping the Rommel diary. Before joining Rommel's staff as a kind of Party "commissar," he was already a tough, ambitious Nazi zealot. Berndt had a brash frankness that Rommel readily accepted, fearing otherwise to slight his feelings. In April [1941], for instance, Berndt had advised him with a cheeky grin: "Mein Lieber, I would not advance too far if I were you!" In return, Berndt skillfully nourished the Rommel legend. And when anything unpleasant needed saying to Adolf Hitler, then Rommel sent Alfred Berndt, because he was a brave man. Berndt died proving it in Hungary in 1945."
"I am a historian before I am a Christian; my object is simply to find out how the things actually occurred."

~Leopold von Ranke, 19th Century German Historian
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Michael Miller / ABR
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SS-Brigf. Alfred-Ingemar Berndt

Post by Michael Miller / ABR »

Hello, Doug.

As a DKiG holder and Waffen-SS Reserve office, information from Berndt's SS-Personalakte may be found on John P. Moore's CD-Rom. Here are the bare-bones details of his career (haven't had a chance to update it yet using John's material). Btw, an excellent photo of Berndt as SS-Ostubaf. (Allg.-SS) appears in David Irving's Rommel bio "Trail of the Fox".

Not uncommon to see higher-ranking Allgemeine-SS officers serve as Waffen-SS (or Wehrmacht) reserve officers at a reduced rank. Reason being, high Allg.SS rank was generally political in nature, not indicating any particular military leadership ability. Hence such high-rankers as Heinz Reinefarth serving as a Feldwebel d.R. in the Western Campaign, or Berndt's Propaganda Ministry colleague Karl Hanke serving as Oberleutnant d.R. in 7.Pz.Div. while holding Allg.SS rank of Brigadefuhrer.

Incidentally, posting a query on Berndt to the Axis Biographical Research message forum will probably result in a reply from Andreas Schultz (aka- AnDie), and his bios of NS figures are the most detailed I've ever seen.

Best wishes,
~ Mike Miller / ABR


Alfred-Ingemar Berndt
SS-Brigadeführer /
SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve /
Ministerialdirektor

Born: 22. April 1905 in Bromberg/Schlesien.
Killed in Action: 21. March 1945 in Körment, Hungary.

NSDAP-Nr.: 1 101 961
(first joined 1924; left, then rejoined, 1932)
SS-Nr.: 242 890
(Joined 16.10.34)

Promotions:
SS-Hauptsturmführer d.R.:
SS-Brigadeführer: 20.04.43
Leutnant d.R. (Heer): (30.01.42)
SS-Oberführer: 10.09.39
SS-Standartenführer: 20.04.36;
SS-Obersturmbannführer: 1.01.35
SS-Sturmbannführer: 16.10.34

Career:
Kommandeur of II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 5 / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking": - 21.03.45.

Assigned to SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs- und Ersatz-Regiment: September 1944 -.

SD-HA/RSHA: (1.12.37) - (9. November 1944)

Chief aide (Leutnant d.R.) to Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel in North Africa: 1941 - 1943

Hauptschriftleiter des Deutschen Nachrichtenbüros:

Amtsleiter "Rundfunk" in der Reichsleitung der NSDAP:

Vorsitzender des Aufsichtsrates der
Reichs-Rundfunkgesellschaft GmbH in Berlin:

Vorsitzender der Deutschen
Rundfunk-Arbeitsgemeinschaft e.V. Berlin:

Ministerialdirektor and Leiter of the
Abteilung Rundfunk (Radio Division) of the Reichsministerium für
Volksaufklärung und Propaganda:.

Ministerialrat and stellvertreter Pressechef (deputy press chief) of the Reich Government:

Co-founder of the Bund "Deutscher Osten" (League of Eastern Germans):

Published Works:
"Panzerjäger brechen durch" (1940);
"Der Marsch ins Großdeutsche Reich" (1939);
"Meilenstein des Dritten Reiches" (1938);
"Gebt mir 4 Jahre Zeit" (1937);

Decorations & Awards:
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold:
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse ohne Schwerter
Kriegsverdienstkruez II. Klasse ohne Schwerter
Panzerkampfabzeichen
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Silber
Ärmelband "Afrika"
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Traditions-Gau-Abzeichen
SA-Sportabzeichen
Ehrendegen des RF SS
Totenkopfring der SS

Notes:
* Described in David Irving's biography of Erwin Rommel, The Trail of the Fox, as follows: "Burly, wavy-haired and dark-skinned, Berndt had the lumbering gait of a bear and a physiological oddity- six toes on one foot. He was literate and personable, poked his nose in everywhere, and was put in charge of keeping the Rommel diary. Before joining Rommel's staff as a kind of Party "commissar," he was already a tough, ambitious Nazi zealot. Berndt had a brash frankness that Rommel readily accepted, fearing otherwise to slight his feelings. In April [1941], for instance, Berndt had advised him with a cheeky grin: "Mein Lieber, I would not advance too far if I were you!" In return, Berndt skillfully nourished the Rommel legend. And when anything unpleasant needed saying to Adolf Hitler, then Rommel sent Alfred Berndt, because he was a brave man. Berndt died proving it in Hungary in 1945."
"I am a historian before I am a Christian; my object is simply to find out how the things actually occurred."

~Leopold von Ranke, 19th Century German Historian
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Doug Nash
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Posts: 465
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Location: Washington, DC

Inge Berndt

Post by Doug Nash »

Mike,
Thanks for the speedy reply - very helpful. I have John Moore's set but my CD Rom drive on my PC went belly up yesterday so I can't access it, but needed the info for the project I'm working on.
You confirmed some of my suppositions - I heard back from a member of the Wiking who said that Berndt was killed by a strafing Soviet Aircraft when he was standing next to Darges, the Regimental Commander. He said though that while "on paper" Berndt was named as the commander of the II. Abteilung, by that time the regiment had shrunken to only 1 tank company so they had more officers (senior and highly qualified ones, at that) than they had tanks for. Since Berndt had little experience on the Russian Front or in Panthers, Darges kept him at the HQ as a staff officer.
But what I still would like to know is more details on Berndt's Army career - for example, where did he earn the EK I and EK II? Obviously with an Army unit somewhere, probably in Poland or France. I guess I'll have to make a posting on Andreas Schultz's webpage to get that data unless someone here has anything.
Many thanks again. Seems like he was a good soldier, but was with the Wiking for such a short period of time, he is hardly remembered. Too bad!
Regards,
Doug
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