Bio of Hitler's Adjutant Otto Günsche

 SS-Hauptsturmführer Otto Günsche was born on 24 September 1917 in Jena. He was an early volunteer in the “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler”, joining the regiment in 1934 at the age of 17. By 1936 he was serving in the Führer’s personal escort commando in which he would stay until the war started. He would then participate in all of the military campaigns of the “LSSAH” until 1942 when he was sent to a war time officer’s training class at the SS-Junkerschule “Tölz”. After becoming an SS-Untersturmführer, Günsche was posted to Adolf Hitler’s personal adjutant staff in January 1943, taking over the position of an adjutant who had fallen ill. He held that position for a few weeks before he was reassigned to the “Liebstandarte” and returned to front line service. After receiving, among other decorations, the Iron Cross, Ist Class, thus proving his “military” capabilities and courage, he returned to the Führer’s personal staff in February 1944. He would now remain Hitler’s personal adjutant until the end of the war. Günsche became probably most noted for having to cremate the bodies of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun during the battle of Berlin. The now SS-Hauptsturmführer Günsche was captured by the Soviets in early May 1945 while trying to breakout of Berlin. He became a “prime” captive of the Reds and spent a number of years in the NKVD/KGB Lubiyanka Prison in Moscow undergoing numerous rounds of torture and interrogation. In 1956 he was released from Soviet captivity and turned over to the tender mercies of the East German communists who promptly jailed him again. After much effort and some diplomacy, he was finally allowed to immigrate to West Germany. Despite his horrible travails, Günsche was able to build a successful new life for himself. He remained active in Waffen-SS veteran’s affairs and due to his unique position as an “eyewitness to history” was constantly sought after by historians and history buffs, whom he graciously accomodated for the rest of his life. Otto Günsche passed away on 2 October 2003 at around 90 years of age.

Source :
'Siegrunen 80' by Richard Landwehr

Joachim Peiper Decorates a Soldier of the SS Leibstandarte Division at the Battle of Kursk

SS-Sturmbannführer Joachim "Jochen" Peiper (right) decorates a soldier of the Leibstandarte Division with the Iron Cross Second Class during Operation Zitadelle in July 1943. Behind is his adjutant SS-Untersturmführer Werner Wolff, awarded the Knight’s Cross shortly afterwards.

SS-Untersturmführer Werner Wolff Photographed in 1943

SS-Untersturmführer Werner Wolff photographed with the Knight’s Cross in 1943. Wolff, the battle-tested adjutant to Joachim Peiper (III./SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 “Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler"), took over a leaderless company, following the wounding of its commander, and stopped a massive enemy tank attack in which thirty Soviet tanks were destroyed in close combat during Operation Zitadelle in July 1943. Wolff destroyed one tank with hand held explosives and refused to give ground to the Soviet attack. For this he was decorated with the Knight’s Cross on 7 August 1943. Wolff fell in March 1945 near Inota, Hungary, as commander of the 7./SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 “LAH".