Wiking Veteran SS-Sturmbannführer der Waffen-SS Kepplinger

Ludwig Kepplinger as SS-Hauptsturmführer

Ludwig Kepplinger as SS-Hauptscharführer

The Austrian Ludwig Kepplinger was the first NCO in the Waffen-SS to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. At the time he served as a SS-Hauptscharführer in SS-Standarte Der Führer. He is reported to have been an exceedingly brave death-defying soldier. SS-Untersturmführer Ludwig Kepplinger was wounded in the Caucasus when serving as Company Commander of the 10.Kompanie of SS-Infanterie-Regiment Westland of SS-Division Wiking. After recovering from his wounds Kepplinger was given command of SS-Panzer-Abteilung 17 of the then newly created German-Latin Waffen-SS division Götz von Berlichingen with the majority of its original cadre coming from replacement units and conscripts. These were predominantly Panzer soldiers, like Kepplinger, whose vehicles had been knocked out. The Wiking veteran SS-Sturmbannführer Ludwig Kepplinger was murdered by French partisans southeast of Laval in August 1944. His body was found in 1980 west of Villiers-Charlemagne. Left image: Ludwig Kepplinger as SS-Hauptsturmführer. Credit: Bill Treseler. Commons: Bundesarchiv. Right image: a Wolfgang Willrich portrait of Kepplinger, showing him in the combat clothing worn at the time of his Knight's Cross winning action, with camouflage smock and steel helmet. He is armed with the MP28, a popular submachine gun and forerunner of the mass-produced MP38/40. Credit: Gordon Williamson and Josef Charita. FU.