Alfons Rebane

Alfons Vilhelm Robert Rebane (born 11 Junijul / June 24 1908greg Walk in, .. † March 8, 1976 in Augsburg) was an officer of the Estonian Army, who served in the Waffen- SS later.

Life

Alfons Rebane joined after study in the Estonian Army, which he served until the occupation of Estonia in 1940 as an officer in the Red Army. After the invasion of the Wehrmacht in 1941, he joined this and the 15 Ski Company of Police Battalion 184 was assigned. In the winter of 1941/42, also police units were sent to the front because of the tense situation. In June 1942 he was promoted to Major and commander of the Volunteer Battalion 658th During the fighting took place in January 1944 succeeded in this battalion is a front gap in Novgorod to close. To this end, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, he was awarded on 23 February 1944. All Estonian volunteer units were later incorporated into the Waffen-SS and the 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS ( Estonian No. 1) assigned. In April 1944, Rebane was commander of the Second Battalion of the SS - Infanterie- Regiment 47, on 26 July 1944, he took over the SS Infantry Regiment 46th After the Red Army had recaptured Estonia, the division was moved to Neuhammer to refresh. On November 9, 1944 Rebane was promoted to SS - Obersturmbannführer, still followed in March 1945 was promoted to SS - Standartenführer. At this time, the division was fighting as part of the Army Group Centre in Silesia and the then " Reich Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia ". He was also at war's end, after the division commander Augsberger fell in the fighting on the Eastern Front, deputy commander of the 20th SS Waffen Grenadier Division.

After the war, in 1947, Rebane worked for the British secret service MI6 and worked in this position with the anti-communist resistance in the Baltics. In 1961 he went to the Federal Republic of Germany and worked for the German secret service. He died on March 8, 1976 from lung cancer and was buried in Augsburg. 1999 Rebanes ash was transferred to Estonia and was buried in early 2000 in an official ceremony at the Forest Cemetery in Tallinn.

Awards

  • Iron Cross (1939 ) II and I. Class
  • Infantry Badge
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on February 23, 1944
Walk, Livonia 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Estonian) Franz Augsberger Integrated Authority File
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