Heinz Bernhard Lammerding

Heinz Lammerding controlling of the 2nd division S.S " Das Reich " in front of Panzer V

Panzerkampfwagen V Panter

Born on August 27, 1905 in graduate Dortmund.Ingénieur in construction, it enters with the S.A on October 18, 1931.
April 1, 1935 it leaves S.A. and engages in the S.S. " VT ". It carries n° S.S. 247062
December 28, 1943 per letter of Himmler, it takes the direction of the groups of combat against the tapes (men of the maquis) in division " Das Reich "
January 25, 1944 it receives the command of the 2nd armoured division S.S. " Das Reich "

After the war Heinz Lammerding was registered on three lists of war criminals:
1 / on the list of the United Nations under the n° 16329
2 / on the list of the supreme command of the task force combined in Europe under the n° 1718
3 / on the French list under the n° 2305

Information was open against him on June 18, 1947, a warrant for arrest established on July 10, 1947, a second on January 24, 1948, a third on July 19, 1950. It was condemned to died by contumacy on July 5, 1951 by the military tribunal of Bordeaux.

Jacques Delarue, charged by the government with liquidation with the after-effects with the German occupation in France, found Herr Lammerding. It was a large contractor of construction in Düsseldorf. A prosperous contractor, owner of tens of trucks which bore on their sides the name of former General SS and which furrowed Germany openly, It have, in fact, never seriously worried.
From the 5 to June 7, 1962, a delegation of the representatives of the departments victims of Das Reich goes to RFA and discovers that no request for extradition was formulated by the French government since 1954. The German authorities are cut off behind this fact.

In 1965, Herr Lammerding is allowed to attack in justice a journalist who has just recalled that it " is condemned to died by contumacy, in France, to have made carry out hostages ". " Slandering! ", Herr Lammerding pleads, which according to a system of defense common to all the former war criminals, shelters behind the subordinates or the superiors dead or missing. The judge does not believe in his irresponsibility in Tulle hangings and slaughters of Oradour. Herr Lammerding is débouté but it does not continue of it less one quiet life in Düsseldorf, respected its neighbors who always call it "Der General". The General.

Dispatch AFP of January 14, 1971: General S.S. Lammerding, old controlling division " Das Reich " responsible for hangings of 99 people with Tulle and massacre of the population of Oradour on Glane, June 10, 1944, died Friday, at the hospital of Bad-Tôlz, not far from his Bavarian residence of Greiling.

January 19, 1971, here an extract of the speech which was made on its tomb abundantly flowered by his/her " old comrades " (more than 200 old S.S. took part in this ceremony):
" It was necessary to make an example in the interest of the security of the German soldiers and in order to avoid a new carnage coming from the men of the maquis... (in connection with Oradour).
... the Lammerding General was a brilliant officer and a good soldier. He was tracked with died after the Tulle business and in was the late victim "...

He only could still, perhaps, have answered the question that all the visitors of the village martyr are posed of Oradour-on-Glane: Why?