(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalmajor Hans Bessell
Born: 24 Feb 1893 in Magdeburg
Died: 11 Feb 1979 in Cologne (Köln)
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter (01 Jul 1913); Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (09 Aug 1913); Fähnrich (20 Nov 1913); Leutnant (06 Aug 1914); Oberleutnant (18 Dec 1917); Hauptmann (01 Feb 1926); Major (01 Jul 1934); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1937); Oberst (01 Oct 1939); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1943)
Career:
Entered Army Service (13 Mar 1913)
Fahnenjunker in the 11th Pioneer-Battalion (13 Mar 1913-05 Aug 1914)
Detached to the War School Potsdam (08 Nov 1913-31 Jul 1914)
In the Field as Platoon-Leader in the 11th Pioneer-Battalion (05 Aug 1914-01 Apr 1916)
Company-Leader in the 11th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Apr 1916-02 Dec 1918)
Detached to 1st Course at the Pioneer School in Kowno (02 Jul 1917-28 Jul 1917)
Transferred into the 11th Replacement-Pioneer-Battalion (02 Dec 1918-11 Dec 1918)
Company-Leader in the 11th Replacement-Pioneer-Battalion (11 Dec 1918-21 Feb 1919)
Company-Leader of the Economics-Company of the 11th Pioneer-Battalion (21 Feb 1919-26 Feb 1919)
Troop-Gas-Protection-Officer in the 11th Pioneer-Battalion (26 Feb 1919-02 Mar 1919)
Director of the Economics-Office with the Troop-Exercise-Grounds Commandant Markendorf-Jüterbog (02 Mar 1919-26 Aug 1919) Temporary-Adjutant of the 11th Reichswehr-Pioneer-Battalion (03 May 1920-15 Jul 1920)
Adjutant of the 11th Reichswehr-Pioneer-Battalion (15 Jul 1920-01 Oct 1920)
At the same time, Court-Officer of the 11th Reichswehr-Pioneer-Battalion (25 Aug 1920-01 Oct 1920)
Adjutant of the 13th Reichswehr-Pioneer-Battalion (01 Oct 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Adjutant of the 5th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Jan 1921-01 Oct 1923)
Transferred into the 5th Artillery-Regiment and Detached for Subsidiary-Leadership-Training with the Staff of the 7th Division (01 Oct 1923-01 Oct 1925)
Hauptmann with the Staff of the 5th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Oct 1925-01 Nov 1925)
Company-Chief in the 5th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Nov 1925-01 Feb 1929)
Detached to Combat-School-Course in Döberitz (02 Nov 1925-28 Nov 1925)
Detached to Courses for Machine and Motorised Services at the Pioneer-School (21 Nov 1927-11 Dec 1927)
Transferred into the 15th Mounted-Regiment and Detached as Staff-Officer of Pioneers with the Staff of the 6th Division (01 Feb 1929-01 Oct 1932)
Detached to Gas-protection-Course E in Berlin (24 Feb 1930-02 Mar 1930)
Detached to Pioneer School (31 Jan 1932-29 Feb 1932)
Transferred into the Staff of Infantry-Leader IV and Detached to the Staff of Group-Command 1 (01 Oct 1932-01 May 1933)
Officer with Special Duties with the Chief of Army Command (01 May 1933-01 Nov 1933)
Instructor at the War Academy (01 Nov 1933-15 Oct 1935)
Detached to Pioneer-Battalion Magdeburg (01 Jul 1935-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the 43rd Pioneer-Battalion (15 Oct 1935-01 Apr 1936)
Commander of the 26th Pioneer-Battalion (01 Apr 1936-01 Apr 1938)
Detached to Signals-Course for Commander at the Army Signals School Halle/Saale (09 Nov 1936-14 Nov 1936)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 22nd Fortress-Pioneer-Staff (01 Apr 1938-10 Nov 1938)
Commander of the 22nd Fortress-Pioneer-Staff (10 Nov 1938-11 Oct 1939)
Transferred into the Staff of the General of Pioneers with Army-Group B (11 Oct 1939-15 Jan 1940)
Transferred into the Staff of the Army Pioneer Leader of the 4th Army as Specialist for Fortresses (15 Jan 1940-23 Apr 1940)
Commander of the Construction-Troop 5 (23 Apr 1940-05 Jan 1941)
Führer-Reserve – Military-District-Command VI (05 Jan 1941-10 May 1941)
Commander of the 673rd Special-Duty-Pioneer-Regiment-Staff (10 May 1941-15 Jun 1942)
Higher Pioneer Officer 2 (15 Jun 1942-04 Mar 1943)
Commander of the German Liaison-Staff with the High Command of the Italian 8th Army, Tirana (04 Mar 1943-15 Jun 1943)
Commander of the German Liaison-Staff with the High Command of the Italian Army-Group 2, Albania (15 Jun 1943-25 Sep 1943)
Commander of the Special-Staff for Line-Construction with the Commander-in-Chief South (25 Sep 1943-06 Nov 1943)
Führer-Reserve – Military-District-Command III (06 Nov 1943-22 Dec 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH and Detached to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief South-West (22 Dec 1943-01 Jul 1944)
Fortress Pioneer Commander XIII (01 Jul 1944-00 Jan 1945)
Hospital and Führer-Reserve, Military-District-Command XI (00 Jan 1945-08 Apr 1945)
In US captivity (08 Apr 1945-03 Jul 1947)
Released (03 Jul 1947)

Awards & Decorations:
- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 24.11.1944 als Generalmajor und Kommandeur des Stabs General Bessell
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Herzogl. Sachsen-Meiningisches Ehrenkreuz für Verdienst im Kriege
- k.u.k. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern


Back to ABR Homepage