and the only two out of three elite Third Reich Musikkorps that still performed their musical duties right up until April 1945, just a month before war’s final end in May 1945. In interviewing Herr Weissenborn in his beautiful home town on the banks of the Name river, I was also meeting a senior Waffen-SS musician who had both served in, and led, two of the greatest military bands in the world. With a planned chapter hoping to document the life & times of a German Military Musikmeister I was able to meet the retired musician & band leader, former SS-Hauptscharführer Gustav Weissenborn… and not just any Musikmeister, but in Herr Weissenborn I was meeting & interviewing the musical second-in-command to the legendary Hermann Mueller-John of the world famous Musikkorps Leibstandarte-SS ’Adolf Hitler’, before taking musical command, in his own right, of the military band of 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend’. Very importantly to Tomahawk’s work, it was also former Leibstandarte-SS and 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend officer Hubert Meyer that very kindly sought out and so generously made all of the necessary introductions and presentation of bona fides to a former important comrade of his from the musical arms of both the Leibstandarte-SS ’Adolf Hitler’ & 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend’ that subsequently allowed me to travel to Bad Kreuznach in Western Germany during the writing of my book: The Military Music & Bandsmen of AH’s Third Reich 1933-45.
In a further much appreciated gesture that was so in keeping with the generous spirit of the former officer we knew, Herr Meyer later kindly suggested that Tomahawk Films should be allowed to keep all future royalties from these two Soldatenchor Minden recordings, the better to help with our ongoing study and promotion of much loved German military music…and this we will gladly and most sincerely continue to do in his memory! In the later part of his life, Herr Meyer, was a most wonderful friend to, and great supporter of, Tomahawk Films and our archival work devoted to the traditional German soldier song and through his ever enthusiastic help & encouraging word, we were granted the exclusive rights to re-master & re-produce both of our SS-Veteran Soldatenchor Minden’s post-war recording sessions, (through his kind introductions to choir-master Willy Casselmann, also formerly of the Leibstandarte-SS ‘Adolf Hitler’), and so allow Tomahawk the proud opportunity of raising some modest sums by way of royalties from these two CDs to donate to HIAG for the support of needy Waffen-SS veterans and their families. Post-war, Herr Meyer lived quietly & studiously near Cologne, West Germany where, in addition to becoming a much respected senior representative and official spokesman of the Association of Veterans of the Waffen-SS, (HIAG), he also became a concise & passionate ‘keeper of historical knowledge, ultimately writing the definitive 2-Volume history of the 12.SS-Panzerdivision “Hitlerjugend” that was published in English only as recently as 1994.
It was with great sadness that Tomahawk Films recently learned of the passing of Obersturmbannführer der ehemalingen Waffen-SS 1.Generalstabsoffizier der 12.SS-Panzerdivision “Hitlerjugend” Hubert Meyer at his home in Germany on November 16th of last year…īorn in Berlin in 1913 and a highly decorated & twice wounded combat officer who, after training at the SS Officer School at Bad Tölz in Bavaria, served with great distinction in Poland, France, Holland, the Balkans & Russia, (where he won the Cross in Gold to his previously awarded EK.1), the then SS-Hauptsturmführer Meyer held senior rank with both the elite Leibstandarte-SS ‘Adolf Hitler’ and 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘ Hitlerjugend’.Īfter continued exemplary leadership in the field, a newly promoted SS-Sturmbannführer Meyer attended the General Staff Officer course at the Wehrmacht’s War Academy and after graduating, was appointed Senior Staff Officer of the newly formed 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend’, taking temporary command in 1944 following the capture of Kurt Meyer.Īfter relinquishing command to Fritz Kraemer later in ’44, Meyer resumed his role as Ia of 12.SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend’ and was promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer, (Lt Col), remaining on the Divisional staff throughout the remainder of the war, finally surrendering to the Americans with the rest of his Division on May 8 th 1945.