Gerhard Pleiss

Who was Gerhard Pleiss?

Gerhard Pleiss or in German Gerhard Pleiß was a Hauptsturmführer in the 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. He was born on 20 April 1915 in Remscheid. He went to an upper secondary school in Dortmund and then began as apprenticeship as an intern with the intention of becoming a Dentist.

On the 15 April 1936 he volunteered for the SS and was accepted into the Leibstandarte in Berlin and given the SS number 323 807. He attended the Junker school in Braunschweig, and on the 20 April 1939 was promoted to SS-Untersturmführer

In the Battle of France he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class for his actions at the river crossing at Pont-du-Château. During the 1941 Balkans Campaign he was the commander of the 1st Companie LSSAH, and was given the task of securing the Klidi pass during the Battle of Vevi which at the time was being defended by British units. On 12 April 1941 contact was made and Pleiss captured the key position of Klidi which would allow the LSSAH to pass through and on into Greece. At dawn more British positions were identified and attacked, capturing more than 100 prisoners and 20 machine guns.