Diddo Diddens of Sturmgeschützabteilung Großdeutschland wearing a SS-Ehrenring (SS-Honor Ring) or Totenkopfring (Death’s Head Ring).
Diddo Diddens was born of humble beginnings. A Farmer’s son, he served as a Hitlerjugend leader in his home town. After completing his six-month R.A.D. service, he joined the Heer-Wehrmacht and commisioned as a Lieutenant der Reserve after the French campaign. On March 18 1942 while serving with the legendary Heer Großdeutschland Division, Diddens earned the Iron Cross for distinguished tank fighting prowess during the winter campaigns of 1941-1942.
He fought at Kursk, Kharkov and during the retreat to the Dnieper River. During and subsequent to these campaigns, Diddens built a reputation as a daring and successful tank killer. In 1944, during intense fighting against the Soviet Army, Diddens was severely injured. Diddens was removed to the hospital where on June 15th of that year, he was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight’s Cross. Due to his severe injuries, which cost him his right leg, he was unable to travel to Berlin to receive the award personally from Hitler. Diddens spent the remainder of the war performing light duties with local defenses in his hometown of Bunderhammrich.
Until now, a very small but important part of Diddo’s early years has remained unpublished - the fact that this hero of Großdeutschland was in his early years an NCO in the Allgemeine-SS. Having never resigned his membership in the SS, Diddens was technically a member of the SS throughout his career. National Archives records indicate that when he received the Knight’s Cross, the SS immediately “claimed” him as one of their own to capitalize on his hero status. Eager to draw Diddens into the fold, Himmler by personal decree promoted him to Lieutenant der Reserve and bestowed him on many honors including the Totenkopf-ring.
Diddens was conferred the ring either under the “special-cases” rule that was instituted in his September 13, 1936 order, or under the August 25,1942 decree which authorized the award to all SS men who earned the Knight’s Cross, we might tend to believe that Himmler awarded him the ring under the “special cases” rule. However since we don’t know how long it took Diddens’ ring to be manufactured, either regulation could have been the trigger.