Sylvester Stadler (30 December 1910 – 23 August 1995) was a high-ranking commander of the Waffen-SS (member of the SS since 1933), a commander of the SS Division Das Reich, SS Division Hohenstaufen and a recipient of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves.
While Stadler was commander of the Panzer-Grenadier regiment Der FĂĽhrer, part of the SS Division Das Reich, a subordinate unit under his command committed the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre.
On 10 June 1944, part of Der FĂĽhrer regiment, led by SS-SturmbannfĂĽhrer Adolf Diekmann, killed 642 inhabitants of Oradour-sur-Glane.
Stadler ordered a court martial for Diekmann; the latter was killed in action before he could face trial.
On 10 July 1944, Stadler was appointed commander of the SS Division Hohenstaufen; it fought on the Eastern Front, in Normandy, at the Falaise pocket, at Arnhem ("Operation Market Garden"), in the Ardennes offensive and in Hungary.
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