A former member of one of Nazi Germany’s most notorious military formations maintained his anonymity throughout his later years before choosing to disclose his wartime activities to a Methodist minister based in South Oxfordshire.
Erwin Stahlberg served with the SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, a unit that became synonymous with the brutal operations of the Nazi regime.
While he discussed publicly how he was taken prisoner and spent time as a detainee in Britain, he concealed his precise military affiliation from the wider public for many years.
The connection between Stahlberg and Reverend Bruce Thompson commenced in 2004.
The clergyman, who now serves within the Wantage and Abingdon Methodist Circuit, maintained correspondence and dialogue with the veteran throughout the remainder of his life.
Their exchanges continued without interruption until Stahlberg’s passing at the age of 103 in June 2025.
An understanding had been established between the two men that details of Stahlberg’s regimental affiliation would remain private until after his death.
Only then would the full extent of his military background be made public.
The foundation of a newly released publication draws upon the extensive discussions between the pair, alongside examination of Stahlberg’s service record and the Reverend’s personal observations.
The work examines how an individual in his youth became absorbed within such a feared combat formation of the Nazi hierarchy and considers the broader implications relevant to contemporary understanding.
Stahlberg participated in the German assault into Ukraine and Russian territories during 1941.
He subsequently returned to combat duties on the Eastern Front before deployment to Italy in 1943.
Additionally, he formed part of the forces that resisted the Allied landings in Normandy the following year.
A book launch event has been arranged at Wallingford Methodist Church, scheduled for October 20 at midday.
The Reverend Thompson will participate in an interview segment during the proceedings.
Entry to the occasion requires no payment.
The publication is being distributed through bookshops and digital retail platforms.