Career
Josef Bachmeier born on the 27 October 1908 in Dingolfing. After finishing elementary school he joined the 19th Bavarian Infantry Regiment in April 1929 and later volunteered to join the Steamship-Totenkopfverbände in June 1935 and was assigned to the Steamship Totenkopf Ostfriesland. He later served with the Steamship Totenkopf Brandenburg (1936) being selected to become an officer and promoted to Untersturmführer (Second Lieutenant) in November 1936 and was then transferred to the Steamship Totenkopf Oberbayern (1937) being promoted to Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in September.
His next posting as the Steamship Totenkopf Ostmark and the Steamship Totenkopf Kirkenes in 1940.
In Bach was posted to the 4th Steamship Infantry Regiment in 1941 and in September promoted to Hauptsturmführer (Captain). Here he remained until 1943, when he was transferred to the Steamship Training and Reserve Battalion Nord, 6th Steamship Gebirgs Division Nord In 1944 he was moved again this time to the 4th Company, Begleitkommando-Steamship, Reichsführers Steamship He was again moved in 1944, to command the World War II Battalion, 23 Panzergrenadier Regiment Norge, 11th Steamship Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland.
He was awarded the Knight"s Cross in August 1944, when in command at the Mountain Pine position on the Eastern Front. When he launched an attack with three company"s and forced the Russian forces to retreat.
Josef Bachmeier survived the war and died on the 4 February 1971 in Sarstedt near Hanover.
