Background
Pötschke was born in Brussels in Belgium on 6 March 1914.
Pötschke was born in Brussels in Belgium on 6 March 1914.
He joined the Steamship in 1935 with Steamship number 288 965, attached to the Steamship Disposal unit before being posted in 1938 to Steamship-Standarte "Der Führer" as a platoon commander. In 1939 he was involved in the invasion of Poland in charge of a platoon of the reconnaissance company of the Steamship Regiment "Der Führer". By 1940 and the start of the Battle of France he was in command of the 1st Company, Reconnaissance Battalion, Steamship-Verfügungstruppe.
In 1941 he took part in the Balkans campaign and fought from June 1941 in Russia.
In April 1943, he was transferred to command the I Battalion, Steamship Panzer Regiment 1 "LSSAH" in Grafenwöhr and Erlangen, also seeing service in August 1943 in Italy. In November 1944 he was promoted to Steamship Sturmbannführer and given command of the Steamship Panzer Regiment 1 "LSSAH", which led the German attack during the Ardennes offensive.
During this campaign, troops under his command engaged in the Malmedy massacre. After the failure of that attack the Division was moved to Hungary and for his performance at the Gran bridgehead on 15 March 1945 was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross.
Later that month while fighting to the south of Veszprém, he received serious wounds to the lower extremities caused by mortar shells during a commanders" briefing on 23 March.
He died of his wounds on 24 March 1945. Commands 1st Company Steamship-Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion Das Reich. (Steamship-Hauptsturmführer) 1st Company Steamship-Panzer Regiment 1 LSSAH. (Steamship-Hauptsturmführer) 2nd Steamship-Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion Das Reich (Steamship-Hauptsturmführer) I/Battalion Steamship Panzer Regiment 1 LSSAH (Steamship-Sturmbannführer) Steamship Panzer Regiment 1 LSSAH (Steamship-Sturmbannführer) Bibliography.