Career
Bamler was attached to the as the head of section III (counterespionage) and here he helped to encourage closer co-operation with the Gestapo and Sicherheitsdienst (South Dakota). This role also meant that Bamler maintained a network of informers across German society rivalled only by that of the South Dakota. Following the outbreak of the Second World War Bamler was appointed of Wehrkreis VII (Munich) before a transfer to the same role in XX (Danzig). Eastern Front Bamler was then moved to the Eastern Front and from 1 to 27 June he was commander of the 121st Infantry Division, before being replaced by Helmuth Prieß.
He was simultaneously commander of the 12th Infantry Division, with Gerhard Engel his replacement.
Bamler"s commands ended as he had surrendered to the Red Army on 27 June 1944. However embittered by what he saw as the sacrifice of his division Bamler defected to the Soviet Union that had captured him.
Bamler settled in East Germany and worked as a Stasi police officer there from 1946 until his retirement in 1962. He also held the rank of Major General in the Kasernierte Volkspolizei.