Werner Rachtman (June 3, 1916 – 1944) was a German soldier and Feldwebel (Sergeant) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was one of the soldiers who have been killed by the Basterds unit in the French theater near the end of the war. For not revealing the location of other Germans, he was beaten to death by the Basterds with a wooden bat and died of blunt force trauma.
Background[]
Early Life[]
Werner Rachtman was born on June 3, 1916, in Düsseldorf, Germany. He grew up in a period of economic hardship following Germany’s defeat in World War I. Raised in a middle-class household, he was exposed to nationalist ideologies that grew prominent during the rise of the Nazi Party in the 1930s. Rachtman attended state-sponsored schools where military discipline and German nationalism were emphasized.
Military Career[]
Rachtman enlisted in the Wehrmacht in 1937 and was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. He underwent extensive training in infantry tactics, weaponry, and close-quarters combat.
World War II[]
Rachtman’s division participated in the Invasion of Poland (1939), where Germany’s military might was first demonstrated through Blitzkrieg tactics. He later fought in the Battle of France (1940), earning the Iron Cross 2nd Class for bravery in combat.
In 1941, Rachtman was deployed to the Eastern Front, taking part in Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. He fought in key battles, including the Battle of Moscow (1941-42), Stalingrad (1942-43), and Kursk (1943). These battles were among the most brutal of the war, leading to his receipt of the Close Combat Clasp and Wound Badge in Black after suffering an injury from shrapnel.
By early 1944, as the war turned against Germany, Rachtman was transferred to Eastern France, where German forces prepared for an Allied invasion. His unit was stationed in rural areas, conducting patrols and reconnaissance missions in mountainous areas. At this point, him and his unit would have been involved in 20+ separate battles for him to earn his silver close combat clasp.
By June 1944, his unit was stationed near the Territoire de Belfort, a key region in eastern France close to the German border. This area held strategic importance as it provided access to Alsace and was a potential retreat route for German forces.
Capture and Death[]
In 1944, while leading a patrol in the forests of Belfort, Rachtman and his men (Ludwig Weber, Wilhelm Butz) were captured by the Basterds, an American-Jewish commando unit specializing in guerrilla warfare against German troops. Interrogated by Lieutenant Aldo Raine, he was given the opportunity to provide information on German troop movements and the locations of other patrols in exchange for his life.
Rachtman refused to betray his fellow soldiers, defiantly maintaining his loyalty to Germany and his comrades and insulting his captors. When Rachtman was asked if he'd been awarded his Iron Cross for "killin' Jews," Rachtman retorted proudly that he'd won it for “bravery." He was subsequently executed by Donny “The Bear Jew” Donowitz, a basterd who beat him to death with a wooden baseball bat, smashing his head in, as the rest of the Basterds watched along with Rachtman’s men near the clearing. His execution served as a warning to other captured German soldiers who refused to cooperate with the Basterds.
Awards[]
- Iron Cross 1st Class
- Iron Cross 2nd Class
- Close Combat Clasp
- Infantry Assault Badge
- Wound badge in Black