Quick Facts
Biography
Klaus von Bismarck (6 March 1912 – 22 May 1997) was the Director General of the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (West German Broadcasting) from 1961 to 1976, and the President of the ARD from 1963 to 1964. He was also the President of the German Evangelical Church Assembly from 1977 to 1979 and a member of its presidium from 1950 to 1995, as well as President of the Goethe Institute, 1977 to 1989.
Bismarck was a highly decorated Lieutenant Colonel (Oberstleutnant of the Reserves) in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. According to his memoirs published in 1992 he refused to obey Hitler's Commissar Order to execute all captured Russian political Commissars attached to the Russian Army whilst serving as an adjutant on the Russian front in 1941. (Gitta Sereny, 'Albert Speer - his battle with truth, Macmillan 1995)
He is a relative of Otto von Bismarck, Germany's first Chancellor, and was the son of Gottfried von Bismarck (1881–1928), Lord of Jarchlin and Kniephof, family estates located in Pomerania.
Bismarck received an honorary Doctor of Theology degree (Dr. h. c. theol.) from the University of Münster.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (9 October 1939)
- 1st Class (18 June 1940)
- Wound Badge (1939)
- in Silver
- Eastern Front Medal (15 July 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 31 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and leader of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 4
- 669th Oak Leaves on 26 November 1944 as Major and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 4
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 24 November 1944
- Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (3 October 1973)
- Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star (1982)
- Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star and Sash (2 June 1989)
- Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1989)
- Honorary Doctorate of Theology from the University of Münster
- Klaus-von-Bismarck-Saal (formerly Main Hall) at WDR Radio Cologne
Promotions
| 20 April 1936: | Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) of the Reserves, effective as of 1 April 1936 with a rank age of 1 April 1936 |
| 30 September 1939: | Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) of the Reserves, effective as of 1 April 1939 with a rank age of 1 January 1939 |
| 17 September 1942: | Oberleutnant of the Reserves, with a new rank age of 1 October 1938 |
| 17 September 1942: | Hauptmann (Captain) of the Reserves, effective as of 1 October 1942 with a rank age of 1 October 1941, later changed to 1 October 1940 |
| 13 January 1943: | Major (Major) of the Reserves, effective as of 1 December 1942 with a rank age of 1 December 1942 |
| 15 December 1944: | Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) of the Reserves, effective as of 1 November 1944 with a rank age of 9 November 1944 |