Josef "Sepp" Dietrich (28 May 1892 – 21 April 1966) was a Waffen-SS General and Nazi Party member who commanded units up to Army level during World War II. Prior to 1929, he was Adolf Hitler's chauffeur and bodyguard but received rapid promotion after his participation in the murder of Hitler's political opponents during the Night of the Long Knives. Most critics argue that Dietrich was too poorly educated to actually lead an army. His men however, appreciated his ability to empathize with the front-line soldier. After the war, he was imprisoned by the United States after being found guilty of ordering the massacre U.S. POWs at Malmedy. He served 10 years in at a U.S. base in Germany. Upon his release 1955, he was tried for his role in the Night of the Long Knives. He was released after 19