Facts: - caption: hermann prie - battles: world war i world war ii - death date: 2 february 1985 - allegiance: german to 1933 -rrb- nazi germany empire -lrb- to 1918 -rrb- weimar republic -lrb- - commands: 3rd ss division totenkopf 1st ss-panzerkorps '' leibstandarte '' - rank: 40px ss-gruppenfuhrer und generalleutnant der waffen-ss - awards: knight leaves and swords 's cross of the iron cross with oak - birth date: 24 may 1901 - name: hermann prie - branch: 20px heer waffen-ss - image: bundesarchiv bild 101iii-adendorf-122-28 , hermann prie.jpg - death place: ahrensburg , schleswig-holstein , west germany - birth place: marnitz , grand duchy of mecklenburg-schwerin , german empire Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of hermann prie .
Answer:
hermann prie -lrb- 24 may 1901 -- 2 february 1985 -rrb- was the commander of '' 3rd ss division totenkopf '' following the death of theodor eicke in february 1943 .he was also a recipient of the knight 's cross of the iron cross with oak leaves and swords -lrb- -rrb- .the knight 's cross of the iron cross and its higher grade oak leaves and swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership .he was promoted to ss - '' gruppenfuhrer und generalleutnant der waffen-ss '' on 20 april 1944 .on 30 october 1944 he became the commanding officer of the '' 1st ss-panzerkorps leibstandarte '' and led it during the battle of the bulge .after the war , hermann prie was convicted of war crimes because of his involvement in the malmedy massacre and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment .he was released in 1954 .