Eugen Meindl
Encyclopedia
Eugen Meindl was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger
and general
during World War II
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. 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 served with the artillery from July 27, 1912. In World War I
he commanded a platoon and later a battery and subsequently served as adjutant with the 67th Artillery Regiment and with the Artillery Commander, 52nd Corps.
Meindl served with various artillery units in the Reichswehr
. Promoted to Hauptmann on August 1, 1924, he was assigned to the Reichwehr Ministry on September 14, 1926 and spent the ten years there before being promoted to Major
.
On November 10, 1939 Oberstleutnant
Meindl was named commander of the 112th Mountain Artillery Regiment in Graz
. As an Oberst
he led the “Meindl Group” and made his very first parachute jump at Narvik. His transfer to the Luftwaffe
followed on November 28, 1940, even though he had been commander of the “Assault Regiment Meindl” of the parachute troops since August 9.
The airborne invasion of Crete
saw Meindl jump near the Platanias Bridge, where he was shot through the chest. Major Edgar Stentzler
led the regiment until Oberst Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
arrived.
On February 26, 1942 Generalmajor Meindl became commander of the newly formed Luftwaffe Division Meindl in Russia and on September 26 he took over XIII. Fliegerkorps (later I Luftwaffe Field Corps).
Meindl distinguished himself in the winter fighting in Russia, was named in the Wehrmachtbericht
and on November 5, 1943 was promoted to commanding general of II Parachute Corps, which he led in the west on the invasion front and later at Cleve
and in the Reichswald. Meindl’s corps fought with distinction at Goch and in the Wesel
bridgehead. Meindl was taken prisoner and held until September 29, 1947. He died in Munich
.
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
and general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. 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.
Biography
Eugen Meindl was born in DonaueschingenDonaueschingen
Donaueschingen is a German town in the Black Forest in the southwest of the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the Schwarzwald-Baar Kreis. It stands near the confluence of the two sources of the river Danube ....
. He served with the artillery from July 27, 1912. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he commanded a platoon and later a battery and subsequently served as adjutant with the 67th Artillery Regiment and with the Artillery Commander, 52nd Corps.
Meindl served with various artillery units in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
. Promoted to Hauptmann on August 1, 1924, he was assigned to the Reichwehr Ministry on September 14, 1926 and spent the ten years there before being promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
On November 10, 1939 Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
Meindl was named commander of the 112th Mountain Artillery Regiment in Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
. As an Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
he led the “Meindl Group” and made his very first parachute jump at Narvik. His transfer to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
followed on November 28, 1940, even though he had been commander of the “Assault Regiment Meindl” of the parachute troops since August 9.
The airborne invasion of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
saw Meindl jump near the Platanias Bridge, where he was shot through the chest. Major Edgar Stentzler
Edgar Stentzler
Eduard Leopold Edgar Stentzler was a highly decorated Major in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
led the regiment until Oberst Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke
Hermann-Bernhard "Gerhard" Ramcke was a German general. He was a recipient of the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross with Swords, Oak Leaves, and Diamonds, one of only 27 people in the German military so decorated...
arrived.
On February 26, 1942 Generalmajor Meindl became commander of the newly formed Luftwaffe Division Meindl in Russia and on September 26 he took over XIII. Fliegerkorps (later I Luftwaffe Field Corps).
Meindl distinguished himself in the winter fighting in Russia, was named in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
and on November 5, 1943 was promoted to commanding general of II Parachute Corps, which he led in the west on the invasion front and later at Cleve
Cleve
-Surname:* Astrid Cleve , Swedish biologist, geologist, chemist and researcher, first woman in Sweden to obtain a doctorate in science* Bastian Clevé , German film director...
and in the Reichswald. Meindl’s corps fought with distinction at Goch and in the Wesel
Wesel
Wesel is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.-Division of the town:Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighoven, Ginderich, Feldmark,Fusternberg, Büderich, Flüren and Blumenkamp.-History:...
bridgehead. Meindl was taken prisoner and held until September 29, 1947. He died in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.
Awards
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Black - "Kreta" CuffbandCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on 27 July 1942 as Generalmajor in the Luftwaffen-Division "Meindl" - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1914)- 1st Class (17 January 1916)
- 2nd Class (18 July 1915)
- Clasp to the Iron CrossClasp to the Iron CrossThe Clasp to the Iron Cross was a metal medal clasp displayed on the uniforms of German Wehrmacht personnel who had been awarded the Iron Cross in World War I. It was displayed on the uniforms of many high ranking officers during World War II as most had also served in World War I...
(1939)- 1st Class (10 June 1940)
- 2nd Class (22 October 1939)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 14 June 1941 as Generalmajor and commander Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment
- 564th Oak Leaves on 31 August 1944 as General der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der FallschirmtruppeGeneral der Fallschirmtruppe was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
and commanding general of the II. Fallschirmkorps - 155th Swords on 8 May 1945 as General der Fallschirmtruppe and commanding general of the II. Fallschirmkorps