Hermann Borchers
Encyclopedia
Hermann Borchers was a Sturmbannführer
(Storm Unit Leader/Major) in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II. He was also one of three brothers all awarded the Knight's Cross.
near Lüneburg
. He attended the local elementary school and joined the SA
on 1 November 1928.
In 1931 to assist with his language skills in English and French he lived in England
and Belgium
until 1934.
On his return home he volunteered to join the SS-VT in August 1934 (SS number 257.879) and was posted to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and in March 1935 joined the NSDAP (party number 257.879).
Selected to become an officer he was posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig
in June 1936.
After graduation he was transferred to the staff of the Reichsführer-SS
in May 1937, and served in the Schutzpolizei
in Lübeck
being promoted to Leutnant of Schutzpolizei
. In May 1938 he was sent to the Police School at Berlin
Köpenick
.
In February 1941, he was given command of a company in the 26th Polizei Regiment in Norway
and assisted in the formation of the Hird Battalion which was formed to guard Russian
and Serbian
prisoners of war.
In August 1942 he returned to Germany and was assigned to training the police and the SS Motorised Reserve Battalion and remained in that role until February 1943, and the formation of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen when he was given command of the 1st Company, 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, until July 1944, when he took over command of the I.Battalion 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment.
During the Normandy
campaign his battalion was located on the west bank of the River Orne. The battalion attacked and captured the feature 8 kilometres (5 mi) east of Saint-Martin. Acting alone the battalion fought off a four hour attack by the British
which included the destruction of two tank squadrons.
For his success in defending the St Martin's area Borchers was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Chief Storm Leader/Captain) and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Storm Unit Leader/Major) in the Waffen SS 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 awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The 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...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II. He was also one of three brothers all awarded the Knight's Cross.
Early life
Hermann Borchers was born on 5 December 1910, in WendhausenReinstorf
Reinstorf is a municipality in the district of Lüneburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
near Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
. He attended the local elementary school and joined the SA
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
on 1 November 1928.
In 1931 to assist with his language skills in English and French he lived in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
until 1934.
On his return home he volunteered to join the SS-VT in August 1934 (SS number 257.879) and was posted to the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and in March 1935 joined the NSDAP (party number 257.879).
Selected to become an officer he was posted to the SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
in June 1936.
After graduation he was transferred to the staff of the Reichsführer-SS
Reichsführer-SS
was a special SS rank that existed between the years of 1925 and 1945. Reichsführer-SS was a title from 1925 to 1933 and, after 1934, the highest rank of the German Schutzstaffel .-Definition:...
in May 1937, and served in the Schutzpolizei
Schutzpolizei
The Schutzpolizei , or Schupo for short, is a branch of the Landespolizei, the state level police of the German states. Schutzpolizei literally means security or protection police but is best translated as Uniformed Police....
in Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
being promoted to Leutnant of Schutzpolizei
Schutzpolizei
The Schutzpolizei , or Schupo for short, is a branch of the Landespolizei, the state level police of the German states. Schutzpolizei literally means security or protection police but is best translated as Uniformed Police....
. In May 1938 he was sent to the Police School at Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
Köpenick
Köpenick
Köpenick is a historic town and locality that is situated at the confluence of the rivers Dahme and Spree in the south-east of the German capital city of Berlin. It was formerly known as Copanic and then Cöpenick, only officially adopting the current spelling in 1931...
.
World War II
In March 1940 he married Elfriede Lifka and they had a son who was born in December 1940.In February 1941, he was given command of a company in the 26th Polizei Regiment in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and assisted in the formation of the Hird Battalion which was formed to guard Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
prisoners of war.
In August 1942 he returned to Germany and was assigned to training the police and the SS Motorised Reserve Battalion and remained in that role until February 1943, and the formation of the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen when he was given command of the 1st Company, 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, until July 1944, when he took over command of the I.Battalion 19th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment.
During the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
campaign his battalion was located on the west bank of the River Orne. The battalion attacked and captured the feature 8 kilometres (5 mi) east of Saint-Martin. Acting alone the battalion fought off a four hour attack by the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which included the destruction of two tank squadrons.
For his success in defending the St Martin's area Borchers was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Chief Storm Leader/Captain) and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The 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...
.