Johannes Mühlenkamp
Encyclopedia
Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp (1910 – 1986) was a Standartenführer
(Colonel) in the Waffen-SS
during the World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves on September 21, 1944.
, Alsace-Lorraine
. He was one of the early members of the NSDAP and the SS
, joining on April 1933. Mühlenkamp was given the party number 2 800 042 and the SS service number 86 065. He was first assigned to the 4th SS Standarte Schleswig Holstein in Hamburg
before being moved to the 2nd SS Standarte of the SS-Verfügungstruppe
in 1934. Then, Mühlenkamp had been selected to become an officer in 1935. He was sent to the SS junker school at Braunschweig
.
From April to May 1936, Mühlenkamp completed motorcycle training with the Heer
s 2nd Panzer Division, being highly successful in pre World War II motorcycle competitions. On completion of his officer training, Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Germania Regiment (5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
) as a platoon leader on November 1937. Mühlenkamp took over command of the Motor Cycle Company on May 1938.
Division, until December 1940, when he was given the command of the Reich Division
Reconnaissance Battalion. Mühlenkamp was seriously wounded in the head by artillery shrapnel near Jelnja, Russia
. Hospitalized between October and February 1942, Mühlenkamp missed the first Russian winter of the war. On his release from hospital, Johannes Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 5th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Wiking, as Panzer
Battalion commander, until March 1943. When the number of soldiers from the battalion have been increased, the battalion was converted into a regiment. On August 1944, Mühlenkamp was given the command of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
. He commanded this unit until October 1944. Then, Mühlenkamp was promoted Inspector of Waffen SS Panzer troops in the SS-Führungshauptamt. His last command was the 32. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division from January 1945 to February 1945.
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
(Colonel) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
during the 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 with Oak Leaves on September 21, 1944.
Early life
Mühlenkamp was born on 9 October 1910 in MetzMetz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
, Alsace-Lorraine
Alsace-Lorraine
The Imperial Territory of Alsace-Lorraine was a territory created by the German Empire in 1871 after it annexed most of Alsace and the Moselle region of Lorraine following its victory in the Franco-Prussian War. The Alsatian part lay in the Rhine Valley on the west bank of the Rhine River and east...
. He was one of the early members of the NSDAP and the SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
, joining on April 1933. Mühlenkamp was given the party number 2 800 042 and the SS service number 86 065. He was first assigned to the 4th SS Standarte Schleswig Holstein in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
before being moved to the 2nd SS Standarte of the SS-Verfügungstruppe
SS-Verfügungstruppe
The SS-Verfügungstruppe was formed in 1934 as combat troops for the NSDAP. By 1940 these military SS units had become the nucleus of the Waffen-SS....
in 1934. Then, Mühlenkamp had been selected to become an officer in 1935. He was sent to the SS junker school at 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....
.
From April to May 1936, Mühlenkamp completed motorcycle training with the Heer
Heer (1935-1945)
The Heer was the Army land forces component of the German armed forces from 1935 to 1945, the latter also included the Navy and the Air Force...
s 2nd Panzer Division, being highly successful in pre World War II motorcycle competitions. On completion of his officer training, Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Germania Regiment (5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
) as a platoon leader on November 1937. Mühlenkamp took over command of the Motor Cycle Company on May 1938.
World War II
At the eve of the war, Mühlenkamp was the Divisional Adjutant of the SS-VerfügungstruppeSS-Verfügungstruppe
The SS-Verfügungstruppe was formed in 1934 as combat troops for the NSDAP. By 1940 these military SS units had become the nucleus of the Waffen-SS....
Division, until December 1940, when he was given the command of the Reich Division
Das Reich
Das Reich is the name of:* a German SS-division, see 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich* a national socialist newspaper, see Das Reich * the main work of German right-wing intellectual Friedrich Hielscher...
Reconnaissance Battalion. Mühlenkamp was seriously wounded in the head by artillery shrapnel near Jelnja, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. Hospitalized between October and February 1942, Mühlenkamp missed the first Russian winter of the war. On his release from hospital, Johannes Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 5th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Wiking, as Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
Battalion commander, until March 1943. When the number of soldiers from the battalion have been increased, the battalion was converted into a regiment. On August 1944, Mühlenkamp was given the command of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
5th SS Panzer Division Wiking
The 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking was one of the elite Panzer divisions of the thirty eight Waffen SS divisions. It was recruited from foreign volunteers, from Scandinavia, Finland, Estonia, The Netherlands, and Belgium under the command of German officers...
. He commanded this unit until October 1944. Then, Mühlenkamp was promoted Inspector of Waffen SS Panzer troops in the SS-Führungshauptamt. His last command was the 32. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division from January 1945 to February 1945.
Promotions
- SS-Standartenführer : 20 Apr. 1944
- SS-Obersturmbannführer : 30 Jan. 1943
- SS-Sturmbannführer : 30 Jan. 1942
- SS-Hauptsturmführer : 30 Jun. 1939
- SS-Obersturmführer : 9 Nov. 1937
- SS-Untersturmführer : 20 Apr. 1936
Decorations and Awards
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen KreuzesKnight'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...
: 3 Sep. 1942, as SS-Sturmbannführer and Kommandeur, SS-Panzer-Abteilung / SS-Division "Wiking" / LVII.Armee-Korps / 1.Panzer-Armee/Heeresgruppe A- Mit Eichenlaub (Nr. 596) : 21 Sep. 1944, as SS-Standartenführer and Kommandeur, 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" / IV.SS-Pz.Korps / Heeresgruppe Mitte
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold : 2. Jan. 1942
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, 1st class : 11. Nov. 1939
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, 2nd class : 3. Oct. 1939
- Mentioned in official Wehrmachtbericht : 11 Jul. 1944 (for his units destruction of 103 Soviet tanks at Maciejow)
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Gold: 13. Jan. 1943
- Panzerkampfabzeichen
- SS-Dienstauszeichnungen
- Ehrendegen des RF SS
- Totenkopfring der SS
External links
- Johannes Mühlenkamp on lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de