Eduard Deisenhofer

Dr. jur. Eduard Deisenhofer
Deisenhofer as SS-Obersturmbannführer during service with 3. SS-Division Totenkopf, 1942.
Born	27 June 1909 Freising, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Died	MIA 31 January 1945 (aged 35) disappeared near Arnswalde, Province of Pomerania, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany now Choszczno, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1930–45
Rank	Oberführer
Service number	NSDAP #250,226 SS #3,642
Unit	SS-VT SS Division Totenkopf 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	German Cross in Gold Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Close Combat Clasp in Silver

Dr. Eduard Deisenhofer (27 June 1909, in Freising, Upper Bavaria – MIA 31 January 1945, near Arnswalde, Province of Pomerania) was a German commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany. He served with several combat divisions on both the Eastern and Western fronts, earning the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He held a PhD in political economy.

Early life and pre-war career

Born in Freising, Bavaria, to a middle-class family, Deisenhofer excelled in his studies at school from a young age. After his schooling, he pursued studies in the fields of politics and economics. He received his PhD as a political economist. During his time at university, he had come into contact with the Nazi Party, and soon applied to join the SA. After only a few months with the SA, Deisenhofer transferred to the SS, beginning his service on 1 October 1930.

Deisenhofer quickly climbed his way through the ranks, holding various low level command positions, including service with the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in 1934 and at the Dachau concentration camp in 1935. By this stage he had reached the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer.

On 30 January 1936, Deisenhofer married Edeltraut Holzapfel. Over the course of the next few years, they would have three daughters, one of whom was killed in a bombing raid in May 1943.

In 1936, he was transferred to SS Wachtruppe Oberbayern. Over the next two years he served in both the Totenkopfverbände units SS Totenkopf Verbande Sachsen and SS Totenkopf Standarte Thuringen.

Early war campaigns

The outbreak of war found him serving back with the Oberbayern, now expanded to an SS Totenkopf Standarte. The Oberbayern was involved in police and security measures during the Invasion of Poland.

After the Polish campaign, Oberbayern was absorbed into the newly formed SS Division Totenkopf. Deisenhofer, now an SS-Sturmbannführer (major), was placed in command of the II Battalion of SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1. He led this formation through the initial phase of the Campaign in the West, receiving the Iron Cross First Class for his bravery in combat. Deisenhofer was pulled out of the line in late May and placed in charge of II Battalion of the newly formed Dutch and Belgian volunteer formation SS Volunteer Standarte Nordwest. After commanding the II./Nordwest during its training and formation, Deisenhofer was transferred to the SS Replacement Battalion Ost, a replacement and training unit based in Berlin.

In August 1941, Deisenhofer was transferred to the command of the I./SS-Infanterie-Regiment 9 Germania, one of the Infantry regiments of the SS-Division(mot) Wiking, currently serving on the Eastern Front. Deisenhofer commanded the Battalion during the winter, before being sent back to the Totenkopf division in February 1942, this time to serve as commander of I./SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiment 1.

The Totenkopf was attached to Army Group North, advancing on Leningrad. The division was encircled in the Demyansk Pocket. When his depleted battalion was formed into part of a larger Kampfgruppe, Deisenhofer was given command and lead the unit during the breakout from the pocket; for his actions, he received the Close Combat Clasp in silver. On 20 April 1942, he was promoted to SS-Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel). On 17 May 1942, Deisenhofer was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions in the Demyansk pocket. The remnants of the Totenkopf were pulled back to France to be rebuilt. Deisenhofer was ordered to Berlin for reassignment.

Training duties

Deisenhofer was firstly reassigned as commander of an SS motorcycle replacement battalion which he led until he was ordered to SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz, Bavaria, where he took over as a training group commander. As part of this command, he was to travel between several different training grounds including the Armour school, Panzertruppenschule Wünsdorf and the Light Infantry school, both located at Wünsdorf.

At the end of April 1943, Deisenhofer was transferred to Berlin to operate as a training officer for the SS Infantry and Mountain troop Inspection department, a part of the SS-FHA. In November 1943 he was sent to the 11th (Officer Training) Department (Amt XI) of the SS-FHA.

1944 and 1945

In early March 1944, Deisenhofer was finally relieved from his duties attached to the SS-Junkerschule Tölz and sent back to a combat formation, this time to command a regiment of the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg. Diesenhofer commanded the regiment during the Frundsberg and the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen successful attempt to relieve the encircled 1st Panzer Army of Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube in what was known as the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. For his actions during this battle, Deisenhofer was promoted to SS-Standartenführer.

The Frundsberg was sent to the Normandy to attempt to halt the advance of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group, currently advancing on Caen. Deisenhofer's unit saw action during Operation Epsom, which resulted in German defeat.

In mid July, Deisenhofer was ordered back east to take command of the SS Division Wiking, currently engaged in heavy fighting in the area near Modlin. In mid August, Deisenhofer was ordered back to Berlin to await his next command. At the end of the month, he took over command of the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen, which was retreating towards the Saar. Deisenhofer commanded the division during the heavy fighting against the Americans on the Moselle and in the subsequent withdrawal to Metz. At the end of September, Deisenhofer was wounded.

On 31 December, he was tasked with organising a Kampfgruppe from the recruits of the SS-Truppenübungsplatz to defend Bad Saarow. On 1 January, Deisenhofer was promoted to SS-Oberführer. Near the end of January, Deisenhofer was ordered to Arnswalde in Pomerania to take command of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian). He began travelling north to take over his next command, but a Soviet ground attack aircraft attacked the staff car, killing Deisenhofer, his driver and his adjutant. Because evidence of Deisenhofer's death is lacking, he is classified as missing in action, rather than killed. His remains were not found.

Summary of SS career

• NSDAP #: 250,226^[1]
• SS-#: 3,642^[1]

Dates of rank

• SS-Scharführer: July 8, 1932
• SS-Truppführer: May 17, 1933
• SS-Obertruppführer: August 21, 1933
• SS-Sturmführer: November 8, 1933
• SS-Obersturmführer: April 20, 1934
• SS-Hauptsturmführer: September 15, 1935
• SS-Sturmbannführer: October 2, 1938
• SS-Obersturmbannführer: April 20, 1942
• SS-Standartenführer: April 20, 1944
• SS-Oberführer: January 1, 1945

Notable decorations

• German Cross in Gold (1942)
• Eastern Front Medal (1942)
• Infantry Assault Badge(?)
• Iron Cross Second (1940) and First (1940) Classes
• Wound Badge in Black (1940) and Silver (?)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 May 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of a Kampfgruppe in the 3. SS-"Totenkopf"-Division^{[2][Note 1]}
• Sudetenland Medal (1938)
• Anschluss Medal (1938)
• Close Combat Clasp (silver) (1942)

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as commander of the I./SS-"Totenkopf"-Infanterie-Regiment 1.^[3]

References

Citations

1. Meyer 1996, p. 86.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 159, 489.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 269.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Meyer, Walther-Peer, ed. (1996). Dienstaltersliste der Schutzstaffel der NSDAP (SS) [Seniority List of Schutzstaffel of the NSDAP (SS)] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2487-7.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Yerger, Mark C (1997). Waffen-SS Commanders: The Army, Corps and Divisional Leaders of a Legend: Augsberger to Kreutz. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7643-0356-2.