Heinz Gropp

Heinz Gropp
Born	29 January 1912 Zwickau
Died	14 February 1990 (aged 78) Ensdorf
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Obersturmführer
Unit	9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class Tank Destruction Badge

Heinz Gropp (29 January 1912 — 14 February 1990) was an Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Obersturmführer Heinz Gropp was awarded the Knight's Cross when in command of the 9th SS Flak Battalion on the 6 May 1945. There is some dispute over the award as it was authorised by Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich in his position as commander of the German Sixth SS Panzer Army, who claimed to have been given the authority by Adolf Hitler in person.^{[1][2][Note 1]}

Notes

1. No evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. According to Fellgiebel the award was presented by SS-Oberstgruppenführer Sepp Dietrich, which would make it an unlawful presentation. Fellgiebel's sources are Hermann Buch, the former IIa (personnel administration) of the 2. SS-Division "Das Reich", and Wilhelm Kment, the adjutant of Heinrich Himmler and liaison officer to the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office). According to Buch—note from 25 June 2005—he has nothing to do with this presentation. And Kment can't be the source, since Buch stated that Kment died in the early 1970s. If indeed Kment would have been the source then von Seemen would have listed Heinz Gropp in either the first or second edition of his book, which isn't the case. The source thus remains uncertain. Krätschmer lists Gropp in his third edition with a date of 1 May 1945 without stating a source as well. Fellgiebel dated the award on 6 May 1945. He may have done this to justify this as an Dietrich award.^[3]

References

Citations

1. "frontkjemper".
2. "axishistory".
3. Scherzer 2007, pp. 134–135.

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.
• Henschler, Henri; Fey, Willi (2003). Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS, 1943–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-2905-5.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). Retreat to the Reich : the German defeat in France, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3384-7.
• Mitcham, Samuel W (2007). The German Defeat in the East, 1944–45. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3371-7.
• 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.