Heinz Harmel

Heinz Harmel
Heinz Harmel
Born	29 June 1906 Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire now Metz, Lorraine, France
Died	2 September 2000 (aged 94) Krefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Reichswehr Waffen-SS
Years of service	1926–45
Rank	Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
Battles/wars	World War II Operation Barbarossa Battle of Normandy Operation Market Garden
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Heinz Harmel (29 June 1906 – 2 September 2000) was a German Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS 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 with Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards

• Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar
• Memel Medal
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (1 June 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (4 December 1940)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (21 March 1943)
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
  • in Silver (10 September 1943)
• Eastern Front Medal (15 August 1942)
• Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants (31 March 1943)
• German Cross in Gold (29 November 1941)^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 31 March 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 3 "Deutschland"^{[3][4][Note 1]}
  • 296th Oak Leaves on 7 September 1943 as SS-Standartenführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Deutschland"^[2][5][6]
  • 116th Swords on 15 November 1944 as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor der Waffen SS and commander of 10. SS-Panzer-Division "Frundsberg"^[2][7][8]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 16 July 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
16 July 1944	In den Kämpfen um Caen haben sich die 9. SS-Panzerdivision "Hohenstaufen" unter Führung von SS-Standartenführer Stadler und die 10. SS-Panzerdivision "Frundsberg" unter Führung von SS-Oberführer Harmel zusammen mit Truppen des Heeres durch besondere Tapferkeit ausgezeichnet.[9]	In the battle for Caen, the 9th SS-Panzer-Division "Hohenstaufen" led by SS-Standartenführer Stadler and the 10th SS-Panzer-Division "Frundsberg" led by SS-Oberführer Harmel, together with troops of the Army, have distinguished themselves by showing exceptional bravery.

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Deutschland".^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 247.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 366.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 214.
4. Von Seemen 1976, p. 155.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 72.
6. Von Seemen 1976, p. 37.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 46.
8. Von Seemen 1976, p. 19.
9. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 164.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.