Helmut Dörner

Helmut Dörner
Born	26 June 1909 Mönchengladbach
Died	11 February 1945 (aged 35) Budapest
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Oberführer
Commands held	II./SS-PolSchtzRgt 2 SS-PzGrenRgt 8
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Budapest †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Helmut Dörner (26 June 1909 in Mönchengladbach – 11 February 1945 in Budapest) was a German Waffen-SS officer. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Dörner was born in 1909. During World War II, he was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross during the Battle of France. Dörner was promoted to major and assigned command of II./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2. He received the German Cross in Gold in December 1941. In early 1942, Dörner's battalion participated in Army Group North's encirclement of the Soviet 2nd Shock Army commanded by Andrey Vlasov.

Dörner stayed with the Polizei division until late 1943, and was then transferred to Greece. When Karl Schümers (divisional commander) was killed in a partisan ambush, Helmut took over the command until the arrival of the new commander. In September 1944 the 4th SS Polizei Division was sent to Rumania and Hungary. During the siege of Budapest, he became the commander of a mixed battle group and died during a breakthrough attempt.

Summary of career

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black (2 October 1941)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (2 October 1941)^[1]
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (14 June 1940)^[1][2]
  • 1st Class (19 June 1940)^[1][2]
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 as Hauptmann in the 14./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2^[3]
• Close Combat Clasp in Silver^[4]
• Tank Destruction Badges for Individual Combatants^[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 15 May 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer and Major of the Schupo and commander of the II./SS-Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2^[5][6][7][8]
  • 650th Oak Leaves on 16 November 1944 as SS-Standartenführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8^{[5][9][10][Note 1]}
  • 129th Swords on 1 February 1945 as SS-Oberführer and leader of a Kampfgruppe in the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division^{[5][11][12][Note 2]}

Promotions

20 April 1937:	Leutnant of the Schupo, effective as of 1 April 1937[1]
30 January 1938:	Oberleutnant of the Schupo[1]
11 September 1939:	Hauptmann of the Schupo[1]
1 January 1940:	SS-Hauptsturmführer of the Reserves[1]
5 January 1942:	Major of the Schupo[1]
5 January 1942:	SS-Sturmbannführer of the Reserves[1]
5 January 1942:	SS-Sturmbannführer effective as of 1 April 1942, transferred from the reserve force to active service in the Waffen-SS[1]
20 April 1943:	SS-Obersturmbannführer[1]
20 April 1944:	SS-Standartenführer[1]
15 January 1945:	SS-Oberführer[1]

Notes

1. According to Krätschmer as SS-Standartenführer and Oberst of the Schupo.^[6]
2. According to Krätschmer as SS-Oberführer and Oberst of the Schupo.^[6]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1998, p. 355.
2. Thomas 1997, p. 126.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 90.
4. Berger 1999, p. 60.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 276.
6. Krätschmer 1999, p. 323.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 163.
8. Von Seemen 1976, p. 112.
9. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 92.
10. Von Seemen 1976, p. 51.
11. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 47.
12. Von Seemen 1976, p. 19.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
• 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.
• Krätschmer, Ernst-Günther (1999). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Waffen-SS]. Coburg, Germany: Nation Europa Verlag. ISBN 978-3-920677-43-9.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1998). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C–Dow [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 4: C–Dow] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2534-8.
• 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.