Helmuth Beukemann

Helmuth Beukemann
Born	9 May 1894 Hamburg
Died	13 July 1981 (aged 87) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Unit	164th Infantry Division
Commands held	75th Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Balkan Campaign Battle of Greece Battle of Voronezh (1943) Battle of Kursk Hube's Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm Berthold Helmuth Beukemann (9 May 1894 – 13 July 1981) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Helmuth Beukemann was captured by American troops in 1945 and was released in 1947.

One of Beukemann's hats is in the collection of the Occupation Museum on the square in Ste. Marie du Mont, Normandy, France.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (9 September 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (23 May 1916)^[1]
• Brunswick War Merit Cross
  • 2nd Class (24 June 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (21 May 1918)^[1]
  • Bewährungsabzeichen (probation badge) to the War Merit Cross 2nd Class (18 June 1918)^[1]
• Wound Badge
  • in Black (17 August 1918)^[1]
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg (16 May 1916)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (24 October 1918)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (15 October 1939)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy, 1942)
• Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres (1 May 1941)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 382^[2][3]
• German Cross in Gold on 20 January 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 75. Infanterie-Division^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 459.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 219.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 131.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 40.

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; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht