Helmuth Hufenbach

Helmuth Hufenbach
Born	27 February 1908 Rüstersiel
Died	27 March 1945 (aged 37) Heiligenbeil
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1925–45
Rank	Generalmajor (Posthumously)
Commands held	562. Volks-Grenadier Division
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of the Caucasus Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944) East Prussian Offensive Heiligenbeil Pocket †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Helmuth Hufenbach (27 February 1908 – 27 March 1945) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Helmuth Hufenbach was killed on 27 March 1945 in the Heiligenbeil Pocket. He was posthumously promoted to Generalmajor and awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (24 October 1939)^[1]
• Wound Badge
  • in Black or in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Kuban Shield
• German Cross in Gold on 27 November 1941 as Hauptmann in the III./Infanterie-Regiment 45^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 October 1943 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 667^[3]
  • 807th Oak Leaves on 28 March 1945 as Oberst and commander of 562. Volks-Grenadier Division^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (10 October 1943)

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 312.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 201.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 196.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 83.

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.

External links

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