Nikolaus Heilmann

Nikolaus Heilmann
Born	20 April 1903 Schlüchtern, Province of Hesse-Nassau, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	30 January 1945 (aged 41) Altdamm, Province of Pomerania, Free State of Prussia, Nazi Germany now Dąbie, Szczecin, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Brigadeführer
Unit	13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian)
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class German Cross in Gold Wound Badge Eastern Front Medal Infantry Assault Badge

Nikolaus Heilmann (20 April 1903 – 30 January 1945) was a Brigadeführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Career

Nikolaus Heilmann was born on the 20 April 1903, in Schlüchtern, Hessen. He joined the police force in 1925. In May 1939 he joined the SS (SS service number 327324) and at the start of World War II, he was posted to the 4th SS Polizei Division and served in the early campaigns in Belgium, Luxembourg and France. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold in August 1942. In June 1943, he was promoted to Standartenführer and appointed Chief of Staff to the IV SS Panzer Corps whose entire staff was transferred to the VI SS Army Corps.

He remained on the Army staff until February 1944 when he was given command of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) and promoted to Oberführer. He was transferred to command the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of SS in August 1944, when he is wounded and also awarded the Knight's Cross. He returned to command the 15th SS in January 1945. He was killed in action on the 30 January 1945 and posthumously promoted to the rank of Brigadeführer.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 August 1944 as SS-Oberführer and commander of the 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division of the SS^{[1][Note 1]}

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as commander of the 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division of the SS (lett. Nr. 1).^[2]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 218.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 375.

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.