Voldemārs Reinholds

Voldemārs Reinholds
Born	23 June 1903 Bauska, Russian Empire
Died	4 July 1986 (aged 83) Madliena, Latvian SSR
Allegiance	Latvia  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1925–41 1941–45
Rank	Obersturmbannführer
Unit	9th Rēzekne infantry regiment 16th Zemgale Police battalion 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian)
Commands held	43rd Waffen Grenadier Regiment
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

Andrejs Voldemārs Reinholds (23 June 1903 – 4 July 1986) was an Obersturmbannführer (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II who 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.

Waffen-Obersturmbannführer Voldemārs Reinholds was the commander of the 43rd Waffen Grenadier Regiment, 19th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (2nd Latvian) when he was awarded the Knight's Cross in May 1945.^{[Notes 1]} He survived the war and died on 4 July 1986.^[2][3]

Biography

Andrejs Voldemārs Reinholds was born in small Latvian town of Bauska on 23 June 1903. After graduation, he was drafted in Latvian army. After his compulsory service, he stayed in the military and graduated from the military academy in 1926. He served in the Latvian army until 1939 achieving the rank of First lieutenant. After the Latvian occupation in 1940, he remained in the now Soviet Red Army; he was demobilised shortly before Operation Barbarossa started.

In the autumn of 1941, Reinholds was among the first Latvian volunteers to join Auxiliary Police and then enlisted in the Wehrmacht. He was company commander in 16th Zemgale Police battalion, which was involved in anti-partisan duties behind the Leningrad Front, near the Lake Ilmen and Staraya Russa. At the end of 1942, Reinholds was promoted to Hauptsturmführer (Captain).

When the Latvian Legion was formed in the 1943, 16th Zemgale Police battalion was incorporated in newly formed 2nd SS Infantry Brigade. Since 1944, Voldemars Reinholds was commander of a battalion in the rank of Sturmbannführer. In autumn 1944, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. In spring 1945, when fighting in Courland Pocket, he was given command of 43rd Waffen-SS Grenadier Regiment. In May 1945, he was awarded Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, although he never physically received it.

After the German capitulation, Reinholds was arrested by the Soviets. He escaped and for some time lived clandestinely near his hometowm. Later, he moved to Riga where he lived under an alias, Andrejs Ostrovskis. He was denounced by one of the former legionnaires to the NKVD.

In 1948, he was tried and sentenced to 25 years in Vorkuta prison camps. Reinholds was released in 1958 and returned to Riga. Reinholds died on 4 July 1986.

Notes

1. Voldemārs Reinholds' nomination by the troop was received by Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 25 March 1945. The HPA created a nomination numbered 4940 on 30 March 1945. A file card listing the same information is filed among the rejected nominations. The column verliehen (Awarded) in the book "Verliehene Ritterkreuze" (Awarded Knight Crosses) is blank. No proof exists that the Knight's Cross was awarded. The presentation date was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR)^[1]

References

Citations

1. Scherzer 2007, pp. 165–166.
2. "frontkjemper".
3. "axis.history.factbook".

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.