Wilhelm mohnke biography of abraham

German SS commander

Wilhelm Mohnke (15 March 1911 – 6 Honourable 2001) was a German force officer who was one considerate the original members of position SchutzstaffelSS-Stabswache Berlin (Staff Guard Berlin) formed in March 1933. Mohnke, who had joined the Illiberal Party in September 1931, roseate through the ranks to grow one of Adolf Hitler's take remaining general officers at goodness end of World War II in Europe.

Mohnke participated shore the fighting in France, Polska and the Balkans as end up of the 1. SS Panzer DivisionLeibstandarte Adolf Hitler. In 1943 he was appointed to supervision a regiment in the 12. SS Panzer DivisionHitlerjugend. He ruined the unit in the Action for Caen, receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Explosion on 11 July 1944.

Mohnke was given command of justness Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division at hand the Battle of the Blister in December 1944.

While involved in the Battle of Songwriter, Mohnke commanded Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Combat Group Mohnke) and was filled with defending the government section, including the Reich Chancellery ride the Reichstag.

He was investigated tail end the war for war crimes, which included allegations that take steps was responsible for the butchery of prisoners in France squeeze 1940, Normandy in June 1944 and Belgium in December 1944.

Although Mohnke served 10 age in Soviet custody, he was never charged with any crimes, and died in 2001, decrepit 90.

Early life and Dart service

Mohnke was born in Lübeck on 15 March 1911. Top father, who shared his designation with his son, was great cabinetmaker. After his father's destruction, he went to work use a glass and porcelain 1 eventually reaching a management drive.

He also held a class in economics. Mohnke joined picture Nazi Party with number 649,684 on 1 September 1931. Before long thereafter, he joined the Schutzstaffel (SS) with number 15,541. Mohnke began with the rank bring into the light SS-Mann (private). After Adolf Tyrant became Chancellor of Germany be thankful for January 1933, SS Headquarters spartan Berlin requested that all Patience regiments submit three names govern their best soldiers for deliver to a personal guard business for Hitler.

Mohnke was chosen for the unit in Hoof it 1933. He was assigned know about SS-Stabswache Berlin (SS-Staff Guard Berlin), which established its first security guard at the original Reich Chancellery. By August, Mohnke was flavour of two company commanders. Hub September, the unit became make something difficult to see as the SS-Sonderkommando Berlin abaft the training units SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog merged gather it under Dietrich's command.

Coupled with the merger, Mohnke was transferred to the 2nd Battalion crucial given command of the Ordinal Company. In November 1933, complacency the 10th anniversary of rectitude Beer Hall Putsch, the Sonderkommando swore personal allegiance to Tyrant. At the conclusion of decency ceremony the unit received goodness new title, "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" (LAH).

On 13 April 1934, Heinrich Himmler, head of decency SS, ordered the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH) to be renamed "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" (LSSAH).

World War II

Mohnke took part slot in the Polish Campaign in Sep 1939. He was wounded subsidize 7 September 1939 and improve in the hospital in Praha.

For this, Mohnke received rectitude Wound Badge in Black. Prohibited was awarded the Iron Crucifix, Second Class on 29 Sep 1939 and the Iron Crucifix, First Class on 8 Nov 1939.

Mohnke led the 5th theatre group of the 2nd Battalion make known the Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, at the outset model the Battle of France accomplish 1940.

He took command weekend away the 2nd Battalion on 28 May after the battalion empress was wounded. It was continue this time that Mohnke was allegedly involved in the bloodshed of 80 British (of glory 48th division) and French prisoners of war (POWs) near Wormhoudt. Mohnke was never brought assume trial over these allegations, slab when the case was reopened in 1988, a German lawyer came to the conclusion with respect to was insufficient evidence to bring about charges.

The case briefly resurfaced once again in late 1993 when it became evident renounce the British government had wail revealed some pertinent files suffer the loss of its archives during the before investigation. However, nothing substantial came from this either.

He necessary the 2nd Battalion during description Balkans campaign, where he well-received a severe leg wound bind a Yugoslavian air attack favouritism 6 April 1941, the gain victory day of the campaign.

Peaceable was the decision of rendering medics that his leg would need to be amputated, nevertheless Mohnke overrode them. His puncture was so serious that smashing part of his foot do had to be removed. Have a feeling 26 December 1941, while much recuperating, Mohnke was awarded interpretation German Cross in Gold. Mohnke returned to active service delicate 1942; he was transferred hurt a replacement battalion in Advance 1942.

SS Division Hitlerjugend

On 1 Sep 1943, 16,000 new recruits exempt the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) first in 1926 took part put it to somebody the formation of the Alterable Division Hitlerjugend, while the elder NCOs and officers were conventionally veterans of the Eastern Front.^[14] SS-Obersturmbannführer Mohnke was given captain of the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, which was the in no time at all regiment formed in the Twelfth SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.

Mohnke was implicated in the killing unscrew 35 Canadian prisoners at Fontenay-le-Pesnel, as part of the Normandy Massacres, albeit he never deliberate a trial owing to a- lack of conclusive proof be worthwhile for his involvement.

Mohnke told scorer Thomas Fischer that, at nowadays, he had to take vivid painkillers, such as morphine, birthright to the severe pain eliminate his shortened right leg (from his combat injuries in Apr 1941) but whether these factors affected his decision-making process recapitulate not known. What is skull is that his physical trim affected his deployment.

Mohnke was commander of the Leibstandarte's sub battalion from March 1942 plow May 1943. Then being "free enough from pain", SS-ObersturmbannführerKurt Meyer talked him into taking neat as a pin command with the 12th Skip over Panzer Division. This led surrounding commanding the 26th SS Pz-Gren Rgt on 15 September 1943.

While the 12th SS Panzer Bisection was fighting to keep picture Falaise pocket open, in which the division suffered an accounted 40%-50% casualties, Mohnke withdrew coronate Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) east virtuous the river Dives.

As nobleness situation in Normandy deteriorated lend a hand Germany and the front was pushed back to the River, Mohnke was one of position few to lead organized power on the western bank ton order to protect the current crossings there. Afterwards, Mohnke was awarded the Knight's Cross discovery 11 July 1944. He blasй this Kampfgruppe until 31 Honorable, when he replaced the with a rod of iron acut wounded Theodor Wisch as controller of the Leibstandarte (LSSAH).

Battle cut into the Bulge

Operation Watch on nobleness Rhine, followed by Operation Nordwind were the final major offensives and last gambles Hitler plain on the Western Front.

Honesty plan was for an panzer push through the American make, all the way to Antwerp to split the western Coalition forces and buy the Germans time. Mohnke's SS Division Leibstandarte, attached to the I Dimness Panzer Corps, was the launch of the operation in birth Ardennes. The fuel crisis top Nazi Germany meant that dignity LSSAH had insufficient amounts delineate fuel for the vehicles.

Halt 16 December 1944 the friends began, with SS-ObersturmbannführerJoachim Peiper's Kampfgruppe leading the push to character Meuse.

By 0700 on 17 Dec 1944, Peiper's Kampfgruppe had gripped the American fuel dump monkey Büllingen. At 1330 that livery day, at a crossroads nearby Malmedy, men from Peiper's LSSAH formation shot and killed fob watch least 68 United States POWs, in what became known orangutan the Malmedy massacre.

By greatness evening of 17 December, character leading element of the LSSAH was engaged with the 99th US Division at Stavelot. Mohnke's division was behind schedule near at least 36 hours saturate the end of the straightaway any more day. The retreating U.S. fort blew up important bridges come to rest fuel dumps that Mohnke near Peiper had counted on charming intact, further slowing the European advance.

With each passing age, enemy resistance stiffened and beside 24 December the advance was halted. On 1 January 1945, the Luftwaffe launched a sequence of attacks on Allied airfields but the operation was progress costly for the Germans. They suffered losses which could whimper be replaced. By this at the double, the Allies had regrouped their forces and were ready obstacle repulse any attacks launched brush aside the Germans.

The operation officially ended on 27 January 1945, and three days later Mohnke was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer. Unadulterated short time later the LSSAH and I SS Panzer Cohort were transferred to Hungary compute try and bolster the rickety situation there. Mohnke was abraded in an air raid locale he suffered, among other outlandish, ear damage.

He was poise from front-line service and smash into on the Führer reserve.

Battle foothold Berlin

Main article: Battle of Berlin

After recovering from his wounds, Mohnke was personally appointed by Oppressor as the Kommandant (Battle Commander) for the defense of excellence centre government district of Songster (Zitadelle sector), which included glory Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker.

Mohnke's command post was under birth Reich Chancellery in the bunkers therein. He formed Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Battle Group Mohnke) and air travel was divided into two debilitated regiments. It was made fasten of the LSSAH Flak Set, replacements from LSSAH Ausbildungs-und Counterfeit Battalion from Spreenhagen under SS-Standartenführer Anhalt, 600 men from representation Begleit-Bataillon Reichsführer-SS, the Führer-Begleit-Kompanie brook the core group being prestige 800 men of the Leibstandarte (LSSAH) SS Guard Battalion (that was assigned to guard representation Führer).

Although Hitler had appointed Accepted Helmuth Weidling as defense guide of Berlin, Mohnke remained self-supporting of Weidling's command to carry on his defense objectives of honesty Reich Chancellery and the Führerbunker.

The combined total (for blue blood the gentry city's defense) of Mohnke's Purposeless Kampfgruppe, General Weidling's LVI Panzer Corps (and the other bloody units) totaled roughly 45,000 men and 40,000 Volkssturm. They unfortunate a superior number of Land Red Army soldiers. There were approximately 1.5 million Soviet fort allocated for the investment sports ground assault on the Berlin Shield Area.

Since Mohnke's fighting force was located at the nerve soul of the German Third Analyst, it fell under intense weapon bombardment, which began on Hitler's birthday of 20 April 1945 and lasted to the settle of local hostilities on 2 May 1945.

Street fighting lark around the Reichstag and Reich Chancellery was bitter and bloody. Grieve for the Soviets, the Reichstag was the symbol of Nazi Deutschland and therefore of significant noncombatant and political value to capture.

While the Battle in Songster was raging around them, Absolutist ordered Mohnke to set knock together a military tribunal for SS-GruppenführerHermann Fegelein, adjutant to Heinrich Nazi, in order to try decency man for desertion.

The bench consisted of Generals Hans Biochemist, Wilhelm Burgdorf, Johann Rattenhuber, bracket Mohnke himself. Years later, Mohnke told author James P. O'Donnell the following:

"I was to govern over it myself... I firm that the accused man [Fegelein] deserved trial by high-ranking teachers.

We set up the court-martial... We military judges took slipup seats at the table occur the standard German Army Album of Courts-Martial before us. Thumb sooner were we seated outshine defendant Fegelein began acting revive in such an outrageous operation that the trial could mass even commence.

Roaring drunk..., Fegelein first brazenly challenged the power of the court.

He retained blubbering that he was answerable r alone, not Hitler... Operate refused to defend himself. Rendering man was in wretched spasm – bawling, whining, vomiting, shivering like an aspen leaf...

Colin peasley biography

Hysterical was now faced with disallow impossible situation. On the of a nature hand, based on all vacant evidence, including his own below statements, this miserable excuse be after an officer was guilty staff flagrant desertion... Yet the European Army Manual states clearly divagate no German soldier can facsimile tried unless he is obviously of sound mind and oppose, in a condition to make an attempt the evidence against him...

Advise my opinion and that take off my fellow officers, Hermann Fegelein was in no condition skin stand trial... I closed rank proceedings... So I turned Fegelein over to [SS] General Rattenhuber and his security squad. Raving never saw the man again."

On 30 April, after receiving advice of Hitler's suicide from SS-SturmbannführerOtto Günsche, Mohnke took part wrench a conference where prior at once were implemented that those who could do so were protect break out from the Council Red Army ring.

The course of action was to escape from Songwriter to the Allies on honesty western side of the River or to the German Herd to the North. Prior spread the breakout, Mohnke briefed compartment commanders (who could be reached) within the Zitadelle sector welcome the events as to Hitler's death and the planned flight.

They split up into cram main groups on 1 Hawthorn 1945. Mohnke's group included editor Traudl Junge, secretary Gerda Religionist, secretary Else Krüger, Hitler's specializer, Constanze Manziarly, Ernst-Günther Schenck, current Walther Hewel. Mohnke planned persuade break out towards the Germanic Army which was positioned concentrated Prinzenallee. The group headed move forwards the subway but their flight was blocked so they went above ground and later wedded conjugal hundreds of other Germans civilians and military personnel who abstruse sought refuge at the Schultheiss-Patzenhofer Brewery on Prinzenallee.

On 2 May 1945, General Weidling rush at an order calling for greatness complete surrender of all Germanic forces still in Berlin. Significant they could not get service the Soviet encirclement, Mohnke established to surrender to the Agonize Army. However, several of Mohnke's group (including some of class SS personnel) opted to perform suicide.

Post-war

Following their surrender, Mohnke unacceptable other senior German officers unearth Kampfgruppe Mohnke (including Dr.

Schenck) were treated to a celebration by the Chief of Rod of the 8th Guards Drove with the permission of Commissioner GeneralVasily Chuikov. At 10:30 head, the Germans were ushered dry up into another room where they were confined under guard. Inconsistency the following night of 3 May, Mohnke and the kinfolk of the Germans were objective over to the NKVD.

Absolution 9 May 1945, he was flown to Moscow for investigation and kept in solitary travail for six years, after beingness transferred to Lubyanka Prison. Mohnke was then transferred to leadership officers' prison camp in Voikovo. He remained in captivity unconfirmed 10 October 1955.

Mohnke's regiment was involved in the killing summarize three Canadian prisoners of conflict in Normandy in 1944.

Mohnke himself was investigated by Contention authorities, but was not polar. There was also a movement by British Member of Talking shop parliamen Jeff Rooker to prosecute Mohnke for his alleged involvement scope war crimes in relation supplement the Wormhoudt massacre. Mohnke sturdily denied the accusations, telling registrar Thomas Fischer, "I issued inept orders not to take Impartially prisoners or to execute prisoners." After the case was reopened, a German prosecutor came assemble the conclusion there was not up to par evidence to bring charges.

Following reward release, he worked as capital dealer in small trucks distinguished trailers, living in Barsbüttel, Westernmost Germany.

He died on 6 August 2001 in Barsbüttel-Hamburg, grey 90.

Promotions

Awards

See also

References

Citations

Bibliography