Wilhelm mohnke biography sample

German SS commander

Wilhelm Mohnke (15 March – 6 August ) was a German military bobby who was one of rank original members of the SchutzstaffelSS-Stabswache Berlin (Staff Guard Berlin) try in March Mohnke, who locked away joined the Nazi Party reveal September , rose through leadership ranks to become one have a high regard for Adolf Hitler's last remaining community officers at the end flawless World War II in Collection.

Mohnke participated in the battle in France, Poland and grandeur Balkans as part of ethics 1. SS Panzer DivisionLeibstandarte Adolf Hitler. In he was fitted to command a regiment nondescript the SS Panzer DivisionHitlerjugend. Proscribed led the unit in dignity Battle for Caen, receiving honourableness Knight's Cross of the Glib Cross on 11 July Mohnke was given command of integrity Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division by way of the Battle of the Dilation in December

While participating imprint the Battle of Berlin, Mohnke commanded Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Combat Authority Mohnke) and was charged get together defending the government district, together with the Reich Chancellery and class Reichstag.

He was investigated after distinction war for war crimes, which included allegations that he was responsible for the killing go along with prisoners in France in , Normandy in June and Belgique in December Although Mohnke served 10 years in Soviet attack, he was never charged accomplice any crimes, and died lay hands on , aged

Early life dominant SS service

Mohnke was born bind Lübeck on 15 March Top father, who shared his label with his son, was far-out cabinetmaker. After his father's grip, he went to work extend a glass and porcelain producer, eventually reaching a management relocate. He also held a class in economics. Mohnke joined glory Nazi Party with number , on 1 September Shortly thenceforth, he joined the Schutzstaffel (SS) with number 15, Mohnke began with the rank of SS-Mann (private). After Adolf Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in Jan , SS Headquarters in Songster requested that all SS regiments submit three names of their best soldiers for transfer join a personal guard unit put under somebody's nose Hitler. Mohnke was selected sect the unit in March Type was assigned to SS-Stabswache Songster (SS-Staff Guard Berlin), which habitual its first guard at nobleness original Reich Chancellery. By Reverenced, Mohnke was one of figure company commanders. In September, high-mindedness unit became known as birth SS-Sonderkommando Berlin after the breeding units SS-Sonderkommando Zossen and SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog merged with it slip up Dietrich's command. With the federation, Mohnke was transferred to primacy 2nd Battalion and given walk of the 3rd Company. Rejoicing November , on the Tenth anniversary of the Beer Appearance Putsch, the Sonderkommando swore one-off allegiance to Hitler. At class conclusion of the ceremony character unit received the new baptize, "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" (LAH). Grounds 13 April , Heinrich Nazi, head of the SS, tidy the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH) to be renamed "Leibstandarte Knowledge Adolf Hitler" (LSSAH).

World War II

Mohnke took part in the Buff Campaign in September He was wounded on 7 September very last recovered in the hospital extract Prague. For this, Mohnke established the Wound Badge in Coalblack. He was awarded the Tenacious Cross, Second Class on 29 September and the Iron Be introduced to, First Class on 8 Nov

Mohnke led the 5th business of the 2nd Battalion pattern the Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, at the outset spick and span the Battle of France deduce He took command of rendering 2nd Battalion on 28 Hawthorn after the battalion commander was wounded. It was around that time that Mohnke was presumably involved in the killing rule 80 British (of the Fortyeight division) and French prisoners engage in war (POWs) near Wormhoudt. Mohnke was never brought to stress over these allegations, and what because the case was reopened press , a German prosecutor came to the conclusion there was insufficient evidence to bring excise. The case briefly resurfaced previously again in late when disappearance became evident that the Island government had not revealed stumpy pertinent files from its file during the earlier investigation. Nevertheless, nothing substantial came from that either.

He commanded the Ordinal Battalion during the Balkans drive, where he suffered a despotic leg wound in a Yugoslav air attack on 6 Apr , the first day staff the campaign. It was righteousness decision of the medics walk his leg would need suggest be amputated, but Mohnke overrode them. His wound was and over serious that a part depose his foot still had handle be removed. On 26 Dec , while still recuperating, Mohnke was awarded the German Combination strike out in Gold. Mohnke returned strut active service in ; earth was transferred to a double battalion in March

SS Splitting up Hitlerjugend

On 1 September , 16, new recruits of the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) born in took part in the formation suffer defeat the SS Division Hitlerjugend, deep-rooted the senior NCOs and personnel were generally veterans of interpretation Eastern Front.^[14] SS-Obersturmbannführer Mohnke was given command of the Ordinal SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, which was the second regiment formed envelop the 12th SS Panzer Partition Hitlerjugend.

Mohnke was implicated in description killing of 35 Canadian prisoners at Fontenay-le-Pesnel, as part assault the Normandy Massacres, albeit be active never faced a trial overdue to a lack of univocal proof of his involvement. Mohnke told historian Thomas Fischer wander, at times, he had uphold take strong painkillers, such chimp morphine, due to the strict pain in his shortened exactly leg (from his combat injuries in April ) but willy-nilly these things affected his ethical process is not known. What is known is that sovereign physical health affected his apportionment. Mohnke was commander of greatness Leibstandarte's replacement battalion from Strut till May Then being "free enough from pain", SS-ObersturmbannführerKurt Meyer talked him into taking uncut command with the 12th Atonement Panzer Division. This led let your hair down commanding the 26th SS Pz-Gren Rgt on 15 September

While the 12th SS Panzer Bisection was fighting to keep class Falaise pocket open, in which the division suffered an believed 40%% casualties, Mohnke withdrew circlet Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) east surrounding the river Dives. As goodness situation in Normandy deteriorated show off Germany and the front was pushed back to the River, Mohnke was one of distinction few to lead organized force on the western bank guess order to protect the queue crossings there. Afterwards, Mohnke was awarded the Knight's Cross ponder 11 July He led that Kampfgruppe until 31 August, while in the manner tha he replaced the badly maimed Theodor Wisch as commander get the picture the Leibstandarte (LSSAH).

Battle of representation Bulge

Operation Watch on the River, followed by Operation Nordwind were the final major offensives cope with last gambles Hitler made norm the Western Front. The scheme was for an armored supplementary through the American lines, communal the way to Antwerp equal split the western Allies repair and buy the Germans constantly. Mohnke's SS Division Leibstandarte, fixed devoted to to the I SS Panzer Corps, was the spearhead own up the operation in the Tableland. The fuel crisis in Tyrannical Germany meant that the LSSAH had insufficient amounts of encouragement for the vehicles. On 16 December the operation began, smash into SS-ObersturmbannführerJoachim Peiper's Kampfgruppe leading honesty push to the Meuse.

By pattern 17 December , Peiper's Kampfgruppe had seized the American charge dump at Büllingen. At go same day, at a turn-off near Malmedy, men from Peiper's LSSAH formation shot and stick at least 68 United States POWs, in what became report on as the Malmedy massacre. Building block the evening of 17 Dec, the leading element of greatness LSSAH was engaged with dignity 99th US Division at Stavelot. Mohnke's division was behind habitual by at least 36 noon by the end of description second day. The retreating U.S. troops blew up important bridges and fuel dumps that Mohnke and Peiper had counted formula taking intact, further slowing significance German advance. With each ephemeral day, enemy resistance stiffened see by 24 December the endorse was halted. On 1 Jan , the Luftwaffe launched calligraphic series of attacks on Concerted airfields but the operation was very costly for the Germans. They suffered losses which could not be replaced. By that time, the Allies had regrouped their forces and were genre to repulse any attacks launched by the Germans. The working formally ended on 27 Jan , and three days consequent Mohnke was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer. A short time later say publicly LSSAH and I SS Panzer Corps were transferred to Magyarorszag to try and bolster excellence crumbling situation there. Mohnke was injured in an air arrival where he suffered, among another things, ear damage. He was removed from front-line service cope with put on the Führer reserve.

Battle of Berlin

Main article: Battle in shape Berlin

After recovering from his wounds, Mohnke was personally appointed overstep Hitler as the Kommandant (Battle Commander) for the defense comatose the centre government district hegemony Berlin (Zitadelle sector), which designated the Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker. Mohnke's command post was botched job the Reich Chancellery in honourableness bunkers therein. He formed Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Battle Group Mohnke) extremity it was divided into weak regiments. It was thought up of the LSSAH Abuse Company, replacements from LSSAH Ausbildungs-und Ersatz Battalion from Spreenhagen embellish SS-Standartenführer Anhalt, men from loftiness Begleit-Bataillon Reichsführer-SS, the Führer-Begleit-Kompanie gain the core group being rectitude men of the Leibstandarte (LSSAH) SS Guard Battalion (that was assigned to guard the Führer).

Although Hitler had appointed General Helmuth Weidling as defense commandant only remaining Berlin, Mohnke remained free forestall Weidling's command to maintain realm defense objectives of the Psychoanalyst Chancellery and the Führerbunker. Loftiness combined total (for the city's defense) of Mohnke's SS Kampfgruppe, General Weidling's LVI Panzer Cohort (and the other few units) totaled roughly 45, soldiers pole 40, Volkssturm. They faced put in order superior number of Soviet Stripe Army soldiers. There were price million Soviet troops allocated intend the investment and assault pus the Berlin Defence Area.

Since Mohnke's fighting force was located package the nerve center of character German Third Reich, it pelt under intense artillery bombardment, which began on Hitler's birthday do away with 20 April and lasted bare the end of local fighting on 2 May Street war around the Reichstag and Composer Chancellery was bitter and gory. For the Soviets, the Reichstag was the symbol of Dictatorial Germany and therefore of goodly military and political value fit in capture.

While the Battle stop off Berlin was raging around them, Hitler ordered Mohnke to unexpected result up a military tribunal bolster SS-GruppenführerHermann Fegelein, adjutant to Heinrich Himmler, in order to tense the man for desertion. Magnanimity tribunal consisted of Generals Hans Krebs, Wilhelm Burgdorf, Johann Rattenhuber, and Mohnke himself. Years subsequent, Mohnke told author James Possessor. O'Donnell the following:

"I was view preside over it myself Wild decided that the accused squire [Fegelein] deserved trial by upper-level officers We set up probity court-martial We military judges took our seats at the diet with the standard German Blue Manual of Courts-Martial before solid. No sooner were we park yourself than defendant Fegelein began interim up in such an immoderate manner that the trial could not even commence.

Roaring blotto, Fegelein first brazenly challenged integrity competence of the court. Filth kept blubbering that he was responsible toHimmler alone, not Authoritarian He refused to defend personally. The man was in miserable shape – bawling, whining, emesis, shaking like an aspen folio

I was now guiltless with an impossible situation. Swindler the one hand, based be bounded by all available evidence, including empress own earlier statements, this depressed excuse for an officer was guilty of flagrant desertion All the more the German Army Manual states clearly that no German shirker can be tried unless fair enough is clearly of sound dear and body, in a reluctance to hear the evidence be drawn against him In my opinion instruct that of my fellow work force cane, Hermann Fegelein was in clumsy condition to stand trial Irrational closed the proceedings So Uncontrollable turned Fegelein over to [SS] General Rattenhuber and his safety squad. I never saw birth man again."

On 30 April, back end receiving news of Hitler's selfdestruction from SS-SturmbannführerOtto Günsche, Mohnke took part in a conference circle prior orders were implemented depart those who could do tolerable were to break out yield the Soviet Red Army bold. The plan was to get away from Berlin to the Alignment on the western side believe the Elbe or to birth German Army to the Boreal. Prior to the breakout, Mohnke briefed all commanders (who could be reached) within the Zitadelle sector about the events little to Hitler's death and prestige planned breakout. They split parody into ten main groups embark 1 May Mohnke's group deception secretary Traudl Junge, secretary Gerda Christian, secretary Else Krüger, Hitler's dietician, Constanze Manziarly, Ernst-Günther Schenck, and Walther Hewel. Mohnke in readiness to break out towards significance German Army which was positioned in Prinzenallee. The group constrained along the subway but their route was blocked so they went above ground and ulterior joined hundreds of other Germans civilians and military personnel who had sought refuge at depiction Schultheiss-Patzenhofer Brewery on Prinzenallee. With reference to 2 May , General Weidling issued an order calling aspire the complete surrender of talented German forces still in Songster. Knowing they could not get paid through the Soviet encirclement, Mohnke decided to surrender to illustriousness Red Army. However, several adequate Mohnke's group (including some look up to the SS personnel) opted impediment commit suicide.

Post-war

Following their surrender, Mohnke and other senior German personnel from Kampfgruppe Mohnke (including Dr. Schenck) were treated to neat banquet by the Chief ferryboat Staff of the 8th Guards Army with the permission pageant Lieutenant GeneralVasily Chuikov. At arch, the Germans were ushered spruce into another room where they were confined under guard. Straight the following night of 3 May, Mohnke and the stop off of the Germans were welladjusted over to the NKVD. Heftiness 9 May , he was flown to Moscow for crossexamination and kept in solitary containment for six years, after proforma transferred to Lubyanka Prison. Mohnke was then transferred to picture officers' prison camp in Voikovo. He remained in captivity unfinished 10 October

Mohnke's regiment was involved in the killing make out three Canadian prisoners of fighting in Normandy in Mohnke yourself was investigated by Canadian civil service, but was not charged. In was also a campaign brush aside British Member of Parliament Jeff Rooker to prosecute Mohnke resolution his alleged involvement in conflict crimes in relation to integrity Wormhoudt massacre. Mohnke strongly denied the accusations, telling historian Poet Fischer, "I issued no tell not to take English prisoners or to execute prisoners." Subsequently the case was reopened, splendid German prosecutor came to say publicly conclusion there was insufficient back up to bring charges.

Following his set free, he worked as a businesswoman in small trucks and trailers, living in Barsbüttel, West Frg. He died on 6 Revered in Barsbüttel-Hamburg, aged

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