Heinz Harmel | |
|---|---|
 Harmel in 1944 | |
| Born | (1906-06-29)29 June 1906 |
| Died | 2 September 2000(2000-09-02) (aged 94) |
| Allegiance | Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Waffen-SS |
| Years of service | 1926–1945 |
| Rank | SS-Brigadeführer andGeneralmajor of the Waffen-SS |
| Commands | 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg |
| Battles / wars | Operation Market Garden |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Heinz Harmel (29 June 1906 – 2 September 2000) was a GermanSS commander during theNazi era. He commanded the10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg duringWorld War II. Harmel was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords ofNazi Germany.
Born in 1906,[1] Harmel volunteered for theSS-Verfügungstruppe (later known as theWaffen-SS) in 1935 and served as a company commander in theSS-RegimentDer Führer, with which he took part in theBattle of France in 1940. In 1941, Harmel took part in theBalkans Campaign andOperation Barbarossa. In December 1941, Harmel took command of SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland".[2] Harmel participated in the capture ofKharkov on 15 March 1943. Harmel received theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 31 March 1943. On 7 September 1943, he received theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. In early 1944 after completing a divisional commanders' training course, Harmel took command of theSS Division Frundsberg.[3]
During the summer 1944, the division moved to theWestern Front, in Normandy.[3] Harmel had been ordered to break the enemy's lines, to free the German units encircled inFalaise Pocket numbering approximately 125,000 troops of the7th Army. The operation ended with heavy losses and serious damage. Harmel was then sent to theNetherlands. He fought against the Allied offensive (Operation Market Garden).[4] After the battles aroundNijmegen, Harmel received theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 15 December 1944. His division was then transferred toAlsace, where Harmel was ordered to establish a bridgehead to join theColmar Pocket. After the failure of the December 1944/January 1945 offensive in Alsace, Harmel's division was transferred to the Eastern Front, initially fighting in Pomerania and Brandenburg to hold the Oder Front. The division was subsequently transferred to Heeresgruppe Mitte where in late April it was ordered to counterattack the forces of MarshalIvan Konev. Harmel refused and was dismissed from command by Field MarshalSchörner. Harmel subsequently commanded an ad hoc battle group formed around the24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS, the SS Officer's School at Graz and other smaller units. Harmel surrendered to the Allied forces in Austria and ended up in British captivity. Harmel died in 2000.[3]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by SS-GruppenführerKarl Fischer von Treuenfeld | Commander of10.SS-Panzer-Division Frundsberg 27 April 1944 – 28 April 1945 | Succeeded by SS-ObersturmbannführerFranz Roestel |
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