Hellmuth Reymann | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Born | 24 November 1892 Neustadt in Oberschlesien,Prussia,German Empire (nowPrudnik,Poland) |
| Died | 8 December 1988(1988-12-08) (aged 96) Garmisch-Partenkirchen,Bavaria,West Germany |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Service |  German Army |
| Rank | Generalleutnant |
| Commands | 11. Infanterie-Division |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Hellmuth Reymann (24 November 1892 – 8 December 1988) was anofficer in the German Army (Heer) duringWorld War II. He was one of the last commanders of the Berlin Defence Area during the final assault by Soviet forces onBerlin.
From 1 October 1942 to 1 October 1943, Reymann commanded the212th Infantry Division as part ofArmy Group North. From 1 October 1943 to 1 April 1944, he commanded the 13th Air Force Field Division. Reymann's division suffered heavy losses in the retreat fromLeningrad and was disbanded in April 1944. From 1 April 1944 to 18 November 1944, Reymann commanded the11th Infantry Division. In October 1944, Reymann's division was encircled in theCourland Pocket and he was replaced by GeneralGerhard Feyerabend.[citation needed]
In March 1945, Reymann was appointed commander of theBerlin Defence Area and replaced GeneralBruno Ritter von Hauenschild. When he entered Berlin, Reymann found that he had inherited almost nothing from von Hauenschild. Reymann realised thatAdolf Hitler andJoseph Goebbels had ruled that any defeatist talk would lead to immediate execution. No plans were drawn up to evacuate the civilian population, which remained in the city.[1]
By 21 April, Goebbels, as Reich Commissioner for Berlin, ordered that "no man capable of bearing arms may leave Berlin". Only Reymann, as commander of the Berlin Defence Area, could issue an exemption. SeniorNazi Party officials, who readily condemned members of the army for retreating, rushed to Reymann's headquarters for the necessary authorisations to leave. Reymann was happy to sign over 2,000 passes to get rid of the "armchair warriors". Reymann's chief-of-staff,Hans Refior, commented, "The rats are leaving the sinking ship".[2]
BothWilhelm Burgdorf and Goebbels convinced Hitler that Reymann should be relieved of command. When Reymann chose not to locate his office next to Goebbels's office in theZoo Tower, Goebbels held that act against him.[3] On 22 April, Hitler relieved Reymann of his command for his defeatism and replaced him with the newly-promoted GeneralleutnantErnst Kaether, who was the former Chief-of-Staff to the chief political commissar of the German Army (Heer). However, Kaether never took command and his orders were cancelled the next day. The result was that when the firstSoviet Army units entered the suburbs ofBerlin, there was no German commander to coordinate the city's defences.[3]
One day later, Hitler changed his mind again and made Artillery General (General der Artillerie)Helmuth Weidling the new commander of the Berlin Defence Area.[4] Weidling remained in command of Berlin's defenses to the end and ultimately surrendered the city on 2 May to Soviet GeneralVasily Chuikov.[5]
After his dismissal as the commander of the Berlin Defence Area, Reymann was given a weak infantry division and a brigade sizedPanzerkampfgruppe nearPotsdam. The force received a dubious designation "Army Group Spree".[3] Reymann's group could not then link up with GeneralWalther Wenck's unit, just south of Potsdam, because of the strong Soviet Red Army forces.[6] On 28/29 April, Wenck's12th Army held the area around Beelitz long enough for a force of about 20,000 of both Reymann's men and troops from other units to escape through the narrow route to the Elbe.[7]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by General der ArtillerieTheodor Endres | Commander of212. Infanterie-Division 1 October 1942 – 1 October 1943 | Succeeded by GeneralmajorDr. Karl Koske |
| Preceded by GeneralleutnantHans Korte | Commander of13th Luftwaffe Field Division 1 October 1943 - 1 April 1944 | Succeeded by unit dissolved |
| Preceded by GeneralleutnantKarl Burdach | Commander of11. Infanterie-Division 1 April 1944 – 18 November 1944 | Succeeded by GeneralmajorGerhard Feyerabend |
| Preceded by | Commanders of the Berlin Defense Area 6 March – 22 April 1945 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
