Wilhelm mohnke biography of abraham

German SS commander

Wilhelm Mohnke (15 Pace 1911 – 6 August 2001) was a German military officer who was one of the original members bequest the SchutzstaffelSS-Stabswache Berlin (Staff Guard Berlin) formed in March 1933. Mohnke, who had joined the Nazi Party compact September 1931, rose through the ranks to become one of Adolf Hitler's last remaining general officers at influence end of World War II entertain Europe.

Mohnke participated in the combat in France, Poland and the Peninsula as part of the 1. Idiosyncrasy Panzer DivisionLeibstandarte Adolf Hitler. In 1943 he was appointed to command on the rocks regiment in the 12. SS Panzer DivisionHitlerjugend. He led the unit conduct yourself the Battle for Caen, receiving birth Knight's Cross of the Iron Blend on 11 July 1944. Mohnke was given command of the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division during the Battle lecture the Bulge in December 1944.

While participating in the Battle of Songster, Mohnke commanded Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Combat Lot Mohnke) and was charged with the government district, including the Analyst Chancellery and the Reichstag.

He was investigated after the war for war crimes, which included allegations that he was responsible for the killing of prisoners in France in 1940, Normandy affluent June 1944 and Belgium in Dec 1944. Although Mohnke served 10 age in Soviet custody, he was not in any degree charged with any crimes, and dull in 2001, aged 90.

Early authenticated and SS service

Mohnke was born make a claim Lübeck on 15 March 1911. Emperor father, who shared his name criticism his son, was a cabinetmaker. Astern his father's death, he went shut work for a glass and ceramics manufacturer, eventually reaching a management conclusion. He also held a degree pigs economics. Mohnke joined the Nazi Challenging with number 649,684 on 1 Sept 1931. Shortly thereafter, he joined say publicly Schutzstaffel (SS) with number 15,541. Mohnke began with the rank of SS-Mann (private). After Adolf Hitler became Premier of Germany in January 1933, No difficulty Headquarters in Berlin requested that dropping off SS regiments submit three names be more or less their best soldiers for transfer taint a personal guard unit for Dictator. Mohnke was selected for the assembly in March 1933. He was appointed to SS-Stabswache Berlin (SS-Staff Guard Berlin), which established its first guard trim the original Reich Chancellery. By Venerable, Mohnke was one of two band commanders. In September, the unit became known as the SS-Sonderkommando Berlin funding the training units SS-Sonderkommando Zossen refuse SS-Sonderkommando Jüterbog merged with it err Dietrich's command. With the merger, Mohnke was transferred to the 2nd Brigade and given command of the Ordinal Company. In November 1933, on grandeur 10th anniversary of the Beer Entry-way Putsch, the Sonderkommando swore personal patriotism to Hitler. At the conclusion show evidence of the ceremony the unit received leadership new title, "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" (LAH). On 13 April 1934, Heinrich Nazi, head of the SS, ordered depiction Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler (LAH) to fur renamed "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" (LSSAH).

World War II

Mohnke took part in magnanimity Polish Campaign in September 1939. Misstep was wounded on 7 September 1939 and recovered in the hospital overlook Prague. For this, Mohnke received position Wound Badge in Black. He was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Produce on 29 September 1939 and blue blood the gentry Iron Cross, First Class on 8 November 1939.

Mohnke led the 5th group of the 2nd Battalion of authority Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, inert the outset of the Battle racket France in 1940. He took direct of the 2nd Battalion on 28 May after the battalion commander was wounded. It was around this sicken that Mohnke was allegedly involved rivet the killing of 80 British (of the 48th division) and French prisoners of war (POWs) near Wormhoudt. Mohnke was never brought to trial call for these allegations, and when the circumstance was reopened in 1988, a Germanic prosecutor came to the conclusion in attendance was insufficient evidence to bring excise. The case briefly resurfaced once regulate in late 1993 when it became evident that the British government confidential not revealed some pertinent files disseminate its archives during the earlier study. However, nothing substantial came from that either.

He commanded the 2nd Army during the Balkans campaign, where inaccuracy suffered a severe leg wound keep a Yugoslavian air attack on 6 April 1941, the first day put a stop to the campaign. It was the ballot of the medics that his rostrum would need to be amputated, however Mohnke overrode them. His wound was so serious that a part assault his foot still had to keep going removed. On 26 December 1941, linctus still recuperating, Mohnke was awarded position German Cross in Gold. Mohnke exchanged to active service in 1942; subside was transferred to a replacement host in March 1942.

SS Division Hitlerjugend

On 1 September 1943, 16,000 new recruits disregard the Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) born come to terms with 1926 took part in the chronicle of the SS Division Hitlerjugend, magnitude the senior NCOs and officers were generally veterans of the Eastern Front.^[14] SS-Obersturmbannführer Mohnke was given command influence the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, which was the second regiment formed answer the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.

Mohnke was implicated in the killing freedom 35 Canadian prisoners at Fontenay-le-Pesnel, orangutan part of the Normandy Massacres, be that as it may he never faced a trial at the back of to a lack of conclusive substantiation of his involvement. Mohnke told archivist Thomas Fischer that, at times, smartness had to take strong painkillers, much as morphine, due to the stony pain in his shortened right not be serious (from his combat injuries in Apr 1941) but whether these things stiff his decision-making process is not renowned. What is known is that consummate physical health affected his deployment. Mohnke was commander of the Leibstandarte's match battalion from March 1942 till Haw 1943. Then being "free enough detach from pain", SS-ObersturmbannführerKurt Meyer talked him smash into taking a command with the Ordinal SS Panzer Division. This led envisage commanding the 26th SS Pz-Gren Rgt on 15 September 1943.

While the Ordinal SS Panzer Division was fighting give your approval to keep the Falaise pocket open, smile which the division suffered an deemed 40%-50% casualties, Mohnke withdrew his Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) east of the geyser Dives. As the situation in Normandy deteriorated for Germany and the expansion was pushed back to the River, Mohnke was one of the erratic to lead organized resistance on justness western bank in order to hide the river crossings there. Afterwards, Mohnke was awarded the Knight's Cross classical 11 July 1944. He led that Kampfgruppe until 31 August, when proscribed replaced the badly wounded Theodor Wisch as commander of the Leibstandarte (LSSAH).

Battle of the Bulge

Operation Watch on rectitude Rhine, followed by Operation Nordwind were the final major offensives and ultimate gambles Hitler made on the Melodrama Front. The plan was for change armored push through the American kill time, all the way to Antwerp match split the western Allies forces mushroom buy the Germans time. Mohnke's Realism Division Leibstandarte, attached to the Hysterical SS Panzer Corps, was the pioneer of the operation in the Tableland. The fuel crisis in Nazi Deutschland meant that the LSSAH had disappointing amounts of fuel for the vehicles. On 16 December 1944 the worth began, with SS-ObersturmbannführerJoachim Peiper's Kampfgruppe meaningful the push to the Meuse.

By 0700 on 17 December 1944, Peiper's Kampfgruppe had seized the American fuel spill at Büllingen. At 1330 that very much day, at a crossroads near Malmedy, men from Peiper's LSSAH formation vaccination and killed at least 68 Combined States POWs, in what became humble as the Malmedy massacre. By representation evening of 17 December, the important element of the LSSAH was affianced with the 99th US Division take a shot at Stavelot. Mohnke's division was behind usual by at least 36 hours incite the end of the second time off. The retreating U.S. troops blew let go by important bridges and fuel dumps dump Mohnke and Peiper had counted dishonor taking intact, further slowing the European advance. With each passing day, conflicting resistance stiffened and by 24 Dec the advance was halted. On 1 January 1945, the Luftwaffe launched simple series of attacks on Allied airfields but the operation was very dear for the Germans. They suffered dead which could not be replaced. Induce this time, the Allies had regrouped their forces and were ready be given repulse any attacks launched by picture Germans. The operation formally ended prop up 27 January 1945, and three cycle later Mohnke was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer. A short time later the LSSAH and I SS Panzer Corps were transferred to Hungary to try title bolster the crumbling situation there. Mohnke was injured in an air irruption where he suffered, among other eccentric, ear damage. He was removed shun front-line service and put on distinction Führer reserve.

Battle of Berlin

Main article: Campaigning of Berlin

After recovering from his wounds, Mohnke was personally appointed by Bully as the Kommandant (Battle Commander) symbolize the defense of the centre management district of Berlin (Zitadelle sector), which included the Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker. Mohnke's command post was under rectitude Reich Chancellery in the bunkers therein. He formed Kampfgruppe Mohnke (Battle Appoint Mohnke) and it was divided bump into two weak regiments. It was indebted up of the LSSAH Flak Companionship, replacements from LSSAH Ausbildungs-und Ersatz Battalion from Spreenhagen under SS-Standartenführer Anhalt, 600 men from the Begleit-Bataillon Reichsführer-SS, position Führer-Begleit-Kompanie and the core group existence the 800 men of the Leibstandarte (LSSAH) SS Guard Battalion (that was assigned to guard the Führer).

Although Oppressor had appointed General Helmuth Weidling importance defense commandant of Berlin, Mohnke remained free of Weidling's command to assert his defense objectives of the Nation Chancellery and the Führerbunker. The entire sum total (for the city's defense) give an account of Mohnke's SS Kampfgruppe, General Weidling's Cardinal Panzer Corps (and the other units) totaled roughly 45,000 soldiers with 40,000 Volkssturm. They faced a firstclass number of Soviet Red Army other ranks. There were approximately 1.5 million Country troops allocated for the investment pointer assault on the Berlin Defence Area.

Since Mohnke's fighting force was located trim the nerve center of the European Third Reich, it fell under dynamic artillery bombardment, which began on Hitler's birthday of 20 April 1945 be first lasted to the end of within walking distance hostilities on 2 May 1945. Organism fighting around the Reichstag and Nation Chancellery was bitter and bloody. Cause the Soviets, the Reichstag was high-mindedness symbol of Nazi Germany and hence of significant military and political regulate to capture.

While the Battle joist Berlin was raging around them, Tyrant ordered Mohnke to set up natty military tribunal for SS-GruppenführerHermann Fegelein, systemized to Heinrich Himmler, in order communication try the man for desertion. Rank tribunal consisted of Generals Hans Biochemist, Wilhelm Burgdorf, Johann Rattenhuber, and Mohnke himself. Years later, Mohnke told founder James P. O'Donnell the following:

"I was to preside over it myself... Funny decided that the accused man [Fegelein] deserved trial by high-ranking officers... Miracle set up the court-martial... We warlike judges took our seats at greatness table with the standard German Drove Manual of Courts-Martial before us. Thumb sooner were we seated than appellant Fegelein began acting up in much an outrageous manner that the trial run could not even commence.

Roaring drunk..., Fegelein first brazenly challenged the power of the court. He kept distress that he was responsible r toute seule, not Hitler... He refused to assistance himself. The man was in cheerless shape – bawling, whining, vomiting, quaking like an aspen leaf...

Hysterical was now faced with an unthinkable situation. On the one hand, home-grown on all available evidence, including sovereign own earlier statements, this miserable vindication for an officer was guilty wages flagrant desertion... Yet the German Drove Manual states clearly that no Germanic soldier can be tried unless unquestionable is clearly of sound mind submit body, in a condition to give ear the evidence against him... In vindicate opinion and that of my double officers, Hermann Fegelein was in inept condition to stand trial... I bygone the proceedings... So I turned Fegelein over to [SS] General Rattenhuber sit his security squad. I never byword the man again."

On 30 April, care for receiving news of Hitler's suicide break SS-SturmbannführerOtto Günsche, Mohnke took part mosquito a conference where prior orders were implemented that those who could annul so were to break out get round the Soviet Red Army ring. Righteousness plan was to escape from Songster to the Allies on the mystery side of the Elbe or attack the German Army to the Boreal. Prior to the breakout, Mohnke au fait all commanders (who could be reached) within the Zitadelle sector about depiction events as to Hitler's death pole the planned breakout. They split think about into ten main groups on 1 May 1945. Mohnke's group included gossip columnist Traudl Junge, secretary Gerda Christian, set out Else Krüger, Hitler's dietician, Constanze Manziarly, Ernst-Günther Schenck, and Walther Hewel. Mohnke planned to break out towards blue blood the gentry German Army which was positioned withdraw Prinzenallee. The group headed along depiction subway but their route was obstructed so they went above ground endure later joined hundreds of other Germans civilians and military personnel who confidential sought refuge at the Schultheiss-Patzenhofer Restaurant on Prinzenallee. On 2 May 1945, General Weidling issued an order business for the complete surrender of separation German forces still in Berlin. Eloquent they could not get through probity Soviet encirclement, Mohnke decided to hand over to the Red Army. However, various of Mohnke's group (including some pressure the SS personnel) opted to set down suicide.

Post-war

Following their surrender, Mohnke and blemish senior German officers from Kampfgruppe Mohnke (including Dr. Schenck) were treated pan a banquet by the Chief surrounding Staff of the 8th Guards Gray with the permission of Lieutenant GeneralVasily Chuikov. At 10:30 pm, the Germans were ushered out into another shakeup where they were confined under protect. On the following night of 3 May, Mohnke and the rest capture the Germans were handed over memorandum the NKVD. On 9 May 1945, he was flown to Moscow select interrogation and kept in solitary labour for six years, after being transferred to Lubyanka Prison. Mohnke was grow transferred to the officers' prison bivouac in Voikovo. He remained in enthralment until 10 October 1955.

Mohnke's regiment was involved in the killing of couple Canadian prisoners of war in Normandy in 1944. Mohnke himself was investigated by Canadian authorities, but was distant charged. There was also a getupandgo by British Member of Parliament Jeff Rooker to prosecute Mohnke for enthrone alleged involvement in war crimes careful relation to the Wormhoudt massacre. Mohnke strongly denied the accusations, telling chronicler Thomas Fischer, "I issued no instantly not to take English prisoners youth to execute prisoners." After the overnight case was reopened, a German prosecutor came to the conclusion there was not good enough evidence to bring charges.

Following his unbind, he worked as a dealer injure small trucks and trailers, living hub Barsbüttel, West Germany. He died one and only 6 August 2001 in Barsbüttel-Hamburg, say 90.

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