Hellmuth Felmy
Encyclopedia
Hellmuth Felmy was a Nazi war criminal, German
military officer during World War I
, the interwar period
, and World War II
.
in what was then the German Empire
. In 1904, he joined the Imperial Army
and, in 1912, Felmy went to flight school to become a pilot for the Imperial Army Air Service
.
During World War I, Felmy commanded a squadron on the Turkish Front
. After the war, he remained in the German military. Felmy alternated between infantry and aviation assignments in the Reichswehr
of the Weimar Republic
. On 4 February 1938, Felmy was promoted to General der Flieger
.
By the beginning of World War II, Felmy commanded Air Fleet 2 (Luftflotte 2
) of the Luftwaffe
. On 12 January, he was dismissed due to the Mechelen Incident
and replaced by Albert Kesselring
.
In May 1941, Felmy was called up by the High Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
, or OKW) to be the commander of Special Staff F
(Sonderstab F), the doomed military mission to Iraq
. While Felmy was a General der Flieger, he was not responsible for commanding the air force component of Sonderstab F. Sonderstab F lasted from 20 May to 20 June. Felmy commanded the mission in Iraq from occupied Greece.
After the failure of the mission to Iraq, Felmy was made commander of Army Group Southern Greece (Befehlshaber Südgriechenland). From 1942 to 1943, he remained in Greece and commanded a "special deployment" (zur besonderen Verwendung, or z. b. V.) unit named after him (z. b. V. Felmy). From 1943 to 1944, he commanded the LXVIII Army Corps of the German Army. Late in 1944, the LXVIII Corps moved from Greece to Yugoslavia
. From 1944 to 1945, he commanded the XXXIV Army Corps. In 1945, the XXXIV Corps was overwhelmed during the Yugoslav Partisan General Offensive of March and April.
In 1948, during the Hostages Trial
in Nuremberg
, Felmy was accused of war crimes in Greece and was given a sentence of 15 years. On 15 January 1951, he was released early.
On 14 December 1965, Felmy died in Darmstadt
in what was then West Germany
.
, were published in The Cossack Corps.
Felmy's son, Hansjörg Felmy
(1931-2007), was a successful actor and appeared the films Torn Curtain
and Brainwashed
.
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
military officer during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the interwar period
Interwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
On 28 May 1885, Helmuth Felmy was born in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in what was then the German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
. In 1904, he joined the Imperial Army
German Army (German Empire)
The German Army was the name given the combined land forces of the German Empire, also known as the National Army , Imperial Army or Imperial German Army. The term "Deutsches Heer" is also used for the modern German Army, the land component of the German Bundeswehr...
and, in 1912, Felmy went to flight school to become a pilot for the Imperial Army Air Service
Luftstreitkräfte
The Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte , known before October 1916 as Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches , or simply Die Fliegertruppen, was the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I...
.
During World War I, Felmy commanded a squadron on the Turkish Front
Middle Eastern theatre of World War I
The Middle Eastern theatre of World War I was the scene of action between 29 October 1914, and 30 October 1918. The combatants were the Ottoman Empire, with some assistance from the other Central Powers, and primarily the British and the Russians among the Allies of World War I...
. After the war, he remained in the German military. Felmy alternated between infantry and aviation assignments in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
of the Weimar Republic
Weimar Republic
The Weimar Republic is the name given by historians to the parliamentary republic established in 1919 in Germany to replace the imperial form of government...
. On 4 February 1938, Felmy was promoted to General der Flieger
General der Flieger
General der Flieger was a General’s rank of the German Luftwaffe.The rank was equivalent to the long established General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie and General der Infanterie...
.
By the beginning of World War II, Felmy commanded Air Fleet 2 (Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2
Luftflotte 2 was one of the primary divisions of the German Luftwaffe in World War II. It was formed February 1, 1939 in Braunschweig and transferred to Italy on November 15, 1941...
) of the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
. On 12 January, he was dismissed due to the Mechelen Incident
Mechelen Incident
The Mechelen Incident of 10 January 1940, also known as the Mechelen affair, was an event during the Phoney War. A German aircraft with an officer on-board carrying the plans for Fall Gelb , a German attack on the Low Countries, crash-landed in neutral Belgium near Vucht, in the modern-day...
and replaced by Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring
Albert Kesselring was a German Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. In a military career that spanned both World Wars, Kesselring became one of Nazi Germany's most skilful commanders, being one of 27 soldiers awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords...
.
In May 1941, Felmy was called up by the High Command of the Armed Forces (Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
, or OKW) to be the commander of Special Staff F
Special Staff F
Special Staff F was the cover name for a German military mission to Iraq during World War II. Sonderstab F was created on 20 May 1941 and ceased to exist on 20 June 1941.-Description:...
(Sonderstab F), the doomed military mission to Iraq
Kingdom of Iraq
The Kingdom of Iraq was the sovereign state of Iraq during and after the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. The League of Nations mandate started in 1920. The kingdom began in August 1921 with the coronation of Faisal bin al-Hussein bin Ali al-Hashemi as King Faisal I...
. While Felmy was a General der Flieger, he was not responsible for commanding the air force component of Sonderstab F. Sonderstab F lasted from 20 May to 20 June. Felmy commanded the mission in Iraq from occupied Greece.
After the failure of the mission to Iraq, Felmy was made commander of Army Group Southern Greece (Befehlshaber Südgriechenland). From 1942 to 1943, he remained in Greece and commanded a "special deployment" (zur besonderen Verwendung, or z. b. V.) unit named after him (z. b. V. Felmy). From 1943 to 1944, he commanded the LXVIII Army Corps of the German Army. Late in 1944, the LXVIII Corps moved from Greece to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. From 1944 to 1945, he commanded the XXXIV Army Corps. In 1945, the XXXIV Corps was overwhelmed during the Yugoslav Partisan General Offensive of March and April.
In 1948, during the Hostages Trial
Hostages Trial
The Hostages Trial was held from8 July 1947 until 19 February 1948 and was the seventh of the twelve trials for war crimes the U.S. authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany in Nuremberg after the end of World War II. These twelve trials were all held before U.S...
in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Felmy was accused of war crimes in Greece and was given a sentence of 15 years. On 15 January 1951, he was released early.
On 14 December 1965, Felmy died in Darmstadt
Darmstadt
Darmstadt is a city in the Bundesland of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Rhine Main Area.The sandy soils in the Darmstadt area, ill-suited for agriculture in times before industrial fertilisation, prevented any larger settlement from developing, until the city became the seat...
in what was then West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
Posthumous
In 2007, Felmy's writings about Cossacks who fought for the Germans, along with those of Walter WarlimontWalter Warlimont
Walter Warlimont was a German officer known for his role in the OKW inner circle .-World War I:...
, were published in The Cossack Corps.
Felmy's son, Hansjörg Felmy
Hansjörg Felmy
Hansjörg Felmy was a German actor. He appeared in 50 films and television shows between 1957 and 1995. He starred in the film The Marriage of Mr. Mississippi, which was entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival...
(1931-2007), was a successful actor and appeared the films Torn Curtain
Torn Curtain
Torn Curtain is a 1966 American political thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman and Julie Andrews.-Plot:On a cruise ship en route to Copenhagen, Michael Armstrong , an esteemed American physicist and rocket scientist, is to attend a scientific conference...
and Brainwashed
Brainwashed (film)
Brainwashed is a German film. The 1960 film is based on Stefan Zweig's novella The Royal Game.- Plot :Chess world champion Centowic wants to travel by ship to an important chess tournament...
.
See also
- Polish CampaignInvasion of Poland (1939)The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
- French Campaign
- Anglo-Iraqi WarAnglo-Iraqi WarThe Anglo-Iraqi War was the name of the British campaign against the rebel government of Rashid Ali in the Kingdom of Iraq during the Second World War. The war lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. The campaign resulted in the re-occupation of Iraq by British armed forces and the return to power of the...
- Axis occupation of Greece during World War II
- Balkans Campaign
- Subsequent Nuremberg TrialsSubsequent Nuremberg TrialsThe Subsequent Nuremberg Trials were a series of twelve U.S...
- XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps
Further reading
- "The Cossack Corps", General der Flieger Hellmuth Felmy and General der Artillerie Walter Warlimont, US Army Historical Division, Hailer Publishing, 2007 http://www.hailerpublishing.com/cossack.html