Hermann Maringgele
Encyclopedia
Hermann Maringgele was a Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II. He was also one of only 631 men to be awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp
in Gold. It was awarded for 50 days of hand-to-hand or close combat. Maringgele is recorded having served 84 days close combat, more than any other member of the German Armed Forces.
in the Austrian Empire
and was the tenth child in the family.
At the end of World War I
and the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the rest of the Tyrol
where the Maringgele lived was ceded to Italy
. This resulted in Hermann Maringgele learning both German
and Italian
in school. He graduated from school in 1932 and had to do his national service in the Italian Army
and served in Abyssinia
in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
in 1935, until he was released from the Italian Army in 1937.
Hermann Maringgele volunteered to join the Waffen SS in 1940. After completing basic training he was posted to the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment, which was part of the SS Cavalry Brigade
, under the command of Hermann Fegelein
.
Maringgele was then in action as a part of Operation Barbarossa
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union
, and was awarded his first combat award, the Iron Cross
2nd class, in December, 1941.
In 1942, the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment was located in the Wjasma Rzhev
sector in front of Moscow
and suffered some heavy losses. Maringgele was again awarded for bravery with the General Assault Badge
and the Iron Cross
1st class in June, 1942. He was seriously wounded in August, 1942, which required his evacuation from combat for treatment in hospital.
On his return to active service he was posted as a platoon commander in the 2nd Squadron, 15th SS Cavalry Regiment, (formed by renaming the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment), which was part of the new 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
.
In 1943, Maringgele took part in the Battle of Kharkov
and in 1944 the fighting withdrawal from the Ukraine
and Romania
into Hungary
.
During the winter of 1944, Maringgele along with the rest of the Division fought in the Battle of Budapest
, where he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp
in Silver, for 35 days of hand to hand combat.
He was awarded the German Cross
in Gold on the 28 January 1945 for his achievements during the fighting for Budapest and by the 8 February had qualified for the Close Combat Clasp
in Gold, with 50 days of hand to hand combat. He would reach an unprecedented 84 days by the end of the siege.
In an attempt to escape the encirclement of Budapest, Maringgele then led a Kampfgruppe
out and with sixty men managed to reach the new German front line.
Almost immediately after reaching the German line, Maringgele and Obersturmführer
(First Lieutenant) Joachim Boosfeld
, were ordered to report to Berlin
. There, they were both decorated with the Knight's Cross
and the Close Combat Clasp in Gold by Adolf Hitler
in person.
Hermann Maringgele was also promoted to Untersturmführer
and given command of the SS Cavalry reserve Battalion.
At the end of the war, he was captured by the Americans, and became a prisoner of war
.
, where he lived until his death on the 21 July 2000.
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
during 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...
. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
during World War II. He was also one of only 631 men to be awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Gold. It was awarded for 50 days of hand-to-hand or close combat. Maringgele is recorded having served 84 days close combat, more than any other member of the German Armed Forces.
Early life
Hermann Maringgele was born on the 29 November 1911, in Tschars in TyrolCounty of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
in the Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
and was the tenth child in the family.
At the end of 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...
and the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire the rest of the Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
where the Maringgele lived was ceded to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. This resulted in Hermann Maringgele learning both German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
in school. He graduated from school in 1932 and had to do his national service in the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
and served in Abyssinia
Ethiopian Empire
The Ethiopian Empire also known as Abyssinia, covered a geographical area that the present-day northern half of Ethiopia and Eritrea covers, and included in its peripheries Zeila, Djibouti, Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia...
in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
in 1935, until he was released from the Italian Army in 1937.
World War II
During World War IIWorld 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...
Hermann Maringgele volunteered to join the Waffen SS in 1940. After completing basic training he was posted to the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment, which was part of the SS Cavalry Brigade
SS Cavalry Brigade
The SS Cavalry Brigade was a unit of the Waffen SS formed in 1940, from cavalry regiments created for occupation duties in German-occupied Poland. Later, while serving in German-occupied areas of the Soviet Union, the brigade was involved in the genocide of the Jewish population and anti-partisan...
, under the command of Hermann Fegelein
Hermann Fegelein
SS-Obergruppenführer Hans Georg Otto Hermann Fegelein was a General of the Waffen-SS in Nazi Germany, a member of Adolf Hitler's entourage, brother-in-law to Eva Braun through his marriage to her sister, Gretl, and husband of the sister-in-law to Adolf Hitler through Hitler's marriage to Eva...
.
Maringgele was then in action as a part of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, the German invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and was awarded his first combat award, the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class, in December, 1941.
In 1942, the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment was located in the Wjasma Rzhev
Rzhev
Rzhev is a town in Tver Oblast, Russia, southwest of Staritsa and from Tver, on the highway and railway connecting Moscow and Riga. It is the uppermost town situated on the Volga River. Population:...
sector in front of Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
and suffered some heavy losses. Maringgele was again awarded for bravery with the General Assault Badge
General Assault Badge
The General Assault Badge was awarded to personnel of the German Wehrmacht who were not in infantry or tank units during World War II.Instituted on 1 June 1940, the General Assault Badge was awarded to assault engineers as well as to those troops who supported infantry and armor units in combat...
and the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
1st class in June, 1942. He was seriously wounded in August, 1942, which required his evacuation from combat for treatment in hospital.
On his return to active service he was posted as a platoon commander in the 2nd Squadron, 15th SS Cavalry Regiment, (formed by renaming the 1st SS Cavalry Regiment), which was part of the new 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
The 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer was a Waffen-SS cavalry Division during World War II. It was formed in 1942 from a cadre of the SS Cavalry Brigade which was involved in anti partisan operations behind the front line and was responsible for the extermination of tens of thousands of the...
.
In 1943, Maringgele took part in the Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
and in 1944 the fighting withdrawal from the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
into Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
During the winter of 1944, Maringgele along with the rest of the Division fought in the Battle of Budapest
Battle of Budapest
The Siege of Budapest centered on the Hungarian capital city of Budapest. It was fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army...
, where he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Silver, for 35 days of hand to hand combat.
He was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold on the 28 January 1945 for his achievements during the fighting for Budapest and by the 8 February had qualified for the Close Combat Clasp
Close Combat Clasp
The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...
in Gold, with 50 days of hand to hand combat. He would reach an unprecedented 84 days by the end of the siege.
In an attempt to escape the encirclement of Budapest, Maringgele then led a Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
out and with sixty men managed to reach the new German front line.
Almost immediately after reaching the German line, Maringgele and Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer
Obersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
(First Lieutenant) Joachim Boosfeld
Joachim Boosfeld
Joachim Boosfeld was a Hauptsturmführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. He was also one of only 631 men to be...
, were ordered to report to Berlin
Berlin
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...
. There, they were both decorated with the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
and the Close Combat Clasp in Gold by Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
in person.
Hermann Maringgele was also promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
and given command of the SS Cavalry reserve Battalion.
At the end of the war, he was captured by the Americans, and became a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
.
Post war
After being released from captivity he returned to his family and set up home in SolingenSolingen
Solingen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the northern edge of the region called Bergisches Land, south of the Ruhr area, and with a 2009 population of 161,366 is the second largest city in the Bergisches Land...
, where he lived until his death on the 21 July 2000.