Joachim Rumohr
Encyclopedia
Joachim Rumohr was a Brigadeführer
und Generalmajor in the Waffen SS, during World War II
who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
but was quickly promoted in November 1935 to Obersturmführer
and posted to the Gernania Regiment. In May 1938 he was the commander of the 12th Company and 9 November 1938 promoted to Hauptsturmführer
in the SS-Verfügungstruppe
, which would later become the Das Reich
Division.
With this unit, he took part in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France
, then being given the command of the 2nd Battalion SS-Artillery Regiment Das Reich in January 1941, which he commanded for Operation Marita. On 1 June 1942 he was transferred to the SS Cavalry Division as the commander of the Artillery Regiment. On 9 November 1942 he was promoted to Obersturmbannführer
and awarded with the German Cross in gold. For his leadership on the middle Dnepr in Autumn 1943 he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership during the winter of 1943/44 in the Kremenchug, Kirovograd areas.
On 1 April 1944 he was given the command of the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
, being promoted to Standartenführer
later the same month. He was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
on 9 October 1944. In November 1944 he received his last promotion to Brigadeführer
and led his division during the fighting in the Budapest
area for which he was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross.
Rumohr was seriously wounded during the attempt to break out from Budapest, and committed suicide on the 11 February 1945 to prevent his capture by the Russians.
Brigadeführer
SS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
und Generalmajor in the Waffen SS, 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...
who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Born on the 6 August 1910 in Hamburg, he joined the NSDAP and the SS in 1935 being given the party number 216 161 and the SS service number 7 450. Rumohr was first posted to the 4th Standarte as a UntersturmführerUntersturmführer
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...
but was quickly promoted in November 1935 to 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...
and posted to the Gernania Regiment. In May 1938 he was the commander of the 12th Company and 9 November 1938 promoted to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
in the SS-Verfügungstruppe
SS-Verfügungstruppe
The SS-Verfügungstruppe was formed in 1934 as combat troops for the NSDAP. By 1940 these military SS units had become the nucleus of the Waffen-SS....
, which would later become the Das Reich
Das Reich
Das Reich is the name of:* a German SS-division, see 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich* a national socialist newspaper, see Das Reich * the main work of German right-wing intellectual Friedrich Hielscher...
Division.
With this unit, he took part in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, then being given the command of the 2nd Battalion SS-Artillery Regiment Das Reich in January 1941, which he commanded for Operation Marita. On 1 June 1942 he was transferred to the SS Cavalry Division as the commander of the Artillery Regiment. On 9 November 1942 he was promoted to Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
and awarded with the German Cross in gold. For his leadership on the middle Dnepr in Autumn 1943 he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership during the winter of 1943/44 in the Kremenchug, Kirovograd areas.
On 1 April 1944 he was given the command of the 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...
, being promoted to Standartenführer
Standartenführer
Standartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
later the same month. He was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 9 October 1944. In November 1944 he received his last promotion to Brigadeführer
Brigadeführer
SS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
and led his division during the fighting in the Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
area for which he was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross.
Rumohr was seriously wounded during the attempt to break out from Budapest, and committed suicide on the 11 February 1945 to prevent his capture by the Russians.