Karl Heinz Euling
Encyclopedia
Karl Heinz Euling was a Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) 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.
, in the region of Eisenach
.
On 22 March 1932, he joined the Hitler Youth
where he earned the Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge and the Golden Hitler Youth Badge. On 1 September 1937 he joined the NSDAP. After the Volksschule, Euling attended a reform high school and passed his matriculation examination in February 1938.
He volunteered to join the SS-VT on the 1 April 1938, assigned to the 2 Company, SS Totenkopf and participated in the Polish Campaign with them.
between February and May 1940. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) in August 1940.
After being wounded he was transferred to the SS Infantry Training nas Reserve Battalion Ost and from there to the 1st SS Infantry Brigade. Where he served as a platoon commander and Adjutant
earning the War Merit Cross
I & II class with Swords and the Iron Cross
I & II class.
He was promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in November 1943, and transferred to the western front on the staff of the II SS Panzer Corps
.
In June 1944, Euling was transferred to the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg and given command of the I.Battalion, 21 SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, during the Battle of Normandy
.
Having been withdrawn to the Arnhem
area to reform they were well placed to respond to Operation Market Garden
the Allied parachute landings in Holland. On 19 September 1944, Hauptsturmführer Euling and his battalion (I./22) broke off from the house-to-house fighting and the position they had held at the bridge at Nimwegen that blocked the road leading to Arnheim
.
Karl Heinz Euling was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership and command of the Battalion during the Normandy landings and the Battle of Arnhem
.
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...
(Captain) 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...
. 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.
Early life
Karl Heinz Euling was born on the 16 August 1919 in DorndorfDorndorf
Dorndorf is a municipality in the Wartburgkreis district of Thuringia, Germany....
, in the region of Eisenach
Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Its population in 2006 was 43,626.-History:...
.
On 22 March 1932, he joined the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
where he earned the Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge and the Golden Hitler Youth Badge. On 1 September 1937 he joined the NSDAP. After the Volksschule, Euling attended a reform high school and passed his matriculation examination in February 1938.
He volunteered to join the SS-VT on the 1 April 1938, assigned to the 2 Company, SS Totenkopf and participated in the Polish Campaign with them.
World War II
He was then selected to become an officer and posted to the SS-Junkerschule at BraunschweigBraunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
between February and May 1940. After graduation he was 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...
(Second Lieutenant) in August 1940.
After being wounded he was transferred to the SS Infantry Training nas Reserve Battalion Ost and from there to the 1st SS Infantry Brigade. Where he served as a platoon commander and Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
earning the War Merit Cross
War Merit Cross
The War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...
I & II class with Swords 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....
I & II class.
He was 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...
(Captain) in November 1943, and transferred to the western front on the staff of the II SS Panzer Corps
II SS Panzer Corps
The II SS Panzer Corps was a Nazi German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II.- Formation - Kharkov :...
.
In June 1944, Euling was transferred to the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg and given command of the I.Battalion, 21 SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, during the Battle of Normandy
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
.
Having been withdrawn to the Arnhem
Arnhem
Arnhem is a city and municipality, situated in the eastern part of the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of Gelderland and located near the river Nederrijn as well as near the St. Jansbeek, which was the source of the city's development. Arnhem has 146,095 residents as one of the...
area to reform they were well placed to respond to Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
the Allied parachute landings in Holland. On 19 September 1944, Hauptsturmführer Euling and his battalion (I./22) broke off from the house-to-house fighting and the position they had held at the bridge at Nimwegen that blocked the road leading to Arnheim
Arnheim
Arnheim may refer to:* Edith Arnheim , Swedish tennis player* Fritz Arnheim , German historian* Gus Arnheim , American band leader* Rudolf Arnheim , German American author...
.
Karl Heinz Euling was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership and command of the Battalion during the Normandy landings and the Battle of Arnhem
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
.