Leo Hermann Reinhold
Encyclopedia
Leo-Hermann Reinhold was a Sturmbannführer
(Major) in the Waffen SS during World War II
. He was a recipient of 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
.
East Prussia
. His father Martin was a painter, after he finished elementary school he studied to be an office clerk until April 1928, when he joined the Landespolizei
(State Police).
Between May 1932 and June 1935 Reinhold was a platoon commander in the Landspolizei. Reinhold then completed his compulsory army service between June 1935 and March 1939. At the completion of his army service Reinhold returned to the Landespolizei in May 1939 and become the Adjutant
to the Commander of Schupo in Frankfurt
. He joined the NSDAP (party number 7052575) in April and was promoted to Oberleutnant
(Senior Lieutenant) of Police in June 1939.
(tank hunter) Battalion. Joining the SS in January 1940 (SS number 422 117), he remained with the Panzerjäger Battalion until February 1943, being awarded the Iron Cross
II class during the Battle of France
in June 1940. Reinhold was married to his wife Gerda in July 1940 and stationed in France until moving east to take part in Operation Barbarossa
the invasion of the Soviet Union
.
Reinhold received his first wound in September 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross I Class. Shortly after being promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain) in October 1941, he remained commander of the 2nd Company until being wounded again in February 1943. After recovering from his wounds he was posted to the newly formed 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg to take over command of the II. Battalion, 10th SS Panzer Regiment. In June 1943 he assumed command of the 10th SS Panzerjäger Battalion and was promoted to Sturmbannführer
(Major) in November 1943, and received the Wound Badge
in Silver for his fifth wound in April 1944.
Reinhold was awarded the Knights Cross during Operation Market Garden
, in which he successfully repulsed a number of attacks from the allies at Nijmegen. This delayed the allies from relieving the British at the Arnhem
Bridge and provided sufficient time for the Germans to place a defensive line before the British which held them in Oosterbeek
.
In November 1944 he was posted to the SS Panzer Training and Reserve Regiment until February 1945 when he was given command of the Panzer Gunnery school until March 1945.
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) 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 a recipient of 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
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...
.
Early life
Leo-Hermann Reinhold was born on the 22 February 1906, in KönigsbergKönigsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
. His father Martin was a painter, after he finished elementary school he studied to be an office clerk until April 1928, when he joined the Landespolizei
Landespolizei
thumb|[[Germany|German]] police officer in [[Hamburg]]The Landespolizei are the main police forces of Germany. They are under the sole jurisdiction, funded and operated by the states of Germany.-History:...
(State Police).
Between May 1932 and June 1935 Reinhold was a platoon commander in the Landspolizei. Reinhold then completed his compulsory army service between June 1935 and March 1939. At the completion of his army service Reinhold returned to the Landespolizei in May 1939 and become the 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...
to the Commander of Schupo in Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
. He joined the NSDAP (party number 7052575) in April and was promoted to Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
(Senior Lieutenant) of Police in June 1939.
World War II
Reinhold joined the Polizei Division in October 1939 and was given command of the 2nd company and made the Battalion second-in-command of the SS Polizei PanzerjägerPanzerjäger
Panzerjäger was a branch of service of the Wehrmacht during the Second World War which were the anti-tank arm-of-service who operated anti-tank artillery, and made exclusive use of the tank destroyers which were also named Panzerjäger...
(tank hunter) Battalion. Joining the SS in January 1940 (SS number 422 117), he remained with the Panzerjäger Battalion until February 1943, being awarded 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....
II class during 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...
in June 1940. Reinhold was married to his wife Gerda in July 1940 and stationed in France until moving east to take part in 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 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....
.
Reinhold received his first wound in September 1941 and was awarded the Iron Cross I Class. Shortly after being 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 October 1941, he remained commander of the 2nd Company until being wounded again in February 1943. After recovering from his wounds he was posted to the newly formed 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg to take over command of the II. Battalion, 10th SS Panzer Regiment. In June 1943 he assumed command of the 10th SS Panzerjäger Battalion and was promoted to Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) in November 1943, and received the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Silver for his fifth wound in April 1944.
Reinhold was awarded the Knights Cross during 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....
, in which he successfully repulsed a number of attacks from the allies at Nijmegen. This delayed the allies from relieving the British at 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...
Bridge and provided sufficient time for the Germans to place a defensive line before the British which held them in Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek
Oosterbeek is a village in the Dutch province of Gelderland. It is located in the municipality of Renkum, about 5 km west of Arnhem.The oldest part of the village of Oosterbeek is the Benedendorp , on the northern bank of the river Rhine...
.
In November 1944 he was posted to the SS Panzer Training and Reserve Regiment until February 1945 when he was given command of the Panzer Gunnery school until March 1945.