Ludwig Heilmann
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Heilmann was a German Fallschirmjäger
and general
during World War II
. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
in early 1921. In 1933, having now served for twelve years, left the military service, but after taking a number of courses he was reactivated on 1 July 1934 as an Oberleutnant and commander of the 5th Company, 20th Infantry Regiment. During the Battle of France
he won the Iron Cross
first class with III Battalion of the 91st Infantry Regiment.
Heilmann joined the parachute troops on 18 June 1940. After various courses and postings Major
Heilmann became commander of III Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment. His battalion was dropped into Crete on 20 May 1941 as part of the first wave. Heilmann's battalion played a part in the German success on the island.
In late autumn 1941 Heilmann and his battalion were sent to Russia, where they fought as infantry. Among the unit's actions was the defense of the Vyborgskaya bridgehead. Heilmann was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 20 April 1942. On 20 August 1943 he became commander of IV Battalion, 3rd Parachute Regiment and on 15 November regimental commander.
After the Allied landing in Sicily
Heilmann and his regiment parachuted into the Catania Plain to reinforce "Battle Group Schmalz" of the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 "Hermann Göring"
. His battalion fought near Francoforte and Centuripe near Regalbuto
, Bronte and Maletto
. On 1 December 1943 Heilmann was promoted to Oberst
.
On the Italian mainland Heilmann's regiment fought near Ortona
, where on 15 December it ran into an assembly of enemy forces. His I and II Battalions, led by Major
Rudolf Böhmler
and Hauptmann
Gotthart Liebscher, and took Villa Grande. Ortona was held until 28 December.
Heilmann's regiment also took part in the defensive Battle of Monte Cassino
. The third battle of Cassino saw it in the focal point of the battle for the monastery mountain.
On 17 November 1944 Ludwig Heilmann became commanding of the 5th Parachute Division, which subsequently fought in the Ardennes. It was here in the south of battlezone where the 5th was ordered to defend the flank from attacks by the U.S. 3rd Army. Heilmann was captured by the Americans just prior to the end of the war and was released in 1947.
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
and general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
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 also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
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...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Military service
Ludwig Heilmann entered the ReichswehrReichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
in early 1921. In 1933, having now served for twelve years, left the military service, but after taking a number of courses he was reactivated on 1 July 1934 as an Oberleutnant and commander of the 5th Company, 20th Infantry Regiment. 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...
he won 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....
first class with III Battalion of the 91st Infantry Regiment.
Heilmann joined the parachute troops on 18 June 1940. After various courses and postings Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Heilmann became commander of III Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment. His battalion was dropped into Crete on 20 May 1941 as part of the first wave. Heilmann's battalion played a part in the German success on the island.
In late autumn 1941 Heilmann and his battalion were sent to Russia, where they fought as infantry. Among the unit's actions was the defense of the Vyborgskaya bridgehead. Heilmann was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 20 April 1942. On 20 August 1943 he became commander of IV Battalion, 3rd Parachute Regiment and on 15 November regimental commander.
After the Allied landing in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
Heilmann and his regiment parachuted into the Catania Plain to reinforce "Battle Group Schmalz" of the Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 "Hermann Göring"
Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring
The Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1. Hermann Göring was an élite German Luftwaffe armoured division. The HG saw action in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and on the Eastern front...
. His battalion fought near Francoforte and Centuripe near Regalbuto
Regalbuto
Regalbuto is a comune in the province of Enna, in region of Sicily in southern Italy.There is an annual Cattle Fair held in the month of August.- History:...
, Bronte and Maletto
Maletto
Maletto is a comune in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 140 km east of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Catania...
. On 1 December 1943 Heilmann was promoted to Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
.
On the Italian mainland Heilmann's regiment fought near Ortona
Ortona
Ortona is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.Ortona was the site of fierce fighting between German and Canadian forces during the Italian campaign in World War II...
, where on 15 December it ran into an assembly of enemy forces. His I and II Battalions, led by Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Rudolf Böhmler
Rudolf Böhmler
Rudolf Böhmler was a highly decorated Oberst in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
and Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Gotthart Liebscher, and took Villa Grande. Ortona was held until 28 December.
Heilmann's regiment also took part in the defensive Battle of Monte Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
. The third battle of Cassino saw it in the focal point of the battle for the monastery mountain.
On 17 November 1944 Ludwig Heilmann became commanding of the 5th Parachute Division, which subsequently fought in the Ardennes. It was here in the south of battlezone where the 5th was ordered to defend the flank from attacks by the U.S. 3rd Army. Heilmann was captured by the Americans just prior to the end of the war and was released in 1947.
Awards
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound 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 Black - Wehrmacht Long Service AwardWehrmacht Long Service AwardThe Wehrmacht Long Service Award was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a given years of military service...
4th and 3rd Class (2 October 1936) - Luftwaffe Parachutist Badge
- Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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 (2 October 1939)
- 1st Class (14 June 1941)
- Cuff titleCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
"Kreta" (20 May 1943) - German CrossGerman CrossThe 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 26 Febraury 1942 as MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
in the III./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3 - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and SwordsKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe 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...
- Knight's Cross on 14 June 1941 as Major and commander of the III./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
- 412th Oak Leaves on 2 March 1944 as OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3 - 67th Swords on 15 May 1944 as Oberst and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3
External links
- Ludwig Heilmann @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht
- Ludwig Heilmann @ ISLAND FARM SPECIAL CAMP: XI POWS HELD AT BRIDGEND
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