Ludwig Spindler
Encyclopedia
SS-Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) Ludwig Spindler (1910–1944) was a German
Waffen-SS
officer who served in the VT-SS Standarte Deutschland
, 2. SS-Division Das Reich
and the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen
. He also commanded the Kampfgruppe Spindler during the Operation Market-Garden
and won both the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
and the German Cross in Gold.
on 15 November 1910. He was a son of sculptor Thomas Müller and Therese Spindler. After completing school, Ludwig worked shortly as a dispatcher for SA Maffei A.G., before he became a member of the Landespolizei-Bayern
(Bavarian uniformed police). Spindler remained a police officer until 30 November 1934, when he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe
and was assigned to the VT-SS Standarte Deutschland.
and the subsequent operations in the West; receiving the Iron Cross
2nd Class in October 1939. He remained with 2. SS-Division ‘’Das Reich’’]] during Operation Barbarossa
, commanding various units before being transferred to the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen on 1 March 1943. Initially, he was put in charge of the II. Battalion within SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 9, leading it during the operations around Tarnopol in April 1944. The division, a component of Hausser's
II. SS-Panzerkorps
, played an important role in the rescue of encircled German troops from the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
. For his exemplary leadership during these operations SS-Sturmbannführer
Spindler was recommended for the German Cross
in Gold and received the command of the entire SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 9. After the Allied invasion of France
, the II. SS-Panzerkorps, including the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was sent west to defend Caen
in Normandy
.
on 9 September 1944. 17 September 1944 was bitter-sweet for Spindler; he was finally decorated with the German Cross] in Gold for his heroic actions during the operations in Russia
and above all in Normandy
. However, it was on this day the Allies
also launched Operation Market Garden
. As the men of the British 1st Airborne Division were deployed in the vicinity of the village Oosterbeek
, Spindler was tasked with preventing them from entering Arnhem. The Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) Spindler formed a defensive perimeter around the city, which was not breached by the British forces throughout the battle. Later on, the force under Spidler's command also launched an offensive, forcing the British to withdraw on 26 September 1944, an achievement for which Ludwig Spindler received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
. On 27 December 1944 Spindler was killed by Allied aircraft, which attacked his car, killing him instantly. He was buried at the Altenkirchen
War Cemetery in Westerwald
.
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...
(Lieutenant Colonel) Ludwig Spindler (1910–1944) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
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...
officer who served in the VT-SS Standarte Deutschland
2nd SS Division Das Reich
The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was a Waffen-SS division during World War II. It is considered to be an elite formation amongst the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS....
, 2. SS-Division Das Reich
2nd SS Division Das Reich
The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was a Waffen-SS division during World War II. It is considered to be an elite formation amongst the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS....
and the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...
. He also commanded the Kampfgruppe Spindler during the 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....
and won both the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
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 German Cross in Gold.
Early life - pre-war SS service
Ludwig Spindler was born in MünchenMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
on 15 November 1910. He was a son of sculptor Thomas Müller and Therese Spindler. After completing school, Ludwig worked shortly as a dispatcher for SA Maffei A.G., before he became a member of the Landespolizei-Bayern
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:...
(Bavarian uniformed police). Spindler remained a police officer until 30 November 1934, when he joined 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....
and was assigned to the VT-SS Standarte Deutschland.
World War II service
With the 13. Kompanie of the VT SS Standarte Deutschland, Spindler participated in the invasion of PolandInvasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
and the subsequent operations in the West; receiving 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 October 1939. He remained with 2. SS-Division ‘’Das Reich’’]] during 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...
, commanding various units before being transferred to the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen on 1 March 1943. Initially, he was put in charge of the II. Battalion within SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 9, leading it during the operations around Tarnopol in April 1944. The division, a component of Hausser's
Paul Hausser
Paul "Papa" Hausser was an officer in the German Army, achieving the high rank of lieutenant-general in the inter-war Reichswehr. After retirement from the regular Army he became the "father" of the Waffen-SS and one of its most eminent leaders...
II. SS-Panzerkorps
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 :...
, played an important role in the rescue of encircled German troops from the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
The Battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, also known as Hube's Pocket, was a Wehrmacht attempt on the Eastern Front of World War II to evade encirclement by the Red Army....
. For his exemplary leadership during these operations SS-Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
Spindler was recommended for 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 and received the command of the entire SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 9. After the Allied invasion of France
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, the II. SS-Panzerkorps, including the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was sent west to defend Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
Arnhem
In September, the 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen was ordered for repairs in Holland and reached ArnhemArnhem
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...
on 9 September 1944. 17 September 1944 was bitter-sweet for Spindler; he was finally decorated with the German Cross] in Gold for his heroic actions during the operations in Russia
Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket
The Battle of the Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket, also known as Hube's Pocket, was a Wehrmacht attempt on the Eastern Front of World War II to evade encirclement by the Red Army....
and above all in 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...
. However, it was on this day the Allies
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
also launched 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....
. As the men of the British 1st Airborne Division were deployed in the vicinity of the village 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...
, Spindler was tasked with preventing them from entering Arnhem. The Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) Spindler formed a defensive perimeter around the city, which was not breached by the British forces throughout the battle. Later on, the force under Spidler's command also launched an offensive, forcing the British to withdraw on 26 September 1944, an achievement for which Ludwig Spindler received 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...
.
Death
Spindler remained with the Hohenstaufen and took part in the Battle of the BulgeBattle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. On 27 December 1944 Spindler was killed by Allied aircraft, which attacked his car, killing him instantly. He was buried at the Altenkirchen
Altenkirchen
Altenkirchen is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, capital of the district of Altenkirchen. It is located approx. 40 km east of Bonn and 40 km north of Koblenz. Altenkirchen is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde Altenkirchen.-References:...
War Cemetery in Westerwald
Westerwald
The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the River Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a part of the Rhine Massif...
.
Personal life
Ludwig Spindler married C. Schöpf on 21 December 1936 and had one son, born on 2 March 1939. He was a Roman Catholic.Dates of rank
- SS-ObersturmführerObersturmführerObersturmführer 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...
d. R.: - SS-HauptsturmführerHauptsturmführerHauptsturmführer 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...
d. R.: - SS-SturmbannführerSturmbannführerSturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
d. R.: 26 June 1943 - SS-ObersturmbannführerObersturmbannführerObersturmbannführer 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...
d. R.: 11 November 1944
Notable decorations
- 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 (1944) - Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
(1942) - 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....
Second (1939) and First (1941) Classes - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight'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...
(1944) - Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
(1942) - 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 (1941)