Ulrich Kleemann
Encyclopedia
Ulrich Kleemann was an officer in the German Army
(Wehrmacht Heer) during World War II
.
Colonel (Oberst) Kleemann of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade (3.Schützen-Brigade) was awarded a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on 13 October 1941. He was awarded the Oak Leaves on 16 September 1943.
Brigadier-General (Generalmajor) Kleemann commanded the 90th Light Africa Division (90.Leichte Afrika-Division) in North Africa
from 10 April 1942 to 13 July 1942 and from 10 August 1942 to 1 November 1942.
During the Dodecanese Campaign
, Major-General (Generalleutnant) Kleemann commanded the 7,500-strong Assault Division "Rhodes" (Sturm-Division Rhodos) for the German
assault on the Italian garrison of Rhodes
.
From 27 November 1944 to 8 May 1945, Lieutenant-General (General der Panzertruppen) Kleeman commanded Tank Corps "Feldherrnhalle" on the Eastern Front
. Kleeman's tank corps fought in Hungary
and was ruinously involved with the Battle of Budapest
.
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
(Wehrmacht Heer) 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...
.
Colonel (Oberst) Kleemann of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade (3.Schützen-Brigade) was awarded a 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...
on 13 October 1941. He was awarded the Oak Leaves on 16 September 1943.
Brigadier-General (Generalmajor) Kleemann commanded the 90th Light Africa Division (90.Leichte Afrika-Division) in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
from 10 April 1942 to 13 July 1942 and from 10 August 1942 to 1 November 1942.
During the Dodecanese Campaign
Dodecanese Campaign
The Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
, Major-General (Generalleutnant) Kleemann commanded the 7,500-strong Assault Division "Rhodes" (Sturm-Division Rhodos) for the 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...
assault on the Italian garrison of Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
.
From 27 November 1944 to 8 May 1945, Lieutenant-General (General der Panzertruppen) Kleeman commanded Tank Corps "Feldherrnhalle" on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. Kleeman's tank corps fought in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and was ruinously involved with the Battle of Budapest
Battle of Budapest
The Siege of Budapest centered on the Hungarian capital city of Budapest. It was fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army...
.
Command history
- 1938 to 1940 Commanding Officer, 3rd Motorized Infantry (SchützenSchützenSchützen may refer to:*Schützen, a 19th Century German infantryman armed with a rifled musket and used in a skirmishing role*Panzergrenadier, a German term for motorized or mechanized infantry, as introduced during World War II...
) Regiment - 1940 to 1942 Commanding Officer, 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade
- 1942 to 1943 General Officer Commanding, 90th Light Africa Division, North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
- 1943 to 1944 General Officer Commanding, Assault Division "Rhodes"
- 1944 to 1945 General Officer Commanding, Tank Corps "Feldherrnhalle"
Awards and decorations
- 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....
(1914)- 2nd Class (26 October 1914)
- 1st Class (8 July 1918)
- 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...
(1914)- in Black
- Knight's Cross Second Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with SwordsOrder of the Zähringer LionThe Order of the Zähringer Lion was instituted on 26 December 1812 by Karl, Grand Duke of Baden, in memory of the Dukes of Zähringen from whom he was descended.-Classes:It had five classes.*Grand Cross*Commander, 1st Class*Commander, 2nd Class...
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- 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....
(1939)- 2nd Class (19 September 1939)
- 1st Class (25 October 1939)
- 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...
- Knight's Cross on 13 October 1941 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 3. Schützen-Regiment - 304th Oak Leaves on 16 September 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of Sturm-Division Rhodos
- Knight's Cross on 13 October 1941 as Oberst
- Ärmelband “Afrika”Cuff 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....
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe 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....
(28 October 1944)
See also
- List of Knight's Cross recipients
- Dodecanese CampaignDodecanese CampaignThe Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
- Tank Corps "Feldherrnhalle"