Helmut Dörner

Helmut Dörner
Born	(1909-06-26)26 June 1909 Mönchengladbach
Died	11 February 1945(1945-02-11) (aged 35) Budapest
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Oberführer
Commands	II./SS-PolSchtzRgt 2 SS-PzGrenRgt 8
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Budapest †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Helmut Dörner (26 June 1909 in Mönchengladbach – 11 February 1945 in Budapest) was a highly decorated German Waffen-SS officer. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Dörner was born in 1909. He was awarded two Iron Crosses in the Battle of France as a company commander. Dörner was promoted to Major and assigned command of II./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2. He received the German Cross in Gold in December 1941.

In early 1942, Dörner's battalion participated in Army Group North's encirclement of the Soviet 2nd Shock Army commanded by Andrey Vlasov.

Dörner stayed with the Polizei division (from 1943 named KG Polizei division) until late 1943. After leave, he returned to the division which was reforming in Greece and becoming the commander of SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt.8. When Karl Schümers (divisional commander) was killed in a partisan ambush, Helmut took over the command until the arrival of the new commander.

In September 1944 the division, now known as 4th SS Polizei Division, was sent to Rumania and Hungary. Dörner's unit participated in the fighting at the Szolnok bridgehead.

During the siege of Budapest, he became the commander of a mixed KG and died while leading the breakthrough attempt.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black (15 August 1941)
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (2 October 1941)
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (14 June 1940)
  • 1st Class (19 June 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 as Hauptmann in the 14./Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2
• Close Combat Clasp in Silver (24 September 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 15 May 1942 as Sturmbannführer and Major of the Schupo and commander of the II./SS-Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2
  • 650th Oak Leaves on 16 November 1944 as Standartenführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8
  • 129th Swords on 1 February 1945 as Oberführer and leader of a Kampfgruppe in the 4. SS-Polizei-Panzergrenadier-Division

References

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1998). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C–Dow (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2534-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

• Helmut Dörner @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht