Joachim Rumohr

Joachim Rumohr
SS-Oberführer Joachim Rumohr
Born	(1910-08-16)16 August 1910 Hamburg, Germany
Died	11 February 1945(1945-02-11) (aged 34) Budapest, Central Hungary, Kingdom of Hungary
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1935–45
Rank	Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS
Unit	8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class German Cross in Gold Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht General Assault Badge in Silver Wound badge in Silver

Joachim Rumohr (16 August 1910 – 11 February 1945) was a Brigadeführer und Generalmajor in the Waffen SS, during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Born on the 6 August 1910 in Hamburg, he joined the NSDAP and the SS in 1935 being given the party number 216161 and the SS service number 7450. Rumohr was first posted to the 4th Standarte as a Untersturmführer but was quickly promoted in November 1935 to Obersturmführer and posted to the Germania Regiment. In May 1938 he was the commander of the 12th Company and 9 November 1938 promoted to Hauptsturmführer in the SS-Verfügungstruppe, which would later become the Das Reich Division.

With this unit, he took part in the Polish Campaign and the Battle of France, then being given the command of the 2nd Battalion SS-Artillery Regiment Das Reich in January 1941, which he commanded for Operation Marita. On 1 June 1942 he was transferred to the SS Cavalry Division as the commander of the Artillery Regiment. On 9 November 1942 he was promoted to Obersturmbannführer and awarded with the German Cross in gold. For his leadership on the middle Dnepr in Autumn 1943 he was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership during the winter of 1943/44 in the Kremenchug, Kirovograd areas.

On 1 April 1944 he was given the command of the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer, being promoted to Standartenführer later the same month. He was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 9 October 1944. In November 1944 he received his last promotion to Brigadeführer and led his division during the fighting in the Budapest area for which he was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross. Rumohr was seriously wounded during the attempt to break out from Budapest, and committed suicide on the 11 February 1945 to prevent his capture by the Soviets.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (14 November 1939)
  • 1st Class (28 August 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (23 February 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 January 1944 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of SS-Artillerie-Regiment 8 "Florian Geyer"
  • 721st Oak Leaves on 1 February 1945 as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS and commander of 8. SS-Kavillerie-Division "Florian Geyer"
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 9 October 1944

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)