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Fritz Klingenberg

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Fritz Klingenberg
Fritz Klingenberg
Born17 December 1912
Rövershagen, German Empire
Died23 March 1945(1945-03-23) (aged 32)
Herxheim, Nazi Germany
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service1935–1945
RankSS-Standartenführer
UnitSS Division Das Reich
Commands heldSS Division Götz von Berlichingen
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Klingenberg (17 December 1912 – 23 March 1945) was a German officer in the Waffen-SS who served with the SS Division Das Reich and was a commander of the SS Division Götz von Berlichingen. He was best known for his role in the capture of the Yugoslavian capital, Belgrade with just 6 men, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

In April 1941, the Germany Army invaded Yugoslavia and then Greece. Klingenberg, a company commander in the Das Reich division, led his unit to the capital, Belgrade, where a small group in the vanguard accepted the surrender of the city on 13 April. A few days later Yugoslavia surrendered.[1][2]

Capture of Belgrade

In early 1941 Klingenberg was with SS troops taking part in the invasion of Yugoslavia . The objective was to push into Yugoslavia quickly, to then attack Greece. Klingenberg disobeyed orders, and decided to reconnitor Belgrade, with his units far ahead of the main German army. Finding a boat, he made across the river, with the intention of ferrying a sizable force across, however, the boat sank, and he was left with just six men. Klingenberg, then encountered some Yugoslav troops, who had captured a drunk German tourist, whom they in turn captured. After a number of firefights, the 6 Germans, having sustained no casualties but captured a number of yugoslave soldiers, made it to the centre of Belgrade, with the tourist, and their prisoners. There they raised a German flag. The Mayor came out to meet them, after Klingenberg bluffed, telling him there was an incoming artillery barrage, and an impending Luftwaffe attack. The Mayor surrendered the city to them on the 13 April. At this point a few more of Klingenberg's men arrived the same way he had, and made a show of their presence, pretending that there was more of them than there were.[3] [4][5] The German army eventually arrived, dumfounded at the situation, having made a complex plan that was expected to cost thousands of lives to take the city that was no longer needed. [1][2] [6] A few days later Yugoslavia surrendered.[1][2]. Klingenberg was awarded the Knights cross for capturing the city, in effect capturing Belgrade with just 6 men.

European theatre against US forces

On 21 December 1944, Fritz Klingenberg was promoted to SS-Standartenführer and two weeks later (on 12 January 1945) was appointed to command the SS Division Götz von Berlichingen. The division was attached to XIII SS Corps, defending southeast of Saarbrücken against the XV Corps of the Seventh United States Army.[citation needed] On 23 March 1945, Klingenberg was killed by a tank shell during a firefight on the western edge of Herxheim and is buried at the German War Cemetery in Andilly, France.[7]

Decorations

Klingenberg (far left) with Heinrich Himmler and other SS officers on tour of Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp, June 1941.

References

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Flaherty 2004, pp. 162, 163.
  2. ^ a b c Weale 2012, p. 297.
  3. ^ By Robert J. Edwards "Tip of the Spear: German Armored Reconnaissance in Action in World War II" p 172
  4. ^ Plowman, Jeffrey "War in the Balkans: The Battle for Greece and Crete 1940-1941" p 24
  5. ^ http://www.historynet.com/invasion-of-yugoslavia-waffen-ss-captain-fritz-klingenberg-and-the-capture-of-belgrade-during-world-war-ii.htm
  6. ^ "Invasion of Yugoslavia Waffen SS Captain Fritz Klingenberg And the Capture-of-belgrade-during-world-war-ii" historynet http://www.historynet.com/invasion-of-yugoslavia-waffen-ss-captain-fritz-klingenberg-and-the-capture-of-belgrade-during-world-war-ii.htm
  7. ^ Günther 1991, p. 168.
  8. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 448.
  9. ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 234.

Bibliography

  • Flaherty, T. H. (2004) [1988]. The Third Reich: The SS. Time-Life. ISBN 1-84447-073-3. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Günther, Helmut (1991). Die Sturmflut und das Ende – Band 3, Mit dem Rücken zur Wand – Geschichte der 17.SS-Panzergrenadierdivision "Götz von Berlichingen". Schild Verlag. ISBN 3-88014-103-7. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (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}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  • Weale, Adrian (2012). Army of Evil: A History of the SS. New York: Caliber Printing. ISBN 978-0-451-23791-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)