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
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 German commander in the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Dörner was born in 1909. During World War II, he was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross during the Battle of France. 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 until late 1943, and was then transferred to Greece. When Karl Schümers (divisional commander) was killed, Helmut took over the command until the arrival of the new commander. In September 1944 the 4th SS Polizei Division was sent to Rumania and Hungary. During the siege of Budapest, he became the commander of a mixed battle group and died during a breakthrough attempt.

Awards

• Wound Badge in Black (2 October 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
• Tank Destruction Badges for Individual Combatants
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 15 May 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer and Major of the Schupo and commander of the II./SS-Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 2
  • 650th Oak Leaves on 16 November 1944 as SS-Standartenführer and commander of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 8
  • 129th Swords on 1 February 1945 as SS-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}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); 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}}: 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); 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}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); 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}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

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