Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp

Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp
Born	(1910-10-09)9 October 1910 Montigny-lès-Metz, German Empire
Died	23 September 1986(1986-09-23) (aged 75) Goslar, West Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1933–1945
Rank	Standartenführer
Service number	NSDAP #2,800,042 SS #86,065
Commands	SS Division Wiking
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp (9 October 1910 – 23 September 1986) was a German Waffen-SS officer and divisional commander during World War II who led SS Division Wiking. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Early life

Mühlenkamp was born in 1910 in the city of Metz, at the time part of the German Empire but which reverted to French control after WW I. Mühlenkamp joined the NSDAP (Nazi Party) and the SS in April 1933 while living in Hamburg. In the following year, September 1934, he began his military career, joining the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT), and being assigned to the Germania Regiment of the fledgling Waffen SS. After a year as an enlisted member, Mühlenkamp attended the SS Junkerschule to train as an officer, graduating as an Untersturmführer in 1936. After Junkerschule, he was attached to the German army's 2nd Panzer Division to train with their motorcycle units. Returning to the SS-VT in May, Mühlenkamp was posted again to the Germania Regiment, as platoon leader in November 1937 after promotion to Obersturmführer, before taking command of the Motorcycle Company in May 1938.

World War II

Mühlenkamp took part in the Polish campaign as Hauptsturmführer and commander of the Motorcycle Company of Germania, earning the Iron Cross 2nd class on 3 October, and the 1st class on 11 November. After Poland Deutschland Germania and Der Führer Regiments were reorganized to form SS Verfügungs-Division (later Reich and Das Reich), and Mühlenkamp became the Divisional Adjutant under Paul Hausser, serving as the commander of the Reconnaissance Battalion in the Western and Balkan Campaigns as well as the invasion of the Soviet Union. He received the German Cross in gold while recovering from a severe head wound on 2 January 1942. On his release from hospital, Mühlenkamp was posted to 5 SS Panzer Grenadier Division Wiking in command of its new Panzer Battalion. On 3 September he was awarded the Knight's Cross in recognition of his command during the divisions drive south that year, and in particular Wiking's part in the capture of Rostov. After being wounded again in early 1943, Mühlenkamp returned to Germany to organize a second tank battalion and regimental headquarters for Wiking. His battalion grew to a regiment and Mühlenkamp was promoted to Standartenführer. He assumed command of Wiking in August 1944. His first weeks in command were spent fighting in the Warsaw area for which he received the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross on 21 September 1944. Mühlenkamp was made Inspector of Waffen SS Panzer Troops in October 1944, with Karl Ullrich replacing him as divisional commander. In 1945 he was tasked with raising a new division, 32nd SS Volunteer Grenadier Division 30 Januar, which he commanded during its work up in January and February, resuming his Inspectorate afterwards.

Post war

Mühlenkamp died on 23 September 1986 in Langelsheim-Bredelm, West Germany.

Awards

• Iron Cross 2nd class (3 October 1939) & 1st class (11 November 1939)
• German Cross in Gold on 2 January 1942 as SS-Hauptsturmführer in the Aufklärungs-Abteilung SS-Division "Reich"
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 3 September 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer and commander of the SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5 "Wiking"
  • 596th Oak Leaves on 21 September 1944 as SS-Standartenführer and division leader of the 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking"
• Wound Badge in gold on 13 January 1943

References

Bibliography

• Oosterling, Paul (2005). Standartenfuhrer Johannes Muhlenkamp Vol 1: Kommandeur des SS-Panzerregiments 5 "Wiking" und Seine Männer. De Krijger. ISBN 978-9058681461.
• Rikmenspoel, Marc (2015). Sunwheels and Siegrunen. Solihull: Helion & Company Limited. ISBN 978-1-909982-88-8.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

Further reading

• Nash, Douglas E.; Spezzano, Remy (2016). Kampfgruppe Mühlenkamp: 5. Ss-Panzer Division "Wiking", Eastern Poland, July 1944. Southbury: RZM Imports. ISBN 9780974838984.
• Nash, Douglas E.; Spezzano, Remy (2019). Unternehmen Ilse: 5. Ss-Panzer Division "Wiking" Eastern Front 27 April 1944. Southbury: RZM Publishing. ISBN 978-0974838991.
• Nash, Douglas E. (2019). From the realm of a dying sun. Volume 1, IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944. Philadelphia: Casement. ISBN 9781612006369.
• Nash, Douglas E. (2020). From the realm of a dying sun. Volume II, The IV. SS-Panzerkorps in the Budapest relief efforts, December 1944-February 1945. Philadelphia: Casement. ISBN 9781612008745.
• Nash, Douglas E. (2021). From the realm of a dying sun. Volume 3, IV. SS-Panzerkorps from Budapest to Vienna, February-May 1945. Philadelphia: Casement. ISBN 9781612009575.