Joachim Rumohr

Joachim Rumohr
SS-Oberführer Joachim Rumohr
Born	(1910-08-16)August 16, 1910
Died	11 February 1945(1945-02-11) (aged 34)
Place of birth	Hamburg, Germany
Place of death	Budapest, Hungary
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1935–1945
Rank	Brigadeführer
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 (1910–1945) 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 language: 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 216 161 and the SS service number 7 450. 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 Russians.

Awards

• 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"

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.