Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp

Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp
Born 9 October 1910
Montigny-lès-Metz, Germany
Died 23 September 1986 (aged 75)
Goslar, Germany
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen-SS
Years of service 1933–45
Rank Standartenführer (Colonel)
Unit 5th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Wiking
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
Wound Badge in Gold
Mentioned in official Wehrmachtbericht
Panzer Badge
SS Long Service Award

Johannes-Rudolf Mühlenkamp (9 October 1910 – 23 September 1986) was a Standartenführer (Colonel) in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 21 September 1944.

Biography

Early life

Mühlenkamp was born on 9 October 1910 in Montigny-lès-Metz, Alsace-Lorraine. He was one of the early members of the NSDAP and the SS, joining on April 1933. Mühlenkamp was given the party number 2 800 042 and the SS service number 86 065. He was first assigned to the 4th SS Standarte Schleswig Holstein in Hamburg before being moved to the 2nd SS Standarte of the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1934. Then, Mühlenkamp had been selected to become an officer in 1935. He was sent to the SS junker school at Braunschweig.

From April to May 1936, Mühlenkamp completed motorcycle training with the Heers 2nd Panzer Division, being highly successful in pre World War II motorcycle competitions. On completion of his officer training, Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the Germania Regiment (5th SS Panzer Division Wiking) as a platoon leader on November 1937. Mühlenkamp took over command of the Motor Cycle Company on May 1938.

World War II

At the eve of the war, Mühlenkamp was the Divisional Adjutant of the SS-Verfügungstruppe Division, until December 1940, when he was given the command of the Reich Division Reconnaissance Battalion. Mühlenkamp was seriously wounded in the head by artillery shrapnel near Jelnja, Russia. Hospitalized between October and February 1942, Mühlenkamp missed the first Russian winter of the war. On his release from hospital, Johannes Mühlenkamp was assigned to the 5th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Wiking, as Panzer Battalion commander, until March 1943. When the number of soldiers from the battalion have been increased, the battalion was converted into a regiment. On August 1944, Mühlenkamp was given the command of the 5th SS Panzer Division Wiking. He commanded this unit until October 1944. Then, Mühlenkamp was promoted Inspector of Waffen SS Panzer troops in the SS-Führungshauptamt. His last command was the 32. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division from January 1945 to February 1945.

Promotions

Decorations and Awards

References

Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thomas 1998, p. 98.
Bibliography
  • Alman, Karl (2008). Panzer vor – Die dramatische Geschichte der deutschen Panzerwaffe und ihrer tapferen Soldaten. Würzburg, Germany: Flechsig Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88189-638-2.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [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] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • 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 Miltaer-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.
  • Standartenführer Johannes Mühlenkamp, Kommandeur des SS-Panzerregiments 5 (Wiking), und seine Männer, Publisher: de Krijger, 2005: ISBN 90-5868-146-7.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
SS-Oberführer Eduard Deisenhofer		 Commander of 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking
August 1944 – 9 October 1944 		Succeeded by
SS-Oberführer Karl Ullrich