Hubert Meyer

Hubert Meyer
Born (1913-12-05)5 December 1913
Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died 16 November 2012(2012-11-16) (aged 98)
Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen SS
Years of service 1933–45
Rank SS-Obersturmbannführer
Commands held 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend
Battles/wars World War II
Awards German Cross in Gold

Hubert Meyer (5 December 1913 – 16 November 2012[1]) was a German officer of the Waffen-SS, the armed paramilitary branch of the Nazi Party's Schutzstaffel (SS). He obtained the rank of SS-Obersturmbannführer (lieutenant colonel), served with the 1.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and was one of the commanders of the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. After the war, he became active in the association of former Waffen-SS members HIAG. At the time of his death in 2012, he was the last living commander of any SS Division.

Early Life and SS service

Meyer was born in Berlin on 5 December 1913. He joined the SS in 1933 and attended the SS Junkerschule in Bad Tölz, Bavaria. In 1937 as SS-Untersturmführer (second lieutenant), Meyer was given platoon command within the 10. Kompanie of the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (LSSAH).

Early war campaigns

On 9 November 1938 Meyer was promoted to SS-Obersturmführer (first lieutenant) and after World War II started in Europe, saw action during the invasion of Poland, invasion of the Netherlands and invasion of France, winning the Iron Cross second class in November 1939. Following the fall of France Mayer became the commander of 10. Kompanie (which was later renamed as the 12. Kompanie) and in November 1940 was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain). Later, during the campaign in the Balkans, Meyer also won the Iron Cross-first class.

Invasion of the Soviet Union

In the opening weeks of Operation Barbarossa, Meyer's 12 Kompanie participated in the LSSAH advance on Kiev. During this time Meyer's men were engaged by enemy snipers, and Meyer was severely wounded. Following his recovery, he was posted to the LSSAH Artillerieregiment for pre-General Staff training, where he remained until early 1943. On 14 February 1943 SS-Hauptsturmführer Meyer was given the command of III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 1 and in this capacity participated in the Third Battle of Kharkov. On March 9, he was wounded south of Kharkov.

SS Division Hitlerjugend

From June through September 1943, then SS-Sturmbannführer Meyer attended the 10th General Staff Officer course and after graduating was assigned to the newly formed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. After the divisional commander SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer was captured on 6 September 1944 by Belgian partisans in the town of Durnal, Hubert Meyer took temporary command of the division. He relinquished his command on 24 October 1944 to SS-Brigadeführer (Brigadier General) Fritz Kraemer, but stayed with the division for the remainder of the war and surrendered to the Americans on 8 May 1945.

Post war

Meyer survived the war and became the official historian of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. He is also the author of two books on the division. The multi-volume German-language history of his division, entitled Kriegsgeschichte der 12. SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend", which was published in 1982 (ISBN 3-921242-51-7) and reprinted in 1996. The book was also translated into English and published in 1994 under the title The History of the 12.SS-Panzerdivision "Hitlerjugend" (ISBN 0-921991-18-5), and then reprinted in two volumes by Stackpole Books in 2005 as The 12th SS: The History of the Hitler Youth Panzer Division.

Meyer was active in HIAG, a revisionist organization of former Waffen-SS members. He was HIAG's last president[2] before the organization was dissolved in 1992.

Summary of SS career

Dates of rank

Notable decorations

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Postado por Júlio (2012-11-16). "Nota de Falecimento: Hubert Meyer". Sala de Guerra. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  2. ↑ Parker 2014, p. 425.

Bibliography

  • Parker, Danny S. (2014). Hitler's Warrior: The Life and Wars of SS Colonel Jochen Peiper. Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0306821547. 
  • 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. 
  • Yerger, Mark C. (1999). Waffen-SS commanders. Vol. II : the army, corps and divisional leaders of a legend. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing. pp. 104–106. ISBN 978-0-7643-0769-0. 
Military offices
Preceded by
SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer		 Commander of 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
6 September 1944 – 24 October 1944 		Succeeded by
SS-Brigadeführer Fritz Kraemer
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