Fritz Klingenberg

Fritz Klingenberg
Fritz Klingenberg
Birth date	17 December 1912
Place of birth	Rövershagen, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, German Empire
Death date	⚔ 22 March 1945
Place of death	Herxheim, German Reich
Allegiance	National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Waffen-SS
Years of service	1935–1945
Rank	SS-Standartenführer
Unit	2.SS-Division Das Reich 17.SS- Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Paul Heinrich Otto Klingenberg (b. 17 December 1912; ⚔ 25 March 1945) was a German officer of the SS and the Waffen SS, finally SS-Standartenführer and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in WWII. He served in the 2.SS-Division Das Reich as well as commander of the 17.SS- Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen. He was best known for his unorthodox and audacious capture of the Yugoslavian capital, Belgrade for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Life

Early life

Fritz Paul Heinrich Otto Klingenberg was a son of dairy owner and was born in Rövershagen in Mecklenburg on 17 December 1912. After successfully completing his Gymnasium education, he began studying science and history at the University of Rostock.

Party and

On 1 December 1931, he joined the NSDAP (No.: 851,328) and on 14 November 1932 the Allgemeine SS (No.: 51,487) serving with the 3. Sturm/IV. SS-Sturmbann/22. SS-Standarte.

Verfügungstruppe

In 1934, however, he interrupted his university studies and joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe (Leibstandarte), becoming one of the first ever graduates of the new SS-Junkerschule in Bad Tölz. After his graduation, he was assigned to 2. SS-Standarte „Germania“/VT and up until the outset of World War II, Klingenberg served on an inspection team of the SS-VT.

Götz von Berlichingen

On 21 December 1944, Fritz Klingenberg was promoted to SS-Standartenführer (Colonel) and two weeks later (on 12 January 1945) was ordered to take command of the 17. SS- Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen. The Division was attached to General Max Simon's XIII SS Corps, defending the area between Neustadt and Landau, southeast of Saarbrücken against the XV Corps of the U.S. Seventh Army.

Death

When resistance finally collapsed on 22 March 1945, Klingenberg was among the casualties. He had died leading his division near Herxheim and is buried at the German War Cemetery in Andilly, France.

Personal

The consummate SS-Mann, Klingenberg was fairly tall, standing over 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). A photograph taken at Klingenberg's Knight's Cross presentation ceremony at the Berghof in 1941 shows him standing with Hitler. Klingenberg was apparently tall enough that, according to an aide to photographer Heinrich Hoffmann, Klingenberg was asked by Hoffmann to stand to the side and slightly behind Hitler so as to not dwarf the Führer, who stood about 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m). The disparity, however, can still be clearly seen in the photograph.

SS-Promotions

SS

• SS-Anwärter: 14. November 1932
• SS-Mann: 1933
• SS-Junker: 1. April 1934
• SS-Hauptscharführer: 20. Dezember 1934
• SS-Standartenoberjunker: Febrauar 1935
• SS-Untersturmführer: 20. April 1935
• SS-Obersturmführer: 12. Dezember 1937
• SS-Hauptsturmführer: 30. Juni 1939

Waffen-SS

• SS-Sturmbannführer der Waffen-SS: 1. September 1941
• SS-Obersturmbannführer der Waffen-SS: 21. Dezember 1943
• SS-Standartenführer der Waffen-SS: 21. Dezember 1944

Awards and decorations

Third Reich

• Honour Chevron for the Old Guard (Ehrenwinkel für Alte Kämpfer)
• SS-Ehrendegen
• SS-Ehrenring
• Julleuchter der SS
• DRL/Reich Sports Badge (Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen) in Bronze
• SA Sports Badge (SA-Sportabzeichen) in Bronze
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle Bar
• SS Long Service Award (SS-Dienstauszeichnung), 3rd Grad on 23 November 1939
• NSDAP Long Service Award (Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP), I. Stufe in Bronze (for 10 years)

WWII

• Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
  • 2nd Class on 23 June 1940
  • 1st Class on 24 June 1940
• Namentliche Nennung im Wehrmachtbericht (reference in the Wehrmachtbericht) on 13 April 1941
• Infantry Assault Badge (Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen) in Bronze on 3 July 1941
• Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1939) in Black on 19 October 1941
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal (Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42“) on 3 November 1942
• War Merit Cross (1939) (Kriegsverdienstkreuz), 2nd Class with Swords, 1943
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1941 as SS-Hauptsturmführer and chief of the 2./SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon/SS-Division "Reich"/XXXXI. Armeekorps/12. Armee
• German Cross in Gold on 28 April 1944 as SS-Obersturmbannführer in the 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"

Further reading

• SS-Das Reich: The History of the Second SS Division, 1941-1945 by Gregory L. Mattson (Zenith Press, (22 March 2002), ISBN 0-7603-1255-9, ISBN 978-0-7603-1255-1).
• The SS: Hitler's Instrument of Terror: The Full Story From Street Fighters to the Waffen-SS by Gordon Williamson (Motorbooks International, (March 1994), ISBN 0-87938-905-2, ISBN 978-0-87938-905-5).
• Invasion of Yugoslavia: Waffen SS Captain Fritz Klingenberg and the Capture of Belgrade During World War II by Colin D. Heaton [1]
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• 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