Hermann Buchner (Waffen-SS)

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Hermann Buchner
SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Buchner.jpg
Birth date 16 January 1917
Place of birth Nürnberg, Kingdom of Bavaria, German Empire
Death date ⚔ 17 November 1944 (aged 27)
Place of death Near Modlin (Poland), Generalgouvernement
Allegiance  National Socialist Germany
Service/branch Flag Schutzstaffel.png Schutzstaffel
Flag Schutzstaffel.png Waffen-SS
Years of service 1937–1945
Rank SS-Sturmbannführer
Service number SS #286,779
Unit SS-Standarte "Deutschland"
SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Oberbayern"
SS Division "Totenkopf"
Battles/wars World War II
Awards SS Honour Sword
SS Honour RingIron Cross
Close Combat Clasp in Gold
German Cross in Gold
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations ∞ Elisabeth "Elsbeth" Babette Haberer

Hermann Buchner (16 January 1917 – 17 November 1944) was a German officer of the SS and Waffen-SS, at last SS-Sturmbannführer (Major) and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as well as one of only 98 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold in World War II.

Life

Hermann Buchner (left) with NSDAP-Kreisleiter Erich Höllfritsch (1913–1991; graduate economist), in the background, Buchner's wife Elsbeth.

When SS-Sturmbannführer Buchner visited his home of Rothenburg during a Knight's Cross vacation from the front at the end of July 1944, the city, the party and the population gave their Knight's Cross recipient a big reception. The SA's Ehrensturm (honour company) lined up in front of the town hall under the leadership of SA-Obersturmbannführer Georg Arlt (b. 20 September 1880). Buchner and his wife drove up in a four-horse carriage, accompanied by the NSDAP local group leader Haas. The residents cheered and the city's first alderman, Heinrich Ehrhard, welcomed the Buchner couple at the town hall portal.

Arbeitsmaiden (female labor service) presented him with flowers and escorted him to the meeting room, where the Knight's Cross bearer and his wife were presented with a piece of music and district leader Erich Höllfritsch welcomed them. Buchner was then allowed to sign the city's Golden Book and the party's Book of Honor, in which he wrote: “We will continue to beat the enemy until he makes peace!”

In his speech, Hermann Buchner also referred to the assassination attempt on Hitler on 20 July 1944. Buchner said that the activities of this criminal clique of officers were not least the cause of the military setbacks on the Eastern Front. But the traitors were defeated thanks to the efforts of the Reichsführer-SS and the Reich Minister Dr. Joseph Goebbels, so that the front would soon have the strength again that was necessary to “decide the battle in our favor”.

The “Fränkische Anzeiger” wrote: “At the end, the Knight's Cross recipient expressed his firm conviction and unshakable faith that the German people under the leadership of Adolf Hitler will achieve victory if the front and homeland use their full strength for this goal. [...] This commitment was confirmed by the greeting to our beloved leader Adolf Hitler. Afterwards there was a lunch at the Hotel Eisenhut."

Hermann Buchner was born in Nuremberg, Franconia, in 1917 as the son of a industrial foreman (Werkmeister) and, after completing his school education, began an apprenticeship as a druggist. He completed the Reich Labor Service (RAD) from 21 August 1934 to 31 May 1936 in Rothenburg ob der Tauber and was dismissed as a squad leader (RAD-Truppführer). Rothenburg ob der Tauber would stay his home, even after he had married. He was a talented athlete and rider, and as such he took part in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

It is contradictory when exactly he joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe as a SS-Anwärter. Some sources state 1 October 1936, others 4 October 1937. He served with the 12th Sturm (Company)/SS-Standarte "Deutschland" in Munich. He attended the 6th Peace Junker Course at the SS Junker School in Braunschweig (full course) from 1 April 1938 to 31 January 1939 with Gerhard Pleiß, Hubert Erwin Meierdress and many others.[1] Buchner proved to be weak in tactical theory and did not pass the final examination the first time. From 1 February to 31 March 1939, he attended the compulsory platoon leader course in Dachau.

He did leap the large hurdle the second time around when he returned to Braunschweig from 20 April to 1 May 1939. In his final evaluation, he received the grade of “sufficient” (genügend) in 11 of 13 possible areas. It was only the subject areas of sports and horseback riding, which were his passion, that he received a grade of “good”. The fact that he was allowed to take his exams again was one of the few exceptions at school. This is only because he was highly valued by the instructors and his comrades. He was not an academic, but a born leader. In field training and in close combat training, he was considered daring and fearless.

On 2 May 1939, Buchner was transferred to the 11th Sturm/SS-Totenkopf-Standarte "Oberbayern". On 7 September 1939, he took over the post of adjutant of the 5th Sturmbann (battalion) of the Standarte and on 11 October 1939, he was assigned to the SS-Totenkopf-Division and as an orderly officer in the III. Battalion of the SS Totenkopf Infantry Regiment 1. After a gas protection course at the Army Gas Protection School in Celle from 1 to 10 January 1940, Buchner took part in the Western Campaign and was appointed adjutant of the III. Battalion of his regiment. During the fighting in the West, Buchner had, among other things, took part in the battles at Cambrai, Dunkirk, Peronne and Lyon and received the Iron Cross 2nd Class for this.

He kept this position for the next missions, including: in Russia until he took command of a mixed combat company in his III. Battalion. January 1942 saw the encirclement of the II Army Corps (98,000 men) in the Demyansk area. This also included the soldiers of the “Totenkopf” division. The following months brought heavy fighting and the harshest privations. According to the report dated 24 April 1942, it can be proven that he took over the leadership of the 9th (Machine Gun) Company and was wounded as such by shrapnel from an artillery shell on 21 May 1942. Still in the military hospital (Lazarett), he was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer on 21 June 1942.

From 2 July 1941 to 16 October 1943, Buchner took part in 50 days of close combat and was one of the first soldiers of the Waffen-SS to receive the Close Combat Clasp in Gold. Buchner was one of the few to receive almost all awards for bravery. However, the list of close combat days does not include the following combat days, which are no longer listed. It can be assumed that Buchner had many more days of close combat. In the months of July and August 1943 alone he logged 20 days of close combat. With the awarding of the clasp to Buchner, he became the eighth recipient of this award within the Wehrmacht, which cannot be overestimated. In the ranks of the Waffen-SS, he was the fourth person to wear this clasp. After a bravery leave in connection with the awarding of the hand-to-hand combat clasp in gold, Buchner was assigned to a battalion leader course at the Paris Infantry School and then returned to his battalion. On 9 November 1943, he was appointed commander of the III. Battalion, later the II. Battalion in the SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment 5 “Thule”/3rd SS Panzer Division "Totenkopf".[2]

Knight's Cross

Buchner’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows:[3]

“Following bitter retreat battles south of Balta, and then a 35 km march via Birsula, the III. Battalion/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 5 ‘Totenkopf’ entered Starowo in a very exhausted state at 06:00 on the morning of 31 March 1944. At this time the Battalion received the order of closing a frontline gap adjacent to Hill 234.5 (which was occupied by Wehrmacht elements). However, the reconnaissance dispatched by SS-Hauptsturmführer Buchner reported that the enemy had already advanced through Nowosselowka and into the eastern part of Ssofijewka. Although SS-Hauptsturmführer Buchner had no artillery, heavy weapons or communication means at this time, he nonetheless resolved to launch an immediate attack, as he knew that the important Sslobodka—Odessa railway was already gravely endangered. He launched a bold and skillful deliberate attack that crushed the enemy forces located in the eastern and northeastern parts of Ssofijewka. He then attacked the enemy elements located within Nowosselowka at the head of his totally exhausted companies, and these hostile forces were thrown back far beyond the village following fierce close combat. SS-Hauptsturmführer Buchner achieved a decisive victory through this bravely executed attack that was launched on his own initiative. His actions put paid to the enemy thrust against the Sslobodka—Odessa railroad as well as the main paved road leading towards Starowo. The enemy lost a total of:
  • 74 dead
  • 3 anti-tank guns
  • 24 MGs
  • 2 mortars
  • 1 field kitchen
  • Over 100 horses (captured)
  • 42 prisoners
  • Numerous additional war materiel.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Buchner’s victory is all the more impressive considered the totally exhausted state of his men. It was made possible only through his inspirational leadership, decisiveness and personal bravery. As such I ask that he be awarded the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

Death

Battalion commander Hermann Buchner was seriously wounded in the back by shrapnel in the Modlin battle area near Warsaw on 17 November 1944 and died of his serious wounds on the same day in the field hospital of the “Totenkopf” division.

Unfortunatley he was killed in action, West of Warsaw in November 1944, when he was hit in the back by shrapnel. A warrior this good already had his fate sealed. A man can only do the things he did for so long before it will catch up with him.[4]

He rests today in the German military cemetery in Modlin. Buchner had remained with his battalion and his men, who needed him, contrary to Hitler's orders to withdraw all golden Close Combat Clasp recipients from the front. By the time of his death, he was awarded between 60 and 70 officially recognized close combat days. A remarkable number and proof of respectable bravery and courage.

Four months later (after the celebrations for Buchner in July 1944), everyone met again in the town hall meeting room of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Only one person was missing: Hermann Buchner. He had fallen. The city and the party organized the funeral service, in which district leader Höllfritsch gave the dignified eulogy with the usual slogans of loyalty and eulogies for the leader and the victorious future of Germany, for the National Socialist worldview, brave soldiering and male comradeship, and for death, immortality and flags. As if in a role play, he put himself in the shoes of the dead knight's cross bearer and spoke as if he were that person: “I have not fallen senselessly, for I am not a victim of fate, but rather its servant, herald and executor. ... My being was filled with manly loyalty to my self-elected leader Adolf Hitler, to whom I kept the oath of allegiance until the last breath of my soul.”[5]

Promotions

Awards and decorations

Gallery

  • SS-Untersturmführer Buchner als Bataillons-Adjutant.jpg
  • SS-Untersturmführer Buchner als Bataillons-Adjutant II.jpg
  • SS-Untersturmführer Buchner als Bataillons-Adjutant III.jpg
  • SS-Hauptsturmführer Hermann Buchner.jpg
  • Hermann Buchner, Kriegsgrab.jpg
  • SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Buchner, gefallen.jpg

References

  1. ↑ 6. Friedens Lehrgang an der SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
  2. ↑ Florian Berger: The Face of Courage. The 98 Men Who Received the Knight's Cross and the Close-Combat Clasp in Gold, Stackpole Books edition, 2011 (Archive)
  3. ↑ Buchner, Hermann (Waffen-SS)
  4. ↑ Hermann Buchner
  5. ↑ SS-Sturmbannführer Hermann Buchner – Rothenburgs erster und einziger Ritterkreuzträger. Als Unsterblicher marschiert der tote Held bis zum Endsieg mit
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