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~SOLD~LOHMANN HANNS-Heinrich
Obersturmbannführer
Lohmann, Hanns-Heinrich
* 24.04.1911 Gütersloh
+ 25.05.1995 Gütersloh
Awarded Knights Cross: 12.03.1944
as: Sturmbannführer Kommandeur III./Freiw.PzGrenRgt 23 "Norge"
Lohmann’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…
“On the 31.01.1944 the III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Norge’, under the command of SS-Sturmbannführer Lohmann, was in positions in the Luga bridgehead along the eastern edge of Jamburg. The ordered withdrawal from the bridgehead took place on the following night after a hard yet successful defensive battle by friendly forces.
Following the evacuation of the bridgehead SS-Sturmbannführer Lohmann would have the mission of occupying new defensive positions on the west bank of the Luga. By inserting his Bataillon between von Kramer’s Bataillon and Kampfgruppe Vogt he would greatly strengthen the defensive line that hitherto was only being held thinly by combat group Stoffers.
At the start of Lohmann’s withdrawal movement from the bridgehead the following situation had taken shape at the southern part of the west bank:
- During the whole day the enemy was transferring strong forces to the west bank of the Luga, south of Saretschje. Several flank attacks against the II. Bataillon, in positions at the paper mill and Saretschje, were repulsed successfully (partially with counterthrusts) by the Bataillon. However a further reinforcement of the enemy meant that in the evening hours of the 31.01.1944 it was necessary to withdraw the II. Bataillon to a blocking position between the Luga and the Pjatnitzkij swamp (see sketch) -
At around 04:30 on the 01.02.1944 Lohmann and his Bataillon were still in the process of withdrawing. The 9. & heavy Kompanien were at the eastern edge of Nowo Pjatnitzkoje, and the 10. & 11. Kompanien were in the western part of Jamburg. Having heard that the enemy had pushed far to the west with overwhelming forces, overrun the blocking positions of II. Bataillon and now had lead elements that were already 300 metres south of the road, Sturmbannführer Lohmann immediately dispatched his Bataillon for a counterthrust on his own initiative. They would pass through the parts of II. Bataillon that had pulled back and engage the enemy.
III. Bataillon conducted a surprisingly swift deployment, with 9. Kompanie advancing past Hill 25.2 towards the southeast and 10./11. Kompanien moving out to the south (see sketch). In a hard nocturnal close-combat engagement, in which Sturmbannführer Lohmann distinguished himself through outstanding personal bravery, the enemy was thrown back with extremely heavy losses. This continued until the old positions were again under friendly control.
It was only thanks to the outstanding personal bravery of Sturmbannführer Lohmann, a man who inspired his troops at a decisive moment of the hard close combat through his own example, that this counterthrust met with success.
The tremendous energy and independent decisiveness of the commander of the III./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Norge’ ensured that the enemy attempt to cut off our troops still in the bridgehead and on the west bank was prevented. Furthermore the enemy lost a great deal of both light and heavy infantry weapons, as well as a large part of their assault forces. Due to this the subsequent planned withdrawal of the Division to Dubrowka could be conducted according to plan and with minimal friendly losses.”
Awarded Oakleaves as the 872nd Recipient : 09.05.1945 as Obersturmbannführer
Führer SS-Freiw.PzGrenRgt 49 "De Ruyter" 23.Freiw.PzGrenDivision
On the 21.01.1945, two days before the start of the Fourth Battle of Courland, Soviet forces commenced an attack against a section of German frontline in Courland at around 10:30 following a strong fire preparation lasting about half an hour. Their goal was to reach a series of objectives that would facilitate a later breakthrough towards Libau. In the sector of the SS-Frw.Pz.Gren.Rgt. 49 ‘De Ruyter’, the Soviets pushed an attack wedge about 200-300 metres beyond the Preekuln-Skuodas railway line alone a very narrow front towards the west. Here Lohmann was able to eliminate this penetration through skillful employment of his reserves.
On the 23.01.1945 the Soviets managed to achieve a penetration at the boundary between Lohmann’s regiment and the 30. Infanterie-Division. However, despite the loss of all radio and telephone communications, it was possible to prevent a further enemy advance through a determined strongpoint-like defensive network.
The next day the Soviets tried to encircle German forces located south of Purmasati from the north and south with 10 tanks and 200 men. Lohmann’s regimental command post was encircled in Kaleti by enemy tanks, but the Germans defended it bitterly with Lohmann in the foremost line. His resistance here ensured that the already encircled/bypassed friendly strongpoints could also be held onto. The day after this, the 25.01.1945, the Germans succeeded in pulling back their frontline to the preprepared Krimhild line.
Lohmann would be awarded the Oakleaves for his achievements during this time period.
The recommendation was made on February 26th, 1945 and arrived at the OKH/PA/P5 on April 23rd, 1945. The recommendation was supported by Generalleutnant, Kommandierender General III.(germanisches) SS-Panzerkorps on March 19th, 1945, without comments of OB 11.Armee, HGr Weichsel and Reichsführer SS ; official HPA proposal (HPA-VV) prepared without Nr. ; Karteikarte existing ; both without further handling or hints to an award. Definitive confirmation of awarding is not known. Case treated by OdR Ordenskommission in 1974 and decided : "ja 872.EL" ; award accepted by OdR in accordance with so-called "Dönitz-Erlass"; 872nd award and award date determined by OdR.
Postwar signed picture measuring 3” x 4 ¾” signed on front and back
In December 1936, Lohmann was assigned to 1.SS-Totenkopfstandarte "Oberbayern", which was stationed at Dachau. He served with this unit through the invasion of Poland, and was a member of the unit used as cadre for the Totenkopfdivision.
During his service with Totenkopf, he became a highly decorated soldier, and earned the Knight's Cross as the commander of PzG.Rgt. "Theodor Eicke", in August 18, 1943.
In January of 1944, he was wounded and left the 3.Division. Upon his recovery, he was assigned to the 17.Panzer-Division "Gotz von Berlichingen", and finished the war with this formation.
Between 1939 and 1940 he was a member of the staff of the Army General Staff, before returning to the SS Junkerschule at Bad Tölz.
In June 1941 he was given the command of the new Regiment "Westland", "Wiking" division , which was just a part of the invasion of Russia , Operation Barbarossa . In the spring of 1942 Lohmann caught malaria . Returning to duty in October, 1942, he was given command of the I. Battalion, SS Panzergrenadierregiment "Nordland", still in the "Wiking" division, which was now fighting in the Caucasus .
The division was involved in some heavy fighting in the Kotenikovo and Simovniki region. They subsequently covered the retirement of the Army Group from the Cacasus. For his part in these actions Lohmann was awarded the German Cross in Gold in February 1943.
In May 1943, Lohmann's regiment was resettled in the Grafenwöhr training area, and then the SSth Division "Nordland" . During this time, Lohmann gave the command of the III. Battalion, "Norge" regiment. This has been an armored battalion, but due to a lack of equipment and a shortage of SdKfz 251 armored half tracks,
In August 1943, Lohmann was sent on a training course for armored troops in Paris and on his return the division to the relocation to the Oranienbaum sector of the Siege of Leningrad . Lohmann's battalion was involved in the defense of the retreating Sponheimer Group along the Leningrad- Narva Highway and he was wounded on 2 February 1944. It was for his battalion's actions during this time that Lohmann was awarded the Knight's Cross.
After he was released from hospital in April 1944 he spent the summer at Bad Tölz on a regimental commander training course. He was then posted to the Wachbattalion, Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler , in Berlin .
At the end of October 1944, what was posted to the III SS Panzergrenadier Regiment De Ruyter part of the 23rd Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland , which was in the Kurland region.
Lohmann was promoted to Obersturmbannführer in January 1945, and joined what was left of his regiment in the Gollnow area.
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