Nicolaus Heilmann

Nikolaus Heilmann
Born	20 April 1903(1903-04-20) Schlüchtern, Germany
Died	30 January 1945(1945-01-30) (aged 41) Altdamm, Poland
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1939–1945
Rank	Brigadeführer
Unit	13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian)
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross II Class German Cross in Gold Wound Badge Eastern Front Medal Infantry Assault Badge

Nikolaus Heilmann was a Brigadeführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. Who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life

Nikolaus Heilmann (was born on the 20 April 1903, in Schlüchtern, Hessen. After he graduated from school he joined the police force in 1925 and eventually was a teacher of tactics in the police academy in Berlin.^[1]

World War II

In May 1939 he joined the SS (SS service number 327324) and at the start of World War II, he was posted to the 4th SS Polizei Division and served in the early campaigns in Belgium, Luxembourg and France under the command of his friend Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch, who did recommend him at this stage for the Knight's Cross, but it was turned down by Heinrich Himmler on the grounds that he was not a good leader. He did get awarded the German Cross in Gold in August 1942. In June 1943, he was promoted to Standartenführer and appointed Chief of Staff to the IV SS Panzer Corps whose entire staff was transferred to the VI SS Army Corps when he found himself again under the command of Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch.

He remained on the Army staff until February 1944 when he was given command of the 15th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Latvian) and also promoted to Oberführer. He commanded the 15th SS until July 1944 when he had some of the men under his command shot for losing the weapons. He was transferred to command the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of SS in August 1944, when he is wounded and also awarded the Knight's Cross. He returned to command the 15th SS in January 1945, after he had recovered from his wounds. He was killed in action leading the division on the 30 January 1945 and posthumously promoted to the rank of Brigadeführer. ^{[2] [3]}

References

1. ^ "cs.wikipedia". http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaus_Heilmann. 
2. ^ "axis.history.factbook". http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=1727. 
3. ^ "cs.wikipedia". http://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaus_Heilmann. 

Further reading

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Mitcham, Jr.Samuel, Retreat to the Reich, Stackpole books 2007. ISBN 081173384X
• Henschler Henri & Fay Will, Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS, 1943-45 Stackpole Books, 2003. ISBN 0811729052
• Mitcham Samuel, The German Defeat in the East, 1944-45,Stackpole Books, 2007. ISBN 0811733718

Military offices
Preceded by SS-Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp	Commander of IV. SS-Panzerkorps 20 July 1944 – 6 August 1944	Succeeded by SS-Obergruppenführer Herbert Otto Gille

Persondata
Name	Heilmann, Nicolaus
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	20 April 1903
Place of birth	Schlüchtern, Germany
Date of death	30 January 1945
Place of death	Altdamm, Poland