Julius Ringel

Infobox Military Person
name=Julius Ringel
lived=16 November, 1889 - 11 February, 1967


caption=Julius Ringel
placeofbirth=Völkermarkt, Carinthia
placeofdeath=Bayerisch Gmain, Bavaria
nickname="Papa"
allegiance=Austria-Hungary, Austria, Nazi Germany
branch=Army
serviceyears=1905-1945
rank="General der Gebirgstruppen"
commands="3. Gebirgs-Division", "5. Gebirgs-Division", LXIX Armeekorps, Wehrkreis XI, "Korps Ringel"
unit=
battles=
awards=Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
laterwork=

Julius "Papa" Ringel (16 November, 1889 - 11 February, 1967) was an Austrian-born German General of Mountain Troops ("General der Gebirgstruppen"). He commanded the "3. Gebirgs-Division", "5. Gebirgs-Division", LXIX Armeekorps, Wehrkreis XI and the "Korps Ringel". He was also a recipient of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub.

Early career

Julius Ringel was born in Völkermarkt in the Austrian state of Carinthia. In 1905 he was admitted to a military school in Vienna, graduating on August 18, 1909. Following his education Fähnrich Rigel was assigned to the k.u.k. "Landwehr Infanterie-Regiment 4" (a mountain infantry unit) and a year later, he was promoted to Leutnant. At the outbreak of World War I, Ringel served with "Gebirgs-Schützen-Regiment 2" participating in the operations in Galicia and the Italian Alps where he was taken a prisoner of war in 1918. Upon his return to the newly formed Republic of German Austria, Ringel fought against the troops of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes occupying his native Carinthia. Following the Carinthian Plebiscite and the creation of the First Austrian Republic, Ringel was transferred to the Austrian Federal Army where he rose to the rank of Major in 1930 and became Lieutenant Colonel in 1932. Two years later he was assigned to the "5th Gebirgsjäger-Brigade".

ervice in the Wehrmacht

As a supporter of the Nazi Party, Ringel strongly encouraged the union of Austria with the German Reich and after the Anschluss enthusiastically joined the Wehrmacht with the "3. Gebirgs-Division". [Thomas, Wegmann: "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Gebirgstruppe, Band 2: L-Z "] On February 1, 1939, Ringel was promoted to a full colonel and became the commander of the "Infanterie-Regiments 74". When the war began, he was then assigned to the 268. Infanterie-Division and on October 27, 1939 he took over as a commander of "Infanterie-Regiments 266", which he led during the campaign in the West.

On June 7, 1940, Ringel returned back the "3. Gebirgs-Division", becoming its commander on July 14, 1940. He led the division until the end of October, when he was promoted to Major General and received a new assignment; as a commander of the newly established "5. Gebirgs-Division". The division saw its first action in the spring of 1941 in the Balkans Campaign, operations code name Marita and Merkur. Following the operations in Greece, the division distinguished itself on Crete, where it took part in the battles to secure the island from the British. For his outstanding leadership during these operations Ringel was awarded the prestigious Ritterkreuz on June 13, 1941.

In November 1941, Ringel’s division was posted back to Germany for rest and refitting. However, only four months later it was sent back to action on the Eastern front. Ringel commanded the "3. Gebirgs-Division" through the operations southwest of Leningrad, where it played a major role in the defeat of the Volkhov Front; an achievement for which Julius Ringel was promoted to Lieutenant General and in October 1943 also received the Eichenlaub to his Knight’s Cross. After nearly two years in Russia, Ringel was ordered to move his Division to Italy and in December 1943 it arrived on the "Gustav Line" near the town of Cassino. He stayed in Italy for another four months, before he received a new assignment and became a commander of the LXIX Armeekorps in Croatia. In June, Ringel was once again promoted to the full General of the mountain troops and put in charge of the Military District Salzburg ("Wehrkreis XVII (Salzburg)") from which the "Korps Ringel" were formed. He held this appointment until the war's end.

ummary of his military career

Dates of rank

* k.u.k Leutnant: November 1, 1910
* k.u.k Oberleutnant: August 01, 1914
* k.u.k Hauptmann (with "Wirkung" from July 01, 1917): July 07, 1917
* Major: May 15, 1921
* Stabshauptmann: November 27, 1923
* Oberstleutnant(Austrian Army): December 15, 1932
* Oberstleutnant (German Army - with Patent 1.08.36): 1938
* Oberst: February 01, 1939
* Generalmajor (with Patent September 01, 1941): November 01, 1940
* Generalleutnant: December 01, 1942
* General der Gebirgstruppe: June 01, 1944

Notable decorations

* "Goldenes Parteiabzeichen" in Gold (1941)
* Eastern Front Medal (1942)
* Ärmelband "Kreta" (1942)
* Iron Cross Second (1939) and First (1941) Classes
* Cross of Honor (?)
* Knight's Cross (1941)
* Oak Leaves (1943)
* Anschluss Medal (?)
* Sudetenland Medal (?)
* Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, 3rd Class with War Decoration,Swords and Golden Bar (?)
* Austrian Military Merit Medal on the Ribbon of the Bravery Medal with Swords in Silver (?) and Bronze (?)
* Austrian Wound Medal with Two Stripes (?)
* "Karl-Truppenkreuz" (?)
* Bulgarian Order Of Saint Alexander with Swords (4th. Class) (?)

Notes

References

*cite book|first=Franz |last=Thomas|coauthors=Günter Wegmann|title=Die Ritterkreuzträger der Gebirgstruppe, Band 2: L-Z|publisher=Biblio Verlag|location=Osnabrück|year=1994.
*cite book|first=Julius |last=Ringel|title=Hurra die Gams!, Die 5. Geb. Div. im Einsatz|publisher=Stocker Verlag|location=Graz|year=1994