Full name: Heinz-Georg Lemm
Nickname: Hein lemm
Date of birth: 1 June 1919 - Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Germany)
Date of death: 17 November 1994 - Ruppichteroth, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
Religion: Publicly available biographies do not name his specific confession, but he was born and raised in a mainstream German Protestant milieu; his personal religious practice is not documented in detail.
Family background: His father was a financial‑administrative lawyer (Militärintendanturrat, later Oberregierungsrat in the Reichsfinanzverwaltung); his mother’s name and background are not clearly specified in standard reference works. Comprehensive genealogical sites such as Geni and other online trees do not list Lemm’s parents, siblings, spouse, or children with clear, sourced entries, so on the basis of current open‑source material the names of his siblings, spouse, and children can only be offered as “not robustly documented” rather than as established facts. Available mainstream secondary sources therefore focus on his career and decorations, not on his private family constellation.
Promotions:
1935: Fahnenjunker
Circa 1938-39: Leutnant
Circa 1941: Oberleutnant
Circa early 1943: Hauptmann
1 april 1943: Major (one of the youngest majors in the wehrmacht)
1944: Oberstleutnant
1945: Oberst (at age 25, noted as one of the youngest colonels in the heer)
1963: Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
1970: Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
1974: Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Career:
- 1935: Entered the German Army as Fahnenjunker at Infanterie‑Regiment 27 in Schwerin.
- 1936: Abitur at a humanistic Gymnasium in Schwerin.
- 1937: Promoted to Fähnrich.
- 1938: After attendance at the Kriegsakademie in Munich, promoted to Leutnant and employed as Rekrutenoffizier and later as Reiterzugführer in Infanterie‑Regiment 27.
- 1940: Promoted to Oberleutnant.
- 1941: Awarded the German Cross in Gold on 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and company commander in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27 of the 12. Infanterie‑Division.
- 1942: Promoted to Hauptmann and later assigned to the 27er Füsilier battalion.
- 14 April 1943: Awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Hauptmann and commander of I./Füsilier‑Regiment 27.
- 1 April 1943: Promoted to Major.
- 11 July 1944: Awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz (Oak Leaves) as Major and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; at the time one of the youngest Heer officers to receive this grade.
- 1 November 1944: Promoted to Oberstleutnant.
- 15 March 1945: Awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz (Swords) to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves as Oberstleutnant and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; also promoted to Oberst in March 1945 at the age of 25.
- 1957: Re‑entered service in the Bundeswehr, initially with the rank of Oberst.
- 1957–1965: Commanded Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 of the 3. Panzerdivision in Hamburg.
- 1963: Promoted to Brigadegeneral in the Bundeswehr.
- 1969: Became stellvertretender Kommandeur of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez under General Hans joachim von Hopffgarten.
- 1970: Promoted to Generalmajor and commander of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez.
- 1970–1974: Commanded the 5. Panzerdivision.
- 1974: Promoted to Generalleutnant and appointed Amtschef des Heeresamts (Chief of the Army Office) in Köln.
- 1974–1979: Served as Chief of the Army Office of the Bundeswehr.
- 1979: Retired from the Bundeswehr.
- 1980s–1994: Served as Ehrenpräsident der Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger (Honorary President of the Association of Knight’s Cross Recipients); also Präsident of the Ring Deutscher Soldatenverbände until 1985, then Ehrenpräsident until 1988.
Awards and Decorations:
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, II. Klasse (6 October 1939)
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, I. Klasse (31 December 1940)
- Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
- Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942“
- Infanterie‑Sturmabzeichen in Silber
- Nahkampfspange in Bronze und Silber
- Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold - 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27
- Demjankschild
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (14 April 1943) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. The award recognized his determined leadership and tactical skill during heavy defensive fighting near Penna south of Staraya Russa on the northern sector of the eastern front.
In early 1943 the sector around Staraya Russa witnessed repeated fierce soviet armored assaults against German positions. Over three intense days Lemm's füsiliers fought in close coordination with the sturmgeschütze assault guns commanded by Hauptmann Hegele. Together they engaged and destroyed 46 soviet tanks. The battles involved stubborn infantry defense under heavy artillery and tank fire while the assault guns provided crucial direct fire support from concealed positions. Waves of soviet armor advanced across open ground or through wooded terrain only to be met by accurate anti-tank fire and determined close-range infantry attacks.
When a fresh soviet force succeeded in penetrating the german lines creating a dangerous breach lemm reacted swiftly. He organized an immediate counter-thrust. Once more supported by Hegele's sturmgeschütze his battalion closed the gap and eliminated the penetrating enemy units destroying another five tanks in the process. These actions prevented a larger breakthrough stabilized the divisional front and inflicted significant losses on the attacker. Lemm's personal presence among his men his calm decision-making under fire and his ability to coordinate combined arms defense were key factors cited in the award recommendation.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (11 July 1944) as Major and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. This high decoration came for his exceptional performance during the catastrophic opening days of the soviet summer offensive operation bagration.
On 22 june 1944 Lemm's battalion held positions in the Pronja bridgehead near Tschaussy in the Mogilev sector under the 4. armee. When the Red Army unleashed its massive assault army group center began to collapse under overwhelming pressure. Over the next 72 hours the 12. Infanterie-Division faced the threat of complete encirclement. Lemm took command of a kampfgruppe and formed the rearguard covering the division's fighting withdrawal.
Under constant attack from superior soviet forces advancing from multiple directions his unit conducted a disciplined and aggressive delaying action. Amid burning villages destroyed equipment and chaotic retreats lemm maintained control of his mixed force of infantry assault guns and scattered support elements. He skillfully organized a breakout from the collapsing mogilev pocket directing his men toward the berezina river. Fighting through soviet blocking positions and ambushes the kampfgruppe managed to slip through the tightening encirclement and reestablish contact with the remnants of the 12. infanterie-division. While thousands of german soldiers were killed or captured in the bagration disaster lemm's leadership enabled a significant portion of his formation to escape destruction. The Eichenlaub recognized this remarkable feat of survival and command under the most desperate conditions.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (15 March 1945) as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier-Regiment 27 / 12.Volksgrenadier-Division. The award honored his regimental command during the final heavy battles on the Western Front in late 1944 and early 1945.
After transfer from the Eastern Front the division first engaged in bitter defensive and counterattack operations in the Aachen sector. Under Lemm's leadership the regiment achieved local successes including the capture of Eschweiler and parts of Stolberg. These actions involved intense house-to-house fighting amid ruined industrial buildings and rubble-strewn streets where small groups of german infantry contested every block against advancing american forces supported by tanks and artillery.
During the Ardennes Offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945 Lemm's regiment operated in the northern sector. One of its most notable achievements was the breakthrough at the Losheim Gap a critical corridor of open rolling terrain between the Elsenborn Ridge and the Schnee Eifel. In bitter cold and deep snow Lemm directed aggressive assaults that exploited weaknesses in the allied lines. His fusiliers pushed forward rapidly seizing key roads and villages despite fuel shortages dwindling ammunition and growing american resistance from infantry and armored units. Although the broader German offensive ultimately stalled Lemm's regiment contributed to temporary tactical gains and helped delay the allied counteradvance in the final months of the war. His ability to maintain unit cohesion and execute bold maneuvers under increasingly hopeless strategic conditions stood out in the award citation.
- Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr (in unspecified grade, cited as a high federal honour)
- Dutch Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje Nassau met zwaarden (ON.3x) - 1972
- U.S. Legion of Merit - Officer (LoM - O) - 1979
- Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland - 1979
Nickname: Hein lemm
Date of birth: 1 June 1919 - Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Germany)
Date of death: 17 November 1994 - Ruppichteroth, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
Religion: Publicly available biographies do not name his specific confession, but he was born and raised in a mainstream German Protestant milieu; his personal religious practice is not documented in detail.
Family background: His father was a financial‑administrative lawyer (Militärintendanturrat, later Oberregierungsrat in the Reichsfinanzverwaltung); his mother’s name and background are not clearly specified in standard reference works. Comprehensive genealogical sites such as Geni and other online trees do not list Lemm’s parents, siblings, spouse, or children with clear, sourced entries, so on the basis of current open‑source material the names of his siblings, spouse, and children can only be offered as “not robustly documented” rather than as established facts. Available mainstream secondary sources therefore focus on his career and decorations, not on his private family constellation.
Promotions:
1935: Fahnenjunker
Circa 1938-39: Leutnant
Circa 1941: Oberleutnant
Circa early 1943: Hauptmann
1 april 1943: Major (one of the youngest majors in the wehrmacht)
1944: Oberstleutnant
1945: Oberst (at age 25, noted as one of the youngest colonels in the heer)
1963: Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
1970: Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
1974: Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Career:
- 1935: Entered the German Army as Fahnenjunker at Infanterie‑Regiment 27 in Schwerin.
- 1936: Abitur at a humanistic Gymnasium in Schwerin.
- 1937: Promoted to Fähnrich.
- 1938: After attendance at the Kriegsakademie in Munich, promoted to Leutnant and employed as Rekrutenoffizier and later as Reiterzugführer in Infanterie‑Regiment 27.
- 1940: Promoted to Oberleutnant.
- 1941: Awarded the German Cross in Gold on 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and company commander in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27 of the 12. Infanterie‑Division.
- 1942: Promoted to Hauptmann and later assigned to the 27er Füsilier battalion.
- 14 April 1943: Awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Hauptmann and commander of I./Füsilier‑Regiment 27.
- 1 April 1943: Promoted to Major.
- 11 July 1944: Awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz (Oak Leaves) as Major and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; at the time one of the youngest Heer officers to receive this grade.
- 1 November 1944: Promoted to Oberstleutnant.
- 15 March 1945: Awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz (Swords) to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves as Oberstleutnant and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; also promoted to Oberst in March 1945 at the age of 25.
- 1957: Re‑entered service in the Bundeswehr, initially with the rank of Oberst.
- 1957–1965: Commanded Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 of the 3. Panzerdivision in Hamburg.
- 1963: Promoted to Brigadegeneral in the Bundeswehr.
- 1969: Became stellvertretender Kommandeur of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez under General Hans joachim von Hopffgarten.
- 1970: Promoted to Generalmajor and commander of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez.
- 1970–1974: Commanded the 5. Panzerdivision.
- 1974: Promoted to Generalleutnant and appointed Amtschef des Heeresamts (Chief of the Army Office) in Köln.
- 1974–1979: Served as Chief of the Army Office of the Bundeswehr.
- 1979: Retired from the Bundeswehr.
- 1980s–1994: Served as Ehrenpräsident der Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger (Honorary President of the Association of Knight’s Cross Recipients); also Präsident of the Ring Deutscher Soldatenverbände until 1985, then Ehrenpräsident until 1988.
Awards and Decorations:
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, II. Klasse (6 October 1939)
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, I. Klasse (31 December 1940)
- Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
- Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942“
- Infanterie‑Sturmabzeichen in Silber
- Nahkampfspange in Bronze und Silber
- Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold - 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27
- Demjankschild
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (14 April 1943) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. The award recognized his determined leadership and tactical skill during heavy defensive fighting near Penna south of Staraya Russa on the northern sector of the eastern front.
In early 1943 the sector around Staraya Russa witnessed repeated fierce soviet armored assaults against German positions. Over three intense days Lemm's füsiliers fought in close coordination with the sturmgeschütze assault guns commanded by Hauptmann Hegele. Together they engaged and destroyed 46 soviet tanks. The battles involved stubborn infantry defense under heavy artillery and tank fire while the assault guns provided crucial direct fire support from concealed positions. Waves of soviet armor advanced across open ground or through wooded terrain only to be met by accurate anti-tank fire and determined close-range infantry attacks.
When a fresh soviet force succeeded in penetrating the german lines creating a dangerous breach lemm reacted swiftly. He organized an immediate counter-thrust. Once more supported by Hegele's sturmgeschütze his battalion closed the gap and eliminated the penetrating enemy units destroying another five tanks in the process. These actions prevented a larger breakthrough stabilized the divisional front and inflicted significant losses on the attacker. Lemm's personal presence among his men his calm decision-making under fire and his ability to coordinate combined arms defense were key factors cited in the award recommendation.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (11 July 1944) as Major and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. This high decoration came for his exceptional performance during the catastrophic opening days of the soviet summer offensive operation bagration.
On 22 june 1944 Lemm's battalion held positions in the Pronja bridgehead near Tschaussy in the Mogilev sector under the 4. armee. When the Red Army unleashed its massive assault army group center began to collapse under overwhelming pressure. Over the next 72 hours the 12. Infanterie-Division faced the threat of complete encirclement. Lemm took command of a kampfgruppe and formed the rearguard covering the division's fighting withdrawal.
Under constant attack from superior soviet forces advancing from multiple directions his unit conducted a disciplined and aggressive delaying action. Amid burning villages destroyed equipment and chaotic retreats lemm maintained control of his mixed force of infantry assault guns and scattered support elements. He skillfully organized a breakout from the collapsing mogilev pocket directing his men toward the berezina river. Fighting through soviet blocking positions and ambushes the kampfgruppe managed to slip through the tightening encirclement and reestablish contact with the remnants of the 12. infanterie-division. While thousands of german soldiers were killed or captured in the bagration disaster lemm's leadership enabled a significant portion of his formation to escape destruction. The Eichenlaub recognized this remarkable feat of survival and command under the most desperate conditions.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (15 March 1945) as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier-Regiment 27 / 12.Volksgrenadier-Division. The award honored his regimental command during the final heavy battles on the Western Front in late 1944 and early 1945.
After transfer from the Eastern Front the division first engaged in bitter defensive and counterattack operations in the Aachen sector. Under Lemm's leadership the regiment achieved local successes including the capture of Eschweiler and parts of Stolberg. These actions involved intense house-to-house fighting amid ruined industrial buildings and rubble-strewn streets where small groups of german infantry contested every block against advancing american forces supported by tanks and artillery.
During the Ardennes Offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945 Lemm's regiment operated in the northern sector. One of its most notable achievements was the breakthrough at the Losheim Gap a critical corridor of open rolling terrain between the Elsenborn Ridge and the Schnee Eifel. In bitter cold and deep snow Lemm directed aggressive assaults that exploited weaknesses in the allied lines. His fusiliers pushed forward rapidly seizing key roads and villages despite fuel shortages dwindling ammunition and growing american resistance from infantry and armored units. Although the broader German offensive ultimately stalled Lemm's regiment contributed to temporary tactical gains and helped delay the allied counteradvance in the final months of the war. His ability to maintain unit cohesion and execute bold maneuvers under increasingly hopeless strategic conditions stood out in the award citation.
- Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr (in unspecified grade, cited as a high federal honour)
- Dutch Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje Nassau met zwaarden (ON.3x) - 1972
- U.S. Legion of Merit - Officer (LoM - O) - 1979
- Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland - 1979
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Heinz-Georg Lemm was a German army officer who served with distinction in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War and later rose to the rank of Generalleutnant in the Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany. Born on 1 June 1919 in Schwerin, he entered military service in 1935 as a young recruit and progressed through the ranks amid the expanding conflicts of the era. Lemm spent much of his wartime career with the 12th Infantry Division, initially as part of an infantry regiment that was later reorganized into a fusilier unit. His leadership in both offensive and defensive operations on the Eastern and Western Fronts earned him recognition as one of the highly decorated junior officers in the German army, culminating in his promotion to Oberst by the final months of the war.
Lemm's early combat experiences included service with Infanterie-Regiment 27, where he demonstrated tactical skill and resilience in prolonged engagements against Soviet forces. By 1943 he had advanced to Hauptmann and assumed command of the first battalion of Füsilier-Regiment 27. In defensive actions near Staraya Russa, his unit was credited with destroying numerous enemy tanks while holding critical positions under heavy pressure. His performance in these battles led to the award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in April 1943. Lemm was noted for his hands-on leadership style, often participating directly in close-quarters fighting, which also resulted in him receiving the Close Combat Clasp in Silver and the Tank Destruction Badge in Silver.
During the intense Soviet summer offensive of 1944 known as Operation Bagration, Lemm and his battalion played a key role in covering the withdrawal of the 12th Infantry Division near the Pronja bridgehead in the Mogilev sector. Over several days of rearguard actions, his men held off superior enemy forces, allowing the division to disengage with relatively fewer losses than many other units in the collapsing Army Group Centre. For this and related actions he received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross in July 1944 while serving as a Major. By early 1945, now an Oberstleutnant commanding the entire Füsilier-Regiment 27 within the 12th Volksgrenadier Division, Lemm led operations on the Western Front, including the capture of Eschweiler and parts of Stolberg during fighting around Aachen, as well as breakthroughs in the Losheim Gap as part of the Ardennes Offensive. These efforts brought him the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves in March 1945.
Following the end of the war in Europe, Lemm faced the challenges of demobilization and the reconstruction of German society under occupation. Like many former Wehrmacht officers, he initially lived in the post-war environment before opportunities arose for renewed military service. In 1957 he joined the newly established Bundeswehr, bringing with him extensive infantry experience that proved valuable in the formation and training of West German forces integrated into NATO. His transition reflected the broader reintegration of professional soldiers into the democratic framework of the Federal Republic, where emphasis was placed on defensive capabilities and alliance cooperation rather than the expansive campaigns of the previous era.
In the Bundeswehr, Lemm advanced steadily through command positions. He served as commander of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade within the 3rd Panzer Division in Hamburg until 1963, after which he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. Further promotions followed, including to Generalmajor in 1970 when he took command of the 5th Panzer Division based in Diez. By 1974 he had reached the rank of Generalleutnant and was appointed Chief of the Troop Office, also known as the Army Office, a central staff position responsible for significant aspects of army organization, training, and personnel matters. His contributions in these roles were recognized with the Great Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the United States Legion of Merit in the degree of Officer.
Lemm retired from active duty on 30 September 1979 after more than two decades of service in the Bundeswehr. In his later years he maintained connections to military traditions, serving for a time as honorary president of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients. He lived quietly in Ruppichteroth, North Rhine-Westphalia, until his death on 17 November 1994 at the age of 75. His career spanned the dramatic shifts of twentieth-century German military history, from the intense combat of the Eastern Front to the professional rebuilding of West German armed forces during the Cold War, illustrating a continuity of disciplined leadership across vastly different political and strategic contexts.
Source :
Lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de (detailed career entry).
En.wikipedia.org/wiki/heinz-georg_lemm.
Tracesofwar.com/persons/34590/lemm-heinz-georg-hein-lemm.htm.
Rk.balsi.de and related ritterkreuz databases.
Grokipedia.com/page/heinz_georg_lemm.
Forum.axishistory.com and wehrmacht-awards.com discussions.
Unithistories.com and archived geocities/orion47 materials.
Geni.com family records where available.
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