Walter Kniep was born on 13 December 1909 as son of the farmer Franz Kniep in Laugallen (now Lorenzen) in East Prussia. After completing secondary school, and after one year of training at the police school in Brandenburg, he was transferred to the Berlin police force in 1930, to which he belonged until his entry into the Political Readiness Ellwangen in February 1934.
After joining the SS and following successful completion of a training course at the SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig his promotion to SS-Untersturmführer took place on 20 April 1936, initially commanding 1.Batterie / SS Flak-Abteilung. On 3 June 1940 he was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse and as SS-Hauptsturmführer on 22 July 1941 the Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse. For special bravery shown again and again he was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 15 November 1941.
The commander of SS-Division "Reich", SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm "Willi" Bittrich submitted the preliminary paperwork for Kniep's award of the German Cross in Gold, on 12 November 1941. Kniep's battalion commander, SS-Sturmbannführer Ehrath recommended Kniep for the award, stating;
“Already in the west SS-Hstuf Kniep showed special bravery and personal commitment as commander of a 2cm Flak Company. SS-Hstuf Kniep's mission in the east saw him leading 3./SS-Rgt "Der Führer". To his company SS-Hstuf Kniep was always an example of personal bravery. In addition to his personal commitment, SS-Hstuf Kniep always acts prudently and led his company very well.
During the hard and heavy fighting near Jelnja SS-Hstuf Kniep led from the front of his company, on 27.7.41, storming the height west of Panteleff with special momentum. The attack advanced so fast that the Russians, who were just about to occupy the height with a regiment, reacted too slowly to the attack. The machine guns of the 3rd company fired into the enemy units, as the height west of Panteleff was very important for the continuation of the heavy fighting at Jelnja. Kniep was the farthest eastward with his company in the following combat section assigned for the defense. Again, Kniep was the soul of his company's resistance. Despite the constant heaviest artillery fire, which fell on the thin line - due to the width of the section - of the 3rd company, Kniep was almost fanatical in his desire to hold the defensive position. The importance of the height for the Russians could be seen from the fact that they sent everything they could assemble in their assault against the 3rd company and supported these attacks with tanks. Where the Russians managed to reach the 3rd Company line at hand grenade range or where the Russian artillery fire broke through the 3rd Company's thin defensive line, Kniep appeared without regard for his life and helped restore the situation. Thus the 3rd company held its position under the careful leadership and energy of SS-Hstuf Kniep and caused the Russians severe losses.
On 12.8.41, when the battalion was the divisional reserve, the 3rd company was deployed to close the gap between the SS-Rgt. "D" and the 15th ID, into which the Russians had penetrated. The Russians had taken up position in a wood with dense undergrowth and fought tooth and nail to retain the position. In close combat, SS-Hstuf Kniep cleared the forest at the head of his company and completed the mission with energy and daredevilish regard for his life.
On the night of 7/8.41 the Makoshin bridgehead was extended. Here also the 3rd company played a large part, since it succeeded in making the connection with the Kradschutzen strongly pressed by the Russians on the south bank. Here too, SS-Hstuf Kniep was at the head of his company crossing the Desna and penetrating the dense Kussel area occupied by the Russians on the bank without regard for his life
On 20.8.41 SS-Hstuf Kniep showed his personal bravery and good, prudent leadership of his company in the fights for Romny. Kniep was commissioned to lead a night attack and clear the the Russians from the southern part of Pustowejtowka with his company and then to seal it off to the east. SS-Hstuf Kniep advanced into the village at the head of an assault group and cleared it in close combat with hand grenades. In these actions the Russian suffered great losses of men and material.
A few days later at Ssakunowo SS-Hstuf Kniep, again at the front of his company, cleared the local area against overpowering numerical superiority. The subsequent massive counter-attacks of the Russians broke again and again on the exemplary defensive line of the 3./SS-Rgt "DF" under the leadership of SS-Hstuf Kniep.
In summary, it can be said that SS-Hstuf Kniep is an exemplary company commander, who will always be an example of soldierly duty and personal commitment. The men of I./SS-Rgt "DF" believe SS-Hstuf Kniep is worthy of the award of the German Cross in Gold.”
SS-Obersturmbannführer Otto Kumm, Kniep's regimental commander endorsed the recommendation, commenting of Kniep;
“Kniep is one of the bravest company commanders of the regiment. Through his personal commitment he has given the company an unshakable attitude, which has shown itself especially in the heavy defensive battles in the Jelnja bow. There the 3rd company had to hold the most endangered section and endure the heaviest artillery fire.
In the attack along the highway south of Noshaisk, Kniep was the first man to cross the Ushat amidst strong hostile fire, destroying the explosive charges at the bridge and thus saving the bridge from destruction. For his bravery, which has been shown again and again, he has received the highest recognition.”
On 7 November 1941 Kniep was heavily wounded by shots to the head and shoulder, and it was deemed questionable as to whether he would be again suitable for service at the front.
According to Kniep's later Ritterkreuz recommendation, the German Cross in Gold award was ratified on 15 November 1941. Kniep was the first member of the division to receive the German Cross in Gold!
In October 1942 he was given command of the Assault Gun Battalion of the “Das Reich” Division, and on 20 April 1943 was promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer.
Kniep would be recommended for the Knight's Cross by SS-Gruppenführer Walter Krüger, following heavy fighting in the Belgorod area, on 31 July 1943:
“After the breakthrough through the enemy positions north of Belgorod, in which the SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung "DR" had a decisive part, the division had the task on the 8.7.43 to shield the long open flank of the II.SS-Pz-Korps to the east, while the armoured group led a push to the west to break the hard enemy resistance in the section of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "LSSAH".
Early in the morning of 8.7.43 the enemy sent strong infantry and tank forces against the positions of the Pz.Gren.Rgts "D" and "DF", with the aim of regaining in decisive counter-attack the dominant high at Kalinin taken from him the day before, in order from there to cut off the supply lines of the division and the korps. Air reconnaissance had reported large assemblies of enemy tanks, which were later confirmed by the detection of 170 enemy tanks.
The Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung. was advised to cooperate with the Pz.Gren.Rgts "D" and "DF" with one battery each, while the third battery remained at the disposal of the division. After the enemy infantry was separated from their tanks, the first wave of enemy tank forces rolled over their own positions and advanced up to 9km deep into their own hinterland. By this time, almost all telephone lines to the division had been cut. In this threatening situation, SS-Stubaf Kniep, decided to combine his batteries on his own initiative, although two of them were tied up in a hard defensive battle, and led them from the rear assembly point to halt the enemy tank attacks. In extremely agile battle Kniep and his battalion were able to destroy 51 enemy tanks, after hours of hottest fighting with only 1 loss of his own. From the head of his battalion, he destroyed 5 enemy tanks with his vehicle. Through this decisive and aggressive action SS-Stubaf Kniep is credited with the fact that the enemy tank was smashed in time and that the mass of the enemy tanks - without guidance - could be destroyed by the other anti-tank units of the division. The SS-Pz.Grenadiers with their assault and close-combat weapons, motivated by the bold and successful example of SS-Stubaf Kniep with his assault guns, have a high share in this battle where 92 enemy tanks were destroyed.
In exploitation of this tactical success brought about by SS-Stubaf Kniep, the SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt "D" was able to attack immediately and its own positions became the starting point for the attack of the 2 regiments of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div "LSSAH" on 9 July 43. In addition, the ammunition - fuel - and empty squadrons already in the area of the enemy tank attack, as well as the staff - due to the situation and topographic conditions - which had all been compressed into a confined space, were protected from greater losses.
SS-Stubaf Kniep is a brave, decisive and enthusiastic battalion commander, who has always understood how to use his battalion in such a way that it inflicts the heaviest blow on the enemy with the least losses of their own. Thus the division was helped in its success and was spared greater losses of people and material.
In the time of operation north of Belgorod from 5.7. - 17.7.43 SS-Stubaf Kniep contributed to the destruction of 129 enemy tanks with only 2 own losses. He and his battalion made a particularly large contribution to the breakthrough successes achieved by the Beresoff and Lutschki positioning systems on 5 and 7 July 43.”
Kniep's Knight's Cross award was ratified on 14.8.43.
Kniep would go on to command to the 17th SS-Panzer Grenadier Division “Götz von Berlichingen” on the invasion front in Normandy, where he would be killed on 22 April 1944, in the Thouars area. Regarding Kniep's death, Marc Rikmenspoel comments that “Yerger has related more than once that Kniep died from the accidental discharge of his pistol during target practice. The Heimdal 17. SS-PGD GvB vol. 1 indicates that misdirected artillery fire during an exercise was to blame. In either case, a photo survives of Kniep lying in state, and his head is bandaged in such a way as cover his chin-throat-neck area, suggesting that somehow a piece of metal penetrated this area and resulted in his death.”
Source :
Denis Daum photo collection
https://historeich.blogspot.com/2017/08/ss-sturmbannfuhrer-walter-kniep-17-ss.html
http://historyofthewaffenss.com/community/knights-cross-holders-main-discussion/ss-sturmbannfuhrer-walter-kniep/
https://twitter.com/AxisBiographic1/status/1517511798231949312/photo/2
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