Bio of Oberst Harry Herrmann (1909-1995)

Harry Herrmann

Date of Birth: 27.05.1909 - Berlin, Brandenburg (German Empire)
Date of Death: 12.03.1995 - Altenstadt, Hesse (Germany)

Campaigns: Holland, Crete, North Africa, Italy, France, and Reich defense (Reichswald & Berlin)

Promotions:
01.10.1935 Leutnant
01.01.1938 Oberleutnant
25.07.1941 Hauptmann (with RDA from 01.09.1939)
01.04.1942 Major
01.08.1944 Oberstleutnant
01.04.1945 Oberst
01.10.1957 Oberst (Bundeswehr)

Career:
03.04.1929 Polizeianwärter in Polizeischule Brandenburg-Havel
01.04.1930 Schutzpolizei Berlin-Neukölln
01.04.1933 1.Kompanie / Polizei-Abteilung z.b.V. Wecke
01.06.1933 1.Kompanie / Polizeigruppe z.b.V. Wecke
17.07.1933 1.Kompanie / Landespolizeigruppe z.b.V. Wecke
12.01.1934 1.Kompanie / Landespolizeigruppe z.b.V. Wecke "General Göring"
01.10.1934 ????
30.09.1935 Polizei-Offiziersschule Eiche in Potsdam
01.06.1935 Luftkriegsschule
01.10.1935 Regiment "General Göring"
00.08.1936 - 00.10.1936 2. Lehrgang Fallschirmschule Stendal
00.04.1937 - 00.05.1937 4. Lehrgang Fallschirmschule Stendal
01.10.1937 Adjutant I.Bataillon / Regiment "General Göring"
01.04.1938 I.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
01.01.1939 Adjutant Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
01.05.1939 Inspektionschef / Fallschirmschule Stendal
01.08.1939 Ordonnanzoffizier Stab / 7.Flieger-Division
01.06.1940 Chef 5.Kompanie / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 in Tangermünde
01.08.1941 Chef 1.Kompanie / Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Bataillon Burckhardt in Döberitz-Elsgrund
01.05.1942 Ia XI. Fliegerkorps
01.10.1942 Erprobungs-Abteilung / XI.Fliegerkorps in Döberitz
16.04.1943 Erprobungs-Abteilung / XI.Fliegerkorps moved from Döberitz to Laval (France).
21.04.1943 Erprobungs-Abteilung renamed to I.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7
21.09.1943 Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Bataillon (ex I.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7)
01.06.1944 Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Regiment 21
00.09.1944 at the same time, Führer 6. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Kampfgruppe Herrmann)
01.02.1945 Kommandeur Fallschirm-Panzer-Jagd-Brigade "Herrmann"
19.04.1945 Führer 9. Fallschirmjäger-Division
02.05.1945 - 09.10.1955 captured by the Soviet and became prisoner of war
02.05.1957 entered the Bundeswehr, Abteilungsleiter Luftlandewesen Truppenamt
00.06.1957 at the same time, 6. Springer-Lehrgang
01.10.1959 Stellvertretender Kommandeur 1. Luftlande-Division
01.10.1962 Kommandeur Luftlande-Lufttransportschule Altenstadt
30.09.1967 retired from the Bundeswehr

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Fallschirmschützenabzeichen
22.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
22.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
09.07.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Chef 5.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 / 7.Flieger-Division
00.00.194_ Ärmelband "Kreta"
05.04.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
22.07.1944 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

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Harry Herrmann (27 May 1909 - 12 March 1995) joined the security police in early 1929 and was assigned to the police academy in Potsdam-Eiche in 1934/35. Here he was later promoted to lieutenant.

At the Stendal parachute school, he took part in the parachutist course and joined the Wehrmacht Air Force. In 1937 he became battalion adjutant and in 1939 inspector of the parachute school. On August 1, 1939, Herrmann became an orderly officer on the staff of the 7th Air Division. With the division he took part in the airborne raid on Fortress Holland.

As a lieutenant and commander of the 5th company of the 1st Parachute Regiment of the 7th Air Division, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on July 9, 1941 for his leadership during the airborne battle of Crete. When he jumped, he suffered a head hit near Heraklion and was briefly blinded. Nevertheless, Herrmann, supported by members of his company, successfully led the attack. He had been company commander since June 1940. He was promoted to captain and company commander in the 1st Parachute Training Regiment.

From February 1944 he set up the Parachute Teaching Regiment with two battalions as commander, which was renamed Fallschirmjäger Teaching Regiment 21 in June 1944. As a result, the regiment, which was subordinated to the 1st Parachute Army, suffered heavy losses in the battles for Arnhem and Roermond as part of Operation Market Garden and was disbanded in January 1945.

From September 4, 1944 to October 1, 1944 Herrmann was briefly in charge of the 6th Parachute Division as a lieutenant colonel. During Operation Market Garden, the Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Regiment 21 was deployed as Kampfgruppe Herrmann, which was subordinate to other units and existed as Kampfgruppe Herrmann until March 1945 and was reorganized into the Fallschirmjäger-Panzerjäger-Brigade Herrmann. In 1945 Hermann was promoted to Colonel.

From April 19, 1945, Herrmann was the last commander of the 9th Parachute Division, which fought in the Battle of Berlin, after the dismissal of Parachute General Bruno Bräuer. After the end of the war he was held prisoner of war by the Soviets for 10 years.

At the beginning of May 1957, Herrmann was accepted into the Bundeswehr as a colonel and head of the airborne troops department in the Bundeswehr Troops Office. This position only existed under him and was later reorganized. From October 1959 he was deputy commander of the 1st Airborne Division and was replaced by Brigadier General Oskar-Alfred Berger. From October 1, 1962 to September 30, 1967, he succeeded Colonel Walter Gericke as commander of the Airborne and Air Transport School (Altenstadt). Then he retired.

* He is written as Harry Hermann in Patzwall/Scherzer.
* He was badly wounded in the battles for Crete and received the Ritterkreuz. He also took part in the liberation of Mussolini on the Gran Sasso.

Oberleutnant Harry Herrmann.

Hauptmann Harry Herrmann.

Hauptmann Harry Herrmann.

Major Harry Herrmann.



From left to right: Hauptmann Horst Freiherr Grote (Luftattaché bei der Deutschen Gesandtschaft in Sofia) and Major Harry Herrmann (Ia XI. Fliegerkorps). The picture was taken on 21 June 1942 in France by Toni Schneider (1920-2006).


Field inspection by General der Fallschirmtruppe Kurt Student (Kommandierender General XI. Fliegerkorps) to the training center of 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division at San Felice (Monte Circeo), Italy, 26 December 1943. In this picture, Student is inspecting a Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 (FG 42), automatic rifle developed specifically for the use of the Fallschirmjäger airborne infantry. Standing at right with monocle is Major Harry Herrmann (Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Lehr-Bataillon). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Toni Schneiders. More pictures from the same occasion can be seen HERE.



Oberst (Bundeswehr) Harry Herrmann.

Source :
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_101I-582-2122-06,_Frankreich,_deutsche_Offiziere.jpg
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Herrmann,_Harry
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Herrmann_(Oberst,_1909)
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=53103
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/66242/Herrmann-Harry.htm