34 Facts About Wilhelm Mohnke

Wilhelm Mohnke was a German military officer who was one of the original members of the Schutzstaffel SS-Stabswache Berlin formed in March 1933.

Wilhelm Mohnke participated in the fighting in France, Poland and the Balkans as part of the 1.

Wilhelm Mohnke led the unit in the Battle for Caen, receiving the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 July 1944.

Wilhelm Mohnke was given command of the Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler division during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

Wilhelm Mohnke was investigated after the war for war crimes, which included allegations that he was responsible for the killing of prisoners in France in 1940, Normandy in June 1944 and Belgium in December 1944.

Wilhelm Mohnke's father, who shared his name with his son, was a cabinetmaker.

Wilhelm Mohnke joined the Nazi Party with number 649,684 on 1 September 1931.

Wilhelm Mohnke was assigned to SS-Stabswache Berlin, which established its first guard at the original Reich Chancellery.

Wilhelm Mohnke took part in the Polish Campaign in September 1939.

Wilhelm Mohnke was wounded on 7 September 1939 and recovered in the hospital in Prague.

Wilhelm Mohnke was awarded the Iron Cross, Second Class on 29 September 1939 and the Iron Cross, First Class on 8 November 1939.

Wilhelm Mohnke led the 5th company of the 2nd Battalion of the Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, at the outset of the Battle of France in 1940.

Wilhelm Mohnke was never brought to trial over these allegations, and when the case was reopened in 1988, a German prosecutor came to the conclusion there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Wilhelm Mohnke's wound was so serious that a part of his foot still had to be removed.

On 26 December 1941, while still recuperating, Wilhelm Mohnke was awarded the German Cross in Gold.

Wilhelm Mohnke returned to active service in 1942; he was transferred to a replacement battalion in March 1942.

SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke was given command of the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, which was the second regiment formed in the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.

Wilhelm Mohnke was implicated in the killing of 35 Canadian prisoners at Fontenay-le-Pesnel, as part of the Normandy Massacres, albeit he never faced a trial owing to a lack of conclusive proof of his involvement.

Wilhelm Mohnke told historian Thomas Fischer that, at times, he had to take strong painkillers, such as morphine, due to the severe pain in his shortened right leg but whether these things affected his decision-making process is not known.

Wilhelm Mohnke was commander of the Leibstandarte's replacement battalion from March 1942 till May 1943.

Wilhelm Mohnke's division was behind schedule by at least 36 hours by the end of the second day.

The operation formally ended on 27 January 1945, and three days later Wilhelm Mohnke was promoted to SS-Brigadefuhrer.

Wilhelm Mohnke was injured in an air raid where he suffered, among other things, ear damage.

Wilhelm Mohnke was removed from front-line service and put on the Fuhrer reserve.

Wilhelm Mohnke formed Kampfgruppe Mohnke and it was divided into two weak regiments.

Since Wilhelm Mohnke's fighting force was located at the nerve center of the German Third Reich, it fell under intense artillery bombardment, which began on Hitler's birthday of 20 April 1945 and lasted to the end of local hostilities on 2 May 1945.

Years later, Mohnke told author James P O'Donnell the following:.

Wilhelm Mohnke's group included secretary Traudl Junge, secretary Gerda Christian, secretary Else Kruger, Hitler's dietician, Constanze Manziarly, Ernst-Gunther Schenck, and Walther Hewel.

Wilhelm Mohnke planned to break out towards the German Army which was positioned in Prinzenallee.

However, several of Wilhelm Mohnke's group opted to commit suicide.

Wilhelm Mohnke was then transferred to the officers' prison camp in Voikovo.

Wilhelm Mohnke's regiment was involved in the killing of three Canadian prisoners of war in Normandy in 1944.

Wilhelm Mohnke himself was investigated by Canadian authorities, but was not charged.

Wilhelm Mohnke died on 6 August 2001 in Barsbuttel-Hamburg, aged 90.