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Göhler, Johannes 'Hannes' (Waffen SS)

Date of birth:
September 15th, 1918 (Bischofswerda/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:
February 21st, 2003 (Schwarzenbach bei Hof, Bayreuth/Bavaria, Germany)
Service number:
SS-Nr.: 310.963 // NSDAP-Nr.: 4.330.146
Nationality:
German

Biography

09.11.1936: entered the SS, SS-Totenkopfstandarten 'Oberbayern'
05.04.1937: joined the SS-Verfügungstruppe
01.05.1937: joined the NSDAP
00.09.1939-30.07.1940: Stabsscharführer, SS-Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon "Ost"
01.08.1940-28.02.1941: SS-Junkerschule in Braunschweig
20.04.1941: promoted to SS-Untersturmführer
00.05.1941: Zugführer, 3. Schwadron, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Kavallerie-Brigade
00.00.1941: Führer, 3. Schwadron, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Kavallerie-Brigade
00.00.1942: Führer, 4. Schwadron, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1, 1. SS-Kavallerie-Brigade
00.00.1942: Regimentsadjudant, Stab, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1
16.03.1942: promoted to SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1943: promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer
00.08.1944: WIA in Warsaw
00.08.1944: SS-Hstuf, Adjutant, SS-Brigadeführer Fegelein, Führerbunker,
Führerhauptquartier, Berlin
21.12.1944: promoted to SS-Sturmbannführer
00.05.1945: POW in Ludwigsburg

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Awarded on:
1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
Awarded on:
1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1941
Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
January 18th, 1942
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 4. Schwadron, SS-Reiter-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer", SS-Kavallerie-Division, 8. Armee, Heeresgruppe Süd
Awarded on:
September 17th, 1943
Göhler’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“SS-Obersturmführer Göhler, who has already proven himself as one of our best in both winter campaigns against Russia, particularly distinguished himself on the 29.08.1943 through exceptional decisiveness and audacity. The Regiment had been fighting a tough defensive battle for days along the Nowo Berezkij—Taranowka railway line against an enemy far superior in men and weapons. The remnants of 4. Schwadron under the command of Obersturmführer Göhler stood on the open northern flank, and had already held their ground for 2 days against repeated enemy attacks and heavy drumfire. By the 29.08.1943 the last reserve of the Regiment had been used up, and Göhler continued to fight a tactically hopeless battle. This risk was only taken so as to enable the 293. Infanterie-Division (arriving on the next day) to successfully close the large, several kilometre wide gap between the northern wing of the SS-Kavallerie-Division and elements of the 6. Panzer-Division.

At 16:00 the Russians attacked the positions of Göhler’s Schwadron simultaneously from the east and north following a 2 hour drumfire. While the enemy battalion attacking from the north (in strength of far over 500 men) was successfully halted at medium range through the defending fire tactics, at 17:20 the Russians nonetheless penetrated into the position of the Schwadron (down to 43 men) with a tenfold superiority in numbers. After a desperate close-quarter battle lasting about 90 minutes the Russians were forced to retreat while leaving behind over 100 dead. However due to their superiority, and of course the total exhaustion of the Schwadron, this retreat could no longer be turned into a disordered rout. Göhler perceived the tremendous danger, however he was also aware of the decisive importance of his position for the entire SS-Kavallerie-Division. When the Russians sent in a further battalion from Passiki through the cornfield so as to reinforce the retreating Russian battalion, Göhler realized that it would be impossible to successfully repel a renewed enemy attack with his last troops. He sent the following report to the Regiment, which was currently involved in a heavy defensive battle all around:

‘I’m gambling everything on one card; look after the heavy weapons behind me!’

He then cried out to his men: ‘The Russians are already running, Hurra! Hurra!’ He then attacked with fewer than 40 men against a force of 600 Russians that were assembling about 200 metres away in the cornfield before him. A bloodbath ensued among the Russians, whose newly brought up battalion was swept away by the retreat of the first battalion. In this moment 2 Sturmgeschütze arrived from the Regiment, and Göhler mounted up on these with 16 men. This combined force was then able to pursue the enemy just a few hundred metres behind them. The second enemy battalion also sustained hundreds of casualties. The enemy was so badly impacted by this defeat that they did not launch any further attacks against this keystone position beyond armed reconnaissance. As a result the 293. Infanterie-Division was able to close this frontline gap on the evening of the next day without enemy interference.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Chef, 4. Schwadron, SS-Reiter-Regiment 1
Awarded on:
September 26th, 1943
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1943
Nahkampfspange in Bronze
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
August 1944
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
1944
Nahkampfspange in Silber

Sources

  • Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
  • - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
    - Schneider J.W., Their Honor was Loyalty!, R. James Bender Publishing, 1977
    - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.

Photo