Date of birth:

March 11th, 1904 (Kempten im Allgäu/Bavaria, Germany)

Date of death:

February 20th, 1945 (Kempten/Bavaria, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Josef Barmetler died on February 20th, 1945 of the wounds he had received. At that moment he held the rank of Major der Reserve.

Promotions:
01.06.1926: Oberschütze
31.09.1927: Unteroffizier-Anwärter
01.11.1927: Gefreiter
01.10.1929: Oberjäger
01.10.1931: Unterfeldwebel
01.10.1933: Feldwebel
01.05.1937: Leutnant d. R. - RDA 01.03.1939
01.01.1940: Oberleutnant d. R. - RDA 01.08.1939
25.07.1941: Hauptmann d. R. - RDA 01.07.1941
19.10.1943: SS-Hauptsturmführer
01.06.1944: Major d. R. - RDA 01.06.1944

Career:
02.04.1924-15.10.1935: 15. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 19
16.10.1935: Feldwebel, 4. Kompanie, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99, Füssen
31.05.1936: retired as Feldwebel der Reserve
00.09.1939: Leutnant der Reserve, Zugführer, 4. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 316
01.12.1939: Führer, 2. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 316
00.05.1940: Oberleutnant der Reserve, Führer, 2. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 316
00.06.1940: Fallschirmschule Wittstock
00.07.1940: Oberleutnant der Reserve, II. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1
00.08.1940: transferred to the Luftwaffe
00.09.1940: Oberleutnant der Reserve, Chef, 7. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1
20.05.1941: Operation Merkur, Creta - Hill 107, Galatas - severely WIA
25.07.1941: Hauptmann der Reserve, Chef, 7. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1
15.10.1941: Hauptmann der Reserve, Führer, Stab, II. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1
29.11.1941: WIA and sent to a Lazarett
09.02.1942: Fallschirm-Ergänzungs-Regiment 1, Stendal
11.09.1942: Fallschirm-Ersatz-Bataillon Stendal
15.12.1942: Chef, 5. Kompanie, Fallschirm-Ersatz-Bataillon Stendal
10.12.1943: Stab, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6
01.03.1944: stellvertretender Führer, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6
01.06.1944: Major der Reserve, stellvertretender Führer, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6
20.02.1945: DOW received in Creta

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 316

Awarded on:

June 22nd, 1940

Awarded on:

July 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, 7 Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1

Awarded on:

June 18th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Chef, 7. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1

Awarded on:

May 1941

Awarded for:

Operation Merkur

WIA 20.05.1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer, 7. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment 1, 7. Flieger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

July 9th, 1941

Awarded for his actions during the battle of Crete. On the afternoon of the 20.05.1941 he and his 7. Kompanie assaulted Hill 107 from the south and were able to capture the southern part of the hill in the evening. In the process the unit captured 100 men and 4 officers.

At around 08:00 on the next day the Kompanie continued its advance to the peak of the hill from the south. The Kompanie made contact with the Kampfgruppe led by Oberstabarzt Dr. Neumann, and the artillery and AA guns on the hill were finally eliminated with the help of Kampfgruppen Gericke and Trebes.

Later, on the 25.05.1941, Oberleutnant Barmetler was in the process of attacking the Galatas heights when he realized that the Gebirgsjäger on his right wing were not keeping up. Before receiving any orders from the Bataillon commander, Oberleutnant Barmetler sent in elements of his Kompanie in the direction of the Gebirgsjäger. Along with the support of heavy weapons, 7. Kompanie was able to get into the rear of the enemy. The defending 5th New Zealand Brigade was ultimately forced to give up the Galatas Heights, and with this an important precondition for the surrender of Crete was established. Oberleutnant Barmetler himself was however wounded during this decisive thrust.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

• Photo 1:
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1986.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945
  - Fallschirmjägerkameradschaft Düsseldorf "Dr. Heinrich Neumann"