Years of service 1935–1945 | Battles/wars World War II Rank Standartenfuhrer Name Fritz Klingenberg | |
 | ||
Commands held 17.SS- Panzergrenadier-Division Gotz von BerlichingenSS-Junkerschule Bad Tolz Died March 22, 1945, Herxheim bei Landau/Pfalz, Germany Unit 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen | ||
Fritz Klingenberg (17 December 1912 – 23 March 1945) was a German officer in the Waffen-SS who served with the SS Division Das Reich and was a commander of the SS Division Götz von Berlichingen. He was best known for his role in the capture of the Yugoslavian capital, Belgrade with just 6 men, for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Contents
- Fritz klingenberg the world s greatest soldier ever
- Capture of Belgrade
- European theatre against US forces
- Decorations
- References
In April 1941, the Germany Army invaded Yugoslavia and then Greece. Klingenberg, a company commander in the Das Reich division, led his unit to the capital, Belgrade, where a small group in the vanguard accepted the surrender of the city on 13 April. A few days later Yugoslavia surrendered.
Fritz klingenberg the world s greatest soldier ever
Capture of Belgrade
In early 1941 Klingenberg was with SS troops taking part in the invasion of Yugoslavia . The objective was to push into Yugoslavia quickly, to then attack Greece. Klingenburg disobeyed orders, and decided to reconnitor Belgrade, with his units far ahead of the main German army. Finding a boat, he made across the river, with the intention of ferrying a sizable force across, however, the boat sank, and he was left with just six men. Klingenberg, then encountered some Yugoslav troops, who had captured a drunk German tourist, whom they in turn captured. After a number of firefights, the 6 Germans, having sustained no casualties but captured a number of yugoslave soldiers, made it to the centre of Belgrade, with the tourist, and their prisoners. There they raised a German flag. The Mayor came out to meet them, after Klingenberg bluffed, telling him there was an incoming artillery barrage, and an impending Luftwaffe attack. The Mayor surrendered the city to them on the 13 April. At this point a few more of Klingenberg's men arrived the same way he had, and made a show of their presence, pretending that there was more of them than there were. The German army eventually arrived, dumfounded at the situation, having made a complex plan that was expected to cost thousands of lives to take the city that was no longer needed. A few days later Yugoslavia surrendered.. Klingenberg was awarded the Knights cross for capturing the city, in effect capturing Belgrade with just 6 men.
European theatre against US forces
On 21 December 1944, Fritz Klingenberg was promoted to SS-Standartenführer and two weeks later (on 12 January 1945) was appointed to command the SS Division Götz von Berlichingen. The division was attached to XIII SS Corps, defending southeast of Saarbrücken against the XV Corps of the Seventh United States Army. On 23 March 1945, Klingenberg was killed by a tank shell during a firefight on the western edge of Herxheim and is buried at the German War Cemetery in Andilly, France.