Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Service/branch Waffen-SS | Years of service 1938–45 Name Karl-Heinz Euling Rank Hauptsturmfuhrer | |
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Born 16 August 1919
Dorndorf, Germany ( 1919-08-16 ) Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Iron Cross I Class
Iron Cross II Class
War Merit Cross I class with swords
War Merit Cross II class with swords
Close Combat Clasp in Bronze
Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
Eastern Front Medal
Wound Badge Died April 14, 2014, Munich, Germany Unit SS-Verfugungstruppe, 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg | ||
Karl Heinz Euling (16 August 1919 – 14 April 2014) was a Hauptsturmfuhrer (Captain) in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
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Early life
Euling was born on 16 August 1919 in Dorndorf, in the region of Eisenach. On 22 March 1932 he joined the Hitler Youth, where he earned the Hitler Youth Proficiency Badge and the Golden Hitler Youth Badge. On 1 September 1937 he joined the NSDAP. After the Volksschule, Euling attended a reform high school and passed his matriculation examination in February 1938. He volunteered to join the SS-VT on 1 April 1938, assigned to the 2 Company, SS Totenkopf and participated in the Polish Campaign with them.
World War II
Euling was then selected to become an officer and posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Braunschweig between February and May 1940. After graduation he was promoted to Untersturmfuhrer (Second Lieutenant) in August 1940. After being wounded he was transferred to the SS Infantry Training nas Reserve Battalion Ost and from there to the 1st SS Infantry Brigade, where he served as a platoon commander and Adjutant earning the War Merit Cross I & II class with Swords and the Iron Cross I & II class. He was promoted to Hauptsturmfuhrer (Captain) in November 1943 and transferred to the western front on the staff of the II SS Panzer Corps.
In June 1944 Euling was transferred to the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg and given command of the I.Battalion, 21 SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, during the Battle of Normandy. Having been withdrawn to the Arnhem area to reform they were well placed to respond to Operation Market Garden, the Allied parachute landings in the Netherlands. On 19 September 1944 Euling and his battalion (I./22) broke off from the house-to-house fighting and the position they had held at the bridge at Nijmegen that blocked the road leading to Arnhem. Euling was awarded the Knight's Cross for his leadership and command of the Battalion during the Normandy landings and the Battle of Arnhem.