On 19 May 1944, two weeks before the formation of Kampfgruppe Mühlenkamp, SS-Panzer Regiment 5 “Wiking” conducted an Appell (assembly) at its temporary quarters in the old Austro-Hungarian barracks in the Polish town of Cholm (present-day Chełm). Unit photographer Ernst Baumann of the Germania Regiment was present to record this event, offering us an up close and personal window back in time:
This was the first formal roll-call of the entire regiment since its formation the previous year, including both the I. and II. Abteilungen (battalions). In addition to giving its commander, SS-Standartenführer (SS-Staf.) Johannes Mühlenkamp, an opportunity to see his whole regiment in one place at the same time, it was also an occasion to conduct the official change of command ceremony for I. Abteilung. Here, Mühlenkamp shakes the hand of a soldier from 7. Kompanie, while the outgoing I. Abteilung commander, SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Stubaf.) Paul Kümmel (wearing glasses), stands to his immediate left. On the far right stands acting regimental Adjutant (operations officer) SS-Hauptsturmführer (SS-Hstuf.) Karl-Heinz Hahn, while to Hahn’s right the commander of 7. Kompanie, Knight’s Cross winner SS-Obersturmführer (SS-Ostuf.) Otto Schneider observes the proceedings. Film Nr. 148-11
While Mühlenkamp shakes the hand of an unnamed 7. Kompanie SS-Hauptscharführer (master sergeant), SS-Ostuf. Wolfgang von Thermann, the regimental O1 or aide-de-camp (on the left) looks on, along with SS-Stubaf. Kümmel. On the right stands the Ko mpanie Spiess (acting first sergeant), identifiable by the twin silver braids on his lower sleeve. The regiment had been posted to Cholm since the end of April 1944 and was in the midst of a general rest and reconstitution period, focusing its efforts on incorporating replacements, training new crews, repairing its tanks and preparing for the upcoming summer’s operations. A Panzer IV from I. Abteilung can be seen in the background on the left. Film Nr. 148-20
What's interesting to see in these photos is how in May 1944 the ranks of the enlisted men are getting younger and younger. Look at the faces of these teenagers who are the crew members for the Panther tanks fighting the Russians
By the spring of 1944, “Hannes” Mühlenkamp had been a member of “Wiking” Division for over two years, since being assigned to command SS-Panzer Bataillon 5, the regiment’s immediate predecessor, in February 1942. Originally a member of the SS-Division “Das Reich,” Mühlenkamp had commanded that division’s Aufklärungs (reconnaissance) Abteilung for over a year before volunteering to command the first tank battalion created for the Waffen-SS. After active field service in the Soviet Union from June 1942 until February 1943, he was selected to command the new tank regiment to be formed for “Wiking” at the Altenneuhaus Training Area in Germany. Finally, after over a year of activation and training, the regiment and its new Panther-equipped II. Abteilung were committed to battle during the relief of the encircled city of Kovel in March 1944. Wounded in action five times before this photograph was taken, he wears the Ritterkreuz (Knights Cross) awarded on 4 September 1942 for his leadership during the division’s drive to the Caucasus that summer. Film Nr. 148-14
SS-Sturmbannführer Paul Kümmel,Bataillons Kommandeur, III.(gep.)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 9 “Germania” , began his military career in the Reichswehr, followed by brief service in the police. He joined the SS on 1 February 1932 as an enlisted man, initially serving in the machine gun company of the SS-Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler, but by 20 April 1936 he had been promoted to the rank of SS-Untersturmführer after attending the officer candidate school in Braunschweig. From 1936 to 1940, he served in a variety of SS assignments, ranging from positions in the SS Main Office in Berlin to junior leader positions in several regiments of the Allgemeine SS. On 19 March 1940, he transferred to the Waffen-SS, where he initially served as an SS-Hauptsturmführer in the 16. SS-Totenkopf Standarte. He served for a year as a battalion commander in Russia with the 8. SS-Totenkopf Standarte, followed by duty with the SS-Infanterie Regiment 10 (mot.), both elements of the 1.SS-Infanterie-Brigade, a unit primarily engaged in anti-partisan operations in the rear area of Army Group Center. By May 1943, he was training as a tank officer at the SS-Panzer Ersatz Regiment in Bitsch, and was assigned to 5. SS-Pz.Gren. “Wiking” on 13 August 1943, where he served for two months as acting commander of SS-Pz.Abt. 5 to gain practical experience. In November 1943, he was posted back to the school in Bitsch to complete his training. Finally, at the end of February 1944 he was once again reassigned to “Wiking,” where he briefly commanded I.Abt./SS-Panzer Regiment 5 Wiking after its breakout from the Cherkassy Pocket. Upon the promotion of SS-Stubaf. Franz Hack to regimental commander, Kümmel was transferred to command III.(gep.)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 9 “Germania” on 20 May 1944, which he led throughout the summer of 1944 until his 10 August 1944 transfer to the west. From the Fall of 1944, he commanded III.(gep.)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 20 of the 9. SS-Panzer Regiment “Hohenstaufen” until the end of the war. He died in Bad Windsheim on 27 December 1982. Film Nr. 148-17
Source:
Captions by Remy Spezzano
"Kampfgruppe Mühlenkamp" by Douglas Nash and Remy Spezzano
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