Helmut Thumm

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Helmut Thumm (born August 25, 1895 in Ravensburg , † July 13, 1977 in Welzheim ) was a German officer , most recently a general of the infantry in World War II .

Life

Thumm joined the Infantry Regiment No. 125 (Württemberg No. 7) as a volunteer on August 8, 1914. There he was promoted to lieutenant on August 2, 1915 (with a patent from December 26, 1914) and later to first lieutenant. Thumm experienced the entire First World War as a front-line officer. After the German defeat he was accepted into the Reichswehr. Thumm worked there in various positions, including a. as company commander of the 12th MG company of the Württemberg Infantry Regiment 13. On March 1, 1930 Thumm was promoted to captain. In the newly formed Wehrmacht he was promoted to major and on October 1, 1938 to lieutenant colonel. He led the 1st Battalion of the 75th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division in Stuttgart.

The beginning of the Second World War saw Thumm on the Upper Rhine, where the 5th Infantry Division was deployed to protect against possible French attacks. From May 10, 1940, Thumm fought in the French campaign and on June 13, 1940 he was entrusted with the command of the 56th Infantry Regiment of the 5th Infantry Division. The division remained in France as an occupation force until the end of March 1941 and was then relocated to East Prussia.

As part of Army Group North (later Army Group Center), Thumm took part in the Russian campaign from June 22, 1941, still as commander of the 56th Infantry Regiment. On October 1, 1941, he was promoted to colonel (with seniority October 1, 1940). From November 1941 to the end of January 1942, Thumm's unit in France was reclassified as a Jäger Regiment, and the 5th Jäger Division was formed from the 5th Infantry Division. From February 7, 1942, his regiment was deployed as the first unit of the division on the Eastern Front again, this time in the Staraya Russa area, where it had to endure numerous heavy fighting until December 1943. On January 5, 1943, Helmut Thumm took command of the 5th Jäger Division and on March 1, 1943, was promoted to major general and appointed its commander. On September 1, 1943, he was promoted to lieutenant general. Under his leadership, further combat missions followed, from December 1943 in the Vitebsk area and from the end of February 1944 in the Kovel-Pripjet-Bug area. On August 17, 1944, Thumm handed the division over to his successor and was initially transferred to the Fuehrer's reserve. On November 1, 1944, he was given the leadership of the LXIV. Army corps, which was deployed as part of the 19th Army in Alsace and on the Upper Rhine. On January 1, 1945 he was appointed General of the Infantry.

Because Thumm had disregarded an order of the "Oberbefehlshabers Oberrhein", Heinrich Himmler , and did not send Hitler Youths into combat, he was deposed as commanding general on January 15, 1945 and has stayed in his home town ever since. April 1945 was arrested by Allied troops. The subsequent prisoner of war he spent u. a. in British Special Camp 11. He was released in 1947.

Helmut Thumm then lived again in Württemberg and participated a. a. on the writing of the history of the 5th Jäger Division. He died at the age of 81.

Awards

Works

  • The path of the 5th Infantry and Jäger Division 1921–1945. Illustrated book. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Bad Nauheim 1976.

literature

  • Peter Stockert: Die Eichenlaubträger 1940–1945 , 9 volumes, 4th revised edition, Bad Friedrichshall 2010–2011.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearers 1939-1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 .
personal data
SURNAME Thumm, Helmut
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German officer, most recently General of the Infantry in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH August 25, 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH Ravensburg
DATE OF DEATH July 13, 1977
Place of death Welzheim