Hello, I would be really interested in any documents, photos or really in depth informations on Vollrath von Hellermann, Ritterkeuzträger. I would be interested in any information regarding the places where he fighted, how many people he commanded and so. If he was an important man. Was his rank a high one. Was he involved in any war crimes? That is the man: Vollrath von Hellermann joined the 6th (Prussian) Rider Regiment of the Reichswehr as a volunteer on March 1, 1924, in which he was active. On July 1, 1925, he was transferred to the "Mastl-Junker" regiment. On December 1, 1927, he was appointed to the officer corps of the German Army. On April 1, 1929, he was transferred to the 6th Eskadron of the 6th (Prussian) Rider Regiment, where he was constantly in heavy training. On April 1, 1930, he was transferred to the 3rd Eskadron of the same regiment. On September 1, 1930, he was promoted to lieutenant. On April 1, 1932, he was still in the 3rd Eskadron of the 6th (Prussian) Rider Regiment. On May 1, 1935, he was promoted to captain. With the enlargement of the Reichswehr, on October 15, 1935, the same date, he was appointed Chief of the 2nd Eskadron of the 5th (Prussian) Rider Regiment, which was done with distinction. On October 12, 1937, he was appointed to the command staff of the cavalry officer "Pone-4". World War II With mobilization, he was then assigned as an adjutant in the 5th Army. After his redesignation, he served as a captain in the 18th Army. On February 1, 1940, he was promoted to major. Starting in the fall of 1940, he is assigned as an adjutant in the bar of the 1st Cavalry Division, but just a few days later he is appointed head of the all-military section, in charge of alcoholic beverages and entertainment. On November 3, 1941, he was appointed commander of the 1st Division of the Rider 22 Regiment, intended for strategic combat operations. After his reclassification, he was automatically commander of the 1st Battalion of Regiment 26 (Shooting). On March 6, 1942, the command began to worry him, as many German officers applied for his post. Finally he took the post of commander of Kradschützen Battalion 4, (but the post did not suit him), he wrote many letters to the Third Reich expressing his anger at being left in command of the 1st Battalion of Regiment 26-Shooting, an officer's son of a general who had political and economic influence. Adolf Hitler's Minister of Propaganda Joseph Goebbles read the document and replied to the officer that he would help him and promote him to the rank of major. As a result, he was promoted to major on April 1, 1942. He was thencommander of Panzer Grenadier Regiment 21 on September 1, 1942. On September 20, 1942, he was awarded the German Cross of Merit in Gold. As early as October 16, 1942, he received a new command of his own for his wartime service and was head of a section of the "Heeres-Personal-Versetzung" (TPE), a militaryinstitution whose task was to transfer soldiers to fronts where their presence was required. On November 21, 1942, he was awarded the Iron Knight's Cross for his wartime service and transfer of soldiers to the TPE. As early as October 16, 1942, he received his own new command for his wartime accomplishments and was head of a division of the Transfer of Army Personnel (TPE), a military institution whose mission was to transfer soldiers to fronts where their presence was required. On November 21, 1942, he was awarded the Iron Knight's Cross for his services in the war and in the transfer of officers. On February 1, 1943, he was promoted to colonel. On October 1, 1944, he was promoted to major general. On that date he also became Inspector General of the Renominated Junior Officers (ROS). He held this position until the end of the war. Captivity and administrative duties On May 8, 1945, he became an Allied prisoner of war. However, the Allies themselves released him during 1947, as they felt that he could be useful to them in the FRG, since he had experience in personnel and administration. From January 1952 to June 1954, he was chairman of the Society for Customer Defence (SDC). In the following years, in May-June 1964, he founded a body of German ex-soldiers of World War II, the RSF (Representation of the Federal Society), in which they complained to German society that they were discriminated against as ex-soldiers of the Third Reich. I would be unbelievably grateful for any informations, photos, documents or maybe even things you can hold in your hands. Big regards
Hello there. I just wanted to kindly remind of you the existence of this thread and wanted to add that I would be unbelievably grateful for any efforts. Big big thanks, Jack
Jack, Not every thread gets a response. This can in part - for you - be explained by our focus on British and Commonwealth aspects of WW2. There are forums that focus on the Germans, which might be more productive. A Google search found you'd tried our US "cousins" site and two photos appear on Vollrath von Hellermann Which I don't think is your target, as it refers to combat service.
Ok, then I of course understand that you didn’t reply, if your focus is somewhere else. But thanks for explaining and answering. Best regards, Jack
His personnel and card files are available for free download from the Bundesarchiv/Invenio site. His card file is PERS 6/299827 while his Personalakten is PERS 6/1357: https://invenio.bundesarchiv.de/invenio/main.xhtml
He is also mentioned many times (including a photo of him wearing his RK) in the book Death of the Leaping Horseman by Jason D Mark. I can't guarantee it but I would think he is also mentioned in Die 24.Panzer-Division vormals 1.Kavallerie-Division 1935-1945 by Dr. F.M. v. Senger und Etterlin Jr.
Wow thanks so much!! Great tips! Although I already knew the Bundesarchiv file and the book death of the Leaping Horseman, I didn't know the book "Die 24.Panzerdivision" I will have a look into it. Thanks again so so much for your efforts!!! Big regards, Jack
