Karl-Heinz Worthmann
Encyclopedia
Karl Heinz Worthmann was a Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant), in the Waffen SS during World War II
who 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.
Karl Heinz Worthman was born in Hagen
, Germany
on the 18 January 1911.
He volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the SS-VT. He took part in the Battle of France
as an Infantry platoon commander and was awarded the Iron Cross
1st and 2nd class.
During the invasion of Russia
(Operation Barbarossa
) in 1941 he was severely wounded and after recovering from his wounds trained as a Panzer crewman.
He was promoted to Hauptscharführer
(Master Sergeant) and made a platoon commander in the 6th Company, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment, Das Reich, (2nd SS Division Das Reich
).
In the Battle of Kharkov
Worthman, was in command of 4 tanks supporting the infantry in an attack near Wossyschtschewo on height 209.3 during which they destroyed 27 anti tank guns and 2 infantry guns without loss. For his actions during this battle he was awarded the Knight's Cross in March 1943.
Worthman was promoted to Untersturmführer
(Second Lieutenant) and given command of the 6th company, when he was killed in action during Operation Citadel on the 7 July 1943, in the Belgorod
sector.
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant), in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.
Karl Heinz Worthman was born in Hagen
Hagen
Hagen is the 39th-largest city in Germany, located in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area, 15 km south of Dortmund, where the rivers Lenne, Volme and Ennepe meet the river Ruhr...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on the 18 January 1911.
He volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the SS-VT. He took part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
as an Infantry platoon commander and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
1st and 2nd class.
During the invasion of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
(Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
) in 1941 he was severely wounded and after recovering from his wounds trained as a Panzer crewman.
He was promoted to Hauptscharführer
Hauptscharführer
Hauptscharführer was a Nazi paramilitary rank which was used by the Schutzstaffel between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank was the highest enlisted rank of the SS, with the exception of the special Waffen-SS rank of Sturmscharführer....
(Master Sergeant) and made a platoon commander in the 6th Company, 2nd SS Panzer Regiment, Das Reich, (2nd SS Division Das Reich
2nd SS Division Das Reich
The 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was a Waffen-SS division during World War II. It is considered to be an elite formation amongst the thirty-eight divisions fielded by the Waffen-SS....
).
In the Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov
Battle of Kharkov may refer to:* First Battle of Kharkov, a 1941 battle in which German troops captured the city* Second Battle of Kharkov, a 1942 battle in which Soviet forces attempted to retake the city...
Worthman, was in command of 4 tanks supporting the infantry in an attack near Wossyschtschewo on height 209.3 during which they destroyed 27 anti tank guns and 2 infantry guns without loss. For his actions during this battle he was awarded the Knight's Cross in March 1943.
Worthman was promoted to Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer
Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(Second Lieutenant) and given command of the 6th company, when he was killed in action during Operation Citadel on the 7 July 1943, in the Belgorod
Belgorod
-Twin towns/sister cities:Belgorod is twinned with: Wakefield, England, United Kingdom Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia Opole, Poland Vyshhorod, Ukraine Kharkiv, Ukraine-External links:...
sector.