Thomas Müller
Encyclopedia
Thomas Müller was a German
Waffen-SS Colonel who commanded the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
and the 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division Langemarck
during World War II
. He saw action on the East
and the West
, finishing the war on the Oder
front.
Müller was born in Munich
, Bavaria
on February 2, 1902. He served with the Freikorps
in 1920. Little is known about Müller during the early stages of the war.
He assumed command of the 9th SS Panzer Division
for a brief period stretching from June 29 to July 10, 1944—one of the bloodiest periods for the division as they tried to stem the incoming British
and Canadian soldiers bound for Caen
. The Panzer division took an unprecedented 1200 casualties during these weeks.
Following this, he briefly took command of a new division Hitler
had ordered, the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division
, which had been named for Götz von Berlichingen
. He only controlled the group as a substitute leader for a brief period in September, after its previous commander, Eduard Deisenhofer
, was wounded in fighting and ordered back to Berlin to rest and recuperate. He was replaced by Gustav Mertsch as another temporary commander and finally command passed to Hans Lingner.
Apparently then being transferred from the SS to the army, he became a Colonel and received command of the 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
immediately following its promotion to a Division of its own, on October 19, 1944. This new Division was made possible due to the merging of the Brigade with new Flemish
and Finnish volunteers that could be attached to the division.
The Langemarck acted primarily as support for the German Ardennes offensive, but following the Soviet
campaign to capture the Oder River—realizing they couldn't hold out any longer, Müller gave his troops the option to surrender to the Allies or try to evade capture on their own. After burning the Division's records, Müller and the majority of his men surrendered to the allies at Schwerin
.
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...
Waffen-SS Colonel who commanded the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...
, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
The 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German SS panzergrenadier division which saw action on the Western Front during World War II.-Formation and training:...
and the 27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division Langemarck
6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
The 27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck was a German Waffen-SS volunteer division comprising volunteers of Flemish background. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II....
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...
. He saw action on the East
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
and the West
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
, finishing the war on the Oder
Oder
The Oder is a river in Central Europe. It rises in the Czech Republic and flows through western Poland, later forming of the border between Poland and Germany, part of the Oder-Neisse line...
front.
Müller was born in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
on February 2, 1902. He served with the Freikorps
Freikorps
Freikorps are German volunteer military or paramilitary units. The term was originally applied to voluntary armies formed in German lands from the middle of the 18th century onwards. Between World War I and World War II the term was also used for the paramilitary organizations that arose during...
in 1920. Little is known about Müller during the early stages of the war.
He assumed command of the 9th SS Panzer Division
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
The 9th SS Panzer Division "Hohenstaufen", also known as SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 9 Hohenstaufen or 9. SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen, was a German Waffen-SS Armoured division which saw action on both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II. The...
for a brief period stretching from June 29 to July 10, 1944—one of the bloodiest periods for the division as they tried to stem the incoming British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Canadian soldiers bound for Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. The Panzer division took an unprecedented 1200 casualties during these weeks.
Following this, he briefly took command of a new division Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
had ordered, the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
The 17. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen was a German SS panzergrenadier division which saw action on the Western Front during World War II.-Formation and training:...
, which had been named for Götz von Berlichingen
Götz von Berlichingen
Gottfried "Götz" von Berlichingen and also known as Götz of the Iron Hand, was a German Imperial Knight and mercenary....
. He only controlled the group as a substitute leader for a brief period in September, after its previous commander, Eduard Deisenhofer
Eduard Deisenhofer
Dr. Eduard Deisenhofer was an officer and commander in the German Waffen-SS who served with several combat divisions on both the eastern and western fronts, earning several high grade distinctions, such as the Close Combat Clasp, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross...
, was wounded in fighting and ordered back to Berlin to rest and recuperate. He was replaced by Gustav Mertsch as another temporary commander and finally command passed to Hans Lingner.
Apparently then being transferred from the SS to the army, he became a Colonel and received command of the 6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
6th SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Langemarck
The 27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck was a German Waffen-SS volunteer division comprising volunteers of Flemish background. It saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II....
immediately following its promotion to a Division of its own, on October 19, 1944. This new Division was made possible due to the merging of the Brigade with new Flemish
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
and Finnish volunteers that could be attached to the division.
The Langemarck acted primarily as support for the German Ardennes offensive, but following the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
campaign to capture the Oder River—realizing they couldn't hold out any longer, Müller gave his troops the option to surrender to the Allies or try to evade capture on their own. After burning the Division's records, Müller and the majority of his men surrendered to the allies at Schwerin
Schwerin
Schwerin is the capital and second-largest city of the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The population, as of end of 2009, was 95,041.-History:...
.
Dates of rank
- SS-UntersturmführerUntersturmführerUntersturmführer 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...
: September 11, 1934 - SS-ObersturmführerObersturmführerObersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi party that was used by the SS and also as a rank of the SA. Translated as “Senior Assault Leader”, the rank of Obersturmführer was first created in 1932 as the result of an expansion of the Sturmabteilung and the need for an additional rank in...
: June 1, 1935 - SS-HauptsturmführerHauptsturmführerHauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
: November 11, 1936 - SS-SturmbannführerSturmbannführerSturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
: October 31, 1939 - SS-ObersturmbannführerObersturmbannführerObersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
: April 20, 1942 - SS-StandartenführerStandartenführerStandartenführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that was used in the so-called Nazi combat-organisations: SA, SS, NSKK and the NSFK...
: June 21, 1943
Notable decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
Second (1940) and First (1940) Classes - Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
in Bronze (?)