Schlemm joined the Prussian Army in 1913. During the inter-war years, Schlemm served in a variety of staff, training and regimental posts until, in October 1937, he was attached to the Reich Air Ministry. In February 1938, he transferred from the Army to the Luftwaffe and was appointed to the Luftwaffe General Staff and in June 1938, he became Chief of Staff of Air Defense Zone West.
In October 1939, he became Chief of Staff of Luftgau [Air Zone] XI, under GeneralleutnantLudwig Wolff and in December 1940, Schlemm was appointed Chief of Staff of the XI Air Corps under General der FliegerKurt Student. The Corps was the headquarters staff of Germany's parachute and air landing forces which, on 20 May 1941, the Germans used for Operation Merkur, the airborne invasion of Crete. At least 6,000 airborne troops were lost and the conquest of Crete effectively ended all plans for large-scale German airborne operations.
Eastern Frontedit
From February 1942, Schlemm was attached to the General Command of the 8th Air Corps (Generaloberst Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen) on the Eastern Front, where he became Commander of Luftwaffen-Gefechtsverbande ("Battle Formation") Schlemm assigned to the XXXX Panzer Corps and the LVI Panzer Corps in General der InfanterieGotthard Heinrici’s 4th Army. Schlemm became commander of the 1st Air Division in June 1942.
In October 1942, he became Commanding General of the II Luftwaffe Field Corps on the Eastern Front. Schlemm's corps comprised four Luftwaffe Field Divisions and held the line from south of Nevel to the Dvina River east of Vitebsk, under the 3rd Panzer Army of Army Group Centre. In February and March 1943, the II Luftwaffe Field Corps participated in Operation Kugelblitz against the Soviet partisans northeast of Vitebsk. On 6 October 1943, part of Schlemm's corps collapsed under a major Soviet attack, resulting in a 10-mile gap in the German lines and the abandonment of Nevel. The entire II Luftwaffe Field Corps fell back to new positions west of Gorodok.
Italyedit
Withdrawn from the line in November 1943, Schlemm's four divisions were attached to the LIII and IX Army Corps and were transferred to Italy. On 1 January 1944, Schlemm's headquarters staff, redesignated as 1st Parachute Corps, took control of a reserve force of 24,000 troops in the Rome area. They were initially dispatched from Rome to bolster the Winter Line along the Garigliano River, but soon Schlemm's corps were urgently transferred to oppose the Allied beachhead at Anzio (Operation Shingle). Schlemm led the German troops for three days until command formally passed to GeneraloberstEberhard von Mackensen, Commander-in-Chief of the 14th Army. The Corps fought at Anzio for the next three months. Schlemm was cited in the official Armed Forces Communiqué and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his efforts.
After the Winter Line was breached at Cassino and the Anzio bridgehead breakout, Schlemm's Corps joined the German withdrawal through central Italy. By August 1944, they were lodged in the Arno and Gothic Line defensive positions in the northern Apennines. Schlemm relinquished command of the Corps to GeneralleutnantRichard Heidrich.
Reichswaldedit
Schlemm succeeded Generaloberst Kurt Student as Commander-in-Chief of the 1st Parachute Army on the Western Front in the Netherlands. The 1st Parachute Army was engaged defending the Reichswald against the Canadian First Army during Operation Veritable.
The Canadian First Army and Lieutenant-General William H Simpson’s U.S. Ninth Army compressed Schlemm's forces into a small bridgehead on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel. On 10 March 1945, the rearguard of the 1st Parachute Army evacuated their bridgehead, destroying the bridge behind them. He was wounded in an air attack on his command post at Haltern eleven days later and command of his forces passed to General Günther Blumentritt. Schlemm was transferred to a hospital near Westerland and then remained in the Führerreserve until the end of the war. From May 8, 1945 to March 22, 1948 he was a British prisoner of war.
Post-waredit
After the war Schlemm lived in the Schlemm Family's manor house in Ahlten and wrote articles about the war. In these he took the view that it was wrong to call the sacrifice of soldiers' lives in vain.[1] Alfred Schlemm died on 24 January 1986 at Ahlten near Hannover.
^Ralph Trost: Eine gänzlich zerstörte Stadt. Nationalsozialismus, Krieg und Kriegsende in Xanten, Verlag Waxmann Münster, New York / München / Berlin 2004, ISBN 978-3-8309-1413-6, S. 351 (Footnote 1267)
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN978-3-7909-0284-6.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.
Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN978-3-7648-1461-8.
alfred, schlemm, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Alfred Schlemm news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Alfred Schlemm 18 December 1894 24 January 1986 was a German General der Fallschirmtruppe in the Wehrmacht His last command in World War II opposed the advance of the First Canadian Army through the Reichswald in February 1945 Alfred SchlemmBorn 1894 12 18 18 December 1894Rudolstadt German EmpireDied24 January 1986 1986 01 24 aged 91 Ahlten West GermanyAllegiance German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi GermanyService wbr branchLuftwaffeYears of service1913 45RankGeneral der FallschirmtruppeCommands heldXI Fliegerkorps1 Flieger DivisionII Luftwaffe Field Corps1st Parachute Corps1st Parachute ArmyBattles warsWorld War IWorld War II Battle of Anzio Battle of the ReichswaldAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross Contents 1 Early life and military career 2 World War II 2 1 Eastern Front 2 2 Italy 2 3 Reichswald 3 Post war 4 Awards and decorations 5 References 5 1 Citations 5 2 BibliographyEarly life and military career editSchlemm joined the Prussian Army in 1913 During the inter war years Schlemm served in a variety of staff training and regimental posts until in October 1937 he was attached to the Reich Air Ministry In February 1938 he transferred from the Army to the Luftwaffe and was appointed to the Luftwaffe General Staff and in June 1938 he became Chief of Staff of Air Defense Zone West World War II editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message This section possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed November 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message In October 1939 he became Chief of Staff of Luftgau Air Zone XI under Generalleutnant Ludwig Wolff and in December 1940 Schlemm was appointed Chief of Staff of the XI Air Corps under General der Flieger Kurt Student The Corps was the headquarters staff of Germany s parachute and air landing forces which on 20 May 1941 the Germans used for Operation Merkur the airborne invasion of Crete At least 6 000 airborne troops were lost and the conquest of Crete effectively ended all plans for large scale German airborne operations Eastern Front edit From February 1942 Schlemm was attached to the General Command of the 8th Air Corps Generaloberst Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen on the Eastern Front where he became Commander of Luftwaffen Gefechtsverbande Battle Formation Schlemm assigned to the XXXX Panzer Corps and the LVI Panzer Corps in General der Infanterie Gotthard Heinrici s 4th Army Schlemm became commander of the 1st Air Division in June 1942 In October 1942 he became Commanding General of the II Luftwaffe Field Corps on the Eastern Front Schlemm s corps comprised four Luftwaffe Field Divisions and held the line from south of Nevel to the Dvina River east of Vitebsk under the 3rd Panzer Army of Army Group Centre In February and March 1943 the II Luftwaffe Field Corps participated in Operation Kugelblitz against the Soviet partisans northeast of Vitebsk On 6 October 1943 part of Schlemm s corps collapsed under a major Soviet attack resulting in a 10 mile gap in the German lines and the abandonment of Nevel The entire II Luftwaffe Field Corps fell back to new positions west of Gorodok Italy edit Withdrawn from the line in November 1943 Schlemm s four divisions were attached to the LIII and IX Army Corps and were transferred to Italy On 1 January 1944 Schlemm s headquarters staff redesignated as 1st Parachute Corps took control of a reserve force of 24 000 troops in the Rome area They were initially dispatched from Rome to bolster the Winter Line along the Garigliano River but soon Schlemm s corps were urgently transferred to oppose the Allied beachhead at Anzio Operation Shingle Schlemm led the German troops for three days until command formally passed to Generaloberst Eberhard von Mackensen Commander in Chief of the 14th Army The Corps fought at Anzio for the next three months Schlemm was cited in the official Armed Forces Communique and received the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross for his efforts After the Winter Line was breached at Cassino and the Anzio bridgehead breakout Schlemm s Corps joined the German withdrawal through central Italy By August 1944 they were lodged in the Arno and Gothic Line defensive positions in the northern Apennines Schlemm relinquished command of the Corps to Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich Reichswald edit Schlemm succeeded Generaloberst Kurt Student as Commander in Chief of the 1st Parachute Army on the Western Front in the Netherlands The 1st Parachute Army was engaged defending the Reichswald against the Canadian First Army during Operation Veritable The Canadian First Army and Lieutenant General William H Simpson s U S Ninth Army compressed Schlemm s forces into a small bridgehead on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Wesel On 10 March 1945 the rearguard of the 1st Parachute Army evacuated their bridgehead destroying the bridge behind them He was wounded in an air attack on his command post at Haltern eleven days later and command of his forces passed to General Gunther Blumentritt Schlemm was transferred to a hospital near Westerland and then remained in the Fuhrerreserve until the end of the war From May 8 1945 to March 22 1948 he was a British prisoner of war Post war editAfter the war Schlemm lived in the Schlemm Family s manor house in Ahlten and wrote articles about the war In these he took the view that it was wrong to call the sacrifice of soldiers lives in vain 1 Alfred Schlemm died on 24 January 1986 at Ahlten near Hannover Awards and decorations editClasp to the Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class 10 August 1940 amp 1st Class 22 June 1941 2 German Cross in Gold on 4 August 1942 as Generalleutnant in the XXI Flieger Korps 3 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 June 1944 as General der Fallschirmtruppe and commander of I Fallschirm Korps 4 References editCitations edit Ralph Trost Eine ganzlich zerstorte Stadt Nationalsozialismus Krieg und Kriegsende in Xanten Verlag Waxmann Munster New York Munchen Berlin 2004 ISBN 978 3 8309 1413 6 S 351 Footnote 1267 Thomas amp Wegmann 1986 p 263 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 408 Fellgiebel 2000 p 378 Bibliography edit Fellgiebel Walther Peer 2000 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile The Bearers of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 1945 The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches in German Friedberg Germany Podzun Pallas ISBN 978 3 7909 0284 6 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Thomas Franz Wegmann Gunter 1986 Die Ritterkreuztrager der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939 1945 Teil II Fallschirmjager The Knight s Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939 1945 Part II Paratroopers in German Osnabruck Germany Biblio Verlag ISBN 978 3 7648 1461 8 Military officesPreceded byGeneral Martin Fiebig Commander of 1 Flieger Division 1942 1945 1 July 1942 1 October 1942 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Hermann PlocherPreceded byNone Commander of II Luftwaffe Field Corps1 October 1942 31 December 1943 Succeeded byNonePreceded byNone Commander of 1st Parachute Corps1 January 1944 1 November 1944 Succeeded byGeneral der Fallschirmtruppe Richard HeidrichPreceded byGeneraloberst Kurt Student Commander of 1 Fallschirmarmee18 November 1944 20 March 1945 Succeeded byGeneral der Infanterie Gunther Blumentritt Portal nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alfred Schlemm amp oldid 1206873043, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
