Alfred Schlemm
| Alfred Schlemm | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 8 December 1894 |
| Died | 24 January 1986 (aged 91) |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch | Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1913–45 |
| Rank | General der Fallschirmtruppe |
| Commands held |
XI Fliegerkorps 1st Flieger-Division II Luftwaffe Field Corps 1st Parachute Army |
| Battles/wars |
Anzio Battle of the Reichswald |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Alfred Schlemm (8 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.
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 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.
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.
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