Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 10th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 1st, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 2nd, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 29th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

3. Batterie, I. Abteilung, Flak-Regiment 231, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

December 12th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 15th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Captain)

Unit:

stellv.Abt.Kdr., I. Abteilung, Flak-Regiment 231 (motorisiert), Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

January 9th, 1945

Müller’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“During the 07. and 08.10.1944 the enemy occupied Haydu-Szoboszlo with strong cavalry and tank formations. Thus, by the morning of the 09.10.1944, they were poised to commence a thrust towards Debrecen from the west and southwest with a total of 3 Guards Cavalry Divisions, 1 Guards Cavalry Corps and a tank regiment.

The I./Flak-Regiment 213 (under the leadership of its acting commander, Hauptmann Müller) and its temporarily motorized Batterien were positioned from the southwest to the northeast edge of Debrecen in order to hold the city at all costs against the overwhelming enemy. During the course of the 08.10.1944 the enemy spearheads already reached Debrecen, and the situation became unfavourable. Therefore the commander ruthlessly sought out men from the supply troops and Abteilung staff in order to fill in the gaps between the battle positions of the Kampfgruppe (which controlled a frontline width of about 14 km). This was made necessary by the fact that the only other infantry unit available consisted of one partially armed alarm Kompanie. Müller also created a ready reserve consisting of several squads, a motorized 2-cm Flak Zug and two 8.8 cm guns. This latter measure would prove particularly important in the fighting that would ensue.

By both day and night, the enemy tried repeatedly to attack the Flak positions at multiple locations simultaneously in order to overrun them and push on into the city proper. However they were checked at every location by the indomitable defensive will of the Flak soldiers. Hauptmann Müller himself constituted the soul of this bitter resistance through his exemplary cold-bloodedness, offensive spirit and outstanding soldierly conduct. In particularly critical (and often seemingly hopeless) situations for the Kampfgruppe he would personally lead his Kanoniere in counterthrusts against the opposing lines.

The ferocious fighting saw our troops and leadership being put under great strain in their efforts to resist the overwhelming foe, but in the end the enemy was unable to penetrate even a single metre into the blocking line of the Flak Abteilung, even with the employment of Guards troops. Throughout the combat the massive amount of battle space forced Müller to correctly identify the focal points of each enemy attack in order to effectively reposition his own forces and thereby smash all onslaughts with concentrated defensive fire.

The high water mark of this bitter struggle came on the 13.10.1944, when the enemy achieved a penetration with tanks and infantry that had the aim of blocking the Debrecen—Derecske highway (a crucial supply artery for the hard-pressed III. Panzer-Korps). In this attack the enemy were brought into a position where they could bring the road under direct fire, and the heavy 8.8 cm guns of the Flakkampftruppe that had been assigned to protect the road were knocked out by tank shells. In this dire hour Müller personally helped to create one operational cannon from the parts of the two knocked out ones, and this was achieved despite the heavy enemy fire. Then, serving as a gunner, he sent up one of the attacking T-34s in flames. Afterwards the telescopic sight was knocked out by the enemy, but even with this he managed to blow up another T-34 with a single shot. The enemy advance was thus temporarily brought to a halt.

Müller and his adjutant then assembled a handful of men from the Kampfgruppe, launched an energetic attack along a frontline width of 300 metres and broke into the enemy lines. Despite bitter opposing resistance, he rolled up the enemy positions in close combat and either killed or routed the defenders. The counterthrust ultimately extended over 1 km into enemy territory, and the Bolsheviks suffered bloody losses in the face of it. Weapons, equipment and prisoners were captured. One anti-tank gun that offered bitter resistance throughout the counterthrust was taken out in a surprise attack. The gun itself was captured in an operational state.

This determined and aggressive action by Müller eliminated a great threat to the overall defense of Debrecen.

Throughout the fighting for Debrecen Hauptmann Müller repeatedly demonstrated the indicators of an experienced eastern front veteran. No setback could shake him, and in the most critical of situations he knew how to inspire and motivate his troops. He had entered into one of his Batterien 8 years ago as a recruit, and he thus has the total confidence of his troops. They follow him without hesitation in both combat and crisis situations alike.

Prior to this combat he and his men had destroyed 30 heavy Soviet tanks, knocked out 20 mortars/guns and killed a confirmed total of 1050 enemy dead. Müller was named in a supplement to the OKW-Bericht after he and his men had destroyed 12 Soviet tanks in 30 minutes during the defensive combat around Voronezh in August 1942.

The defense of Debrecen by Hauptmann Müller and his Kampfgruppe ultimately resulted in a decisive feat of arms. They prevented the far numerically superior Bolshevik forces from carrying on their advance into the Hungarian plain, an act which could have cut off major elements of the German 6. and 8. Armee that were still engaged in the eastern part of Hungary. The iron resistance before Debrecen also forced the enemy to pull out several divisions located west of the Theiss river that were already prepared to advance on the Hungarian capital.

Hauptmann Müller is judged to be worthy of the award of the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross on account of his outstanding achievements, his success in battle and his phenomenal bravery.”