Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 92 / 20.Panzer-Division

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Führer Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 59 / 20.Panzer-Division

Awarded on:

August 14th, 1943

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

“On the evening of the 17.07.1943 Kampfgruppe Demme (I./59, Pz.A.A. 20, Pi.Btl. 751 remnants, 1./Pz.Pi.Btl. 92, Pz.Jg.Abt. 92 elements and Pz.Abt. 21 elements) was pulled out of the flanking position at Krassnikowo in accordance with the Division’s orders. It was then deployed along the Orss river to reinforce the threatened battle sector Wassiljewskoje—Stolbtscheje.

After overseeing the extraction of the Kampfgruppe the regimental commander, Oberst Demme, rushed ahead to Rylowo. While this was happening the situation around Wassiljewskoje and north of Wjasowaja had worsened. The Russians had taken Wassiljewskoje and were advancing on Rylowo. Oberst Demme immediately formed up parts of the Pz.Abt. 21 and the 1./Pz.Pi.Btl. 92 for a counterthrust and led it from the front. In the fighting which following the death-defying fearlessness of Oberst Demme inspired his troops to give the best they had, and after a hard close-quarters engagement the Russians were thrown out of the village.

However while his I. Bataillon was moving out of Krassnikowo the enemy entered into Wjasowaja with strong infantry and tank forces, and thereafter thrusted forward towards Sswistowo. This move separated the Kampfgruppen of the 20. Pz.Div., opened a path to Bolchoff for the enemy and endangered the operational defense of the Bolchoff salient. Oberst Demme had lost all contact with the Division, and so he decided to act on his own initiative while demonstrating the highest devotion to duty. He immediately dispatched all incoming elements of the I./59 to set up a screen on the hills south and southeast of Wjasowaja as soon as each one arrived. After a short meeting with the commanders of the Pz.Abt. 21, the Pz.Jg.Abt. 92 and the Btl. Oberst Demme gave them orders for the night. They were at the very least to seal off the enemy penetration that had by now extended past Sswistowo in the direction of Rylowo. It was only thanks to the great flexibility of the commander that this objective was fulfilled over the course of the night.

Oberst Demme then immediately reorganized the individual combat units for a counterattack against Wjasowaja. Riflemen and Panzers moved out in accordance with his orders as dawn broke. The troops were by now heavily attrited by the fighting of the last days and exhausted. However the regimental commander was to be found all over at the foremost line, standing on a Panzer, deploying a Pak or encouraging the lead soldiers of a Kompanie. His inspiring energy and example of unwavering confidence and unbreakable offensive spirit gave heart to all of his soldiers and motivated them to press forwards.

Wjasowaja was in friendly hands by 06:00. The developing Russian breakthrough with two battalions and numerous tank forces, one which threatened the entire defensive operation around Bolchoff, was defeated and thereafter cleaned up in various individual engagements. The materiel results of this attack were the hostile losses of numerous prisoners, heavy infantry weapons, still-operational trucks and destroyed tanks. Throughout all this time it was the swift decisiveness of Oberst Demme that tipped the scales of war in our favour, with his correct deployment of the handful of available forces being particularly important for the eventual outcome. And it was only his example of fearlessness in the foremost line that encouraged his extremely weary soldiers to press on in a new attack and hold back a potential Russian breakthrough against the flank of the Bolchoff defensive front before the Russian penetration here definitively managed to sever Demme’s forces from the rest of the Division.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Führer Panzer-Grenadier -Regiment 59 / 20.Panzer-Division

Awarded on:

July 28th, 1944

Awarded for his actions while leading the armoured elements of his Division during the Soviet breakthrough at Bobruisk in the time period 24.06.-04.07.1944. His mission in this time was to proceed northwards and link up with the friendly forces that were trying to breakout towards the northwest. After overrunning a group of dug-in Soviet forces he encountered another group of Soviet soldiers that were preparing to thrust into the flank of the Kampfgruppe that was breaking out. After realizing this new danger he deviated from his mission and attacked this enemy on the 30.06.1944 in the Brizalowitschi area. Oberst Demme personally drove in the foremost line, and even took out an enemy armoured car by ramming it with his own vehicle. His actions enabled the breakthrough to succeed, and he remained with his men despite being wounded himself.

537th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 59, 20. Panzer-Division, Heer