(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
General der Panzertruppe Werner Kempf
Born: 09 Mar 1886 in Königsberg, Prussia (Preußen)
Died: 06 Jan 1964 in Bad Harzburg
Promotions:
Fähnrich (14 Mar 1905); Leutnant (18 Aug 1906); Oberleutnant (28 Nov 1914); Hauptmann (27 Jan 1914); Major (01 Feb 1929); Oberstleutnant (01 May 1933); Oberst (01 May 1935); Generalmajor (21 Jan 1939); Generalleutnant (01 Aug 1940); General der Panzertruppe (01 Apr 1941)
Career:
Entered Army Service (14 Mar 1905)
Fähnrich in the 149th Infantry-Regiment (14 Mar 1905-01 Oct 1912)
Transferred into the II. Sea-Battalion (01 Oct 1912-01 Jun 1914)
Detached on Board the Heavy Cruiser Vineta for Sea-Cadet-Training (Voyage to South America 11 Aug 1913-16 Mar 1914) (01 Apr 1913-31 Mar 1914)
Adjutant of the 2nd Naval-Infantry-Regiment & General-Staff-Training (01 Aug 1914-01 Apr 1918)
In the General-Staff of Naval-Corps Flandern (01 Apr 1918-01 Oct 1919)
General-Staff-Officer with Naval-Brigade Ehrhardt (Freikorps) (01 Oct 1919-01 Oct 1920)
Company-Chief in the 4th Infantry-Regiment, Stargard (01 Oct 1920-01 May 1922)
In the Staff of of Infantry-Leader II, Schwerin (01 May 1922-01 Apr 1926)
Transferred to the 1st Motor-Transport-Battalion, Technical Training (01 Apr 1926-01 Oct 1926)
Company-Chief in the 1st Motor-Transport-Battalion (01 Oct 1926-01 Oct 1928)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the Staff of the Inspection of Transport Troops, RWM (01 Oct 1928-01 Feb 1932)
Commander of the 7th Motor-Transport-Battalion, Munich (01 Feb 1932-01 Jun 1934)
Chief of Staff of the Inspection of for Army Motorisation (01 Jun 1934-01 Jun 1936)
Inspector for Army Motorisation, RKM (01 Jun 1936-01 Oct 1937)
Commander of the 4th Cavalry-School-Regiment (01 Oct 1937-01 Oct 1938)
Commander of the 4th Panzer-Brigade (01 Oct 1938-01 Aug 1939)
Commander of Panzer-Division Kempf, also Panzer-Formation Ostpreußen (01 Aug 1939-12 Oct 1939)
Commander of the 1st Light Division (12 Oct 1939-18 Oct 1939)
Commander of the 6th Panzer-Division (18 Oct 1939-06 Jan 1941)
Commanding General of XXXXVIII. Army-Corps (Mot.) (06 Jan 1941-31 Jan 1942)
Commanding General of the new XXXXVIII. Army-Corps (Mot.) (05 May 1942-21 Jun 1942)
Commanding General of XXXXVIII. Panzer-Corps (21 Jun 1942-30 Sep 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (30 Sep 1942-21 Feb 1943)
Commander of Army-Detachment Kempf (21 Feb 1943-16 Aug 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH, to Disposal of Commander-in-Chief West (18 Aug 1943-01 May 1944)
Wehrmacht-Commander Ostland, Riga (01 May 1944-01 Sep 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (01 Sep 1944-08 May 1945)
In Captivity (08 May 1945-1947)
Released (1947)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (51): am 03.06.1940 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der 6. Panzer-Division
- Eichenlaub (111): am 10.08.1942 als General der Panzertruppe und Kommandierender General des XLVIII. Panzerkorps
- 1914 EK I: 28.02.1916
- 1914 EK II: 15.09.1914
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz II. Klasse
- Grossherzoglich Oldenburgisches Friedrich August-Kreuz I. Klasse
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK II: 15.09.1939
- Spange zum EK I: 28.09.1939
- Kgl. Rumän. Orden “Michael der Tapfere” III. Klasse: 06.11.1942


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