(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalleutnant Walter Behschnitt
Born: 13 Aug 1885 in Reichenbach, Silesia (Schlesien)
Died: 22 Oct 1970 in Frankfurt, Main
Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (12 Aug 1905); Fähnrich (18 Nov 1905); Leutnant (18 Aug 1906); Oberleutnant (17 Feb 1914); Hauptmann (18 Jun 1915); Major (01 Feb 1928); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1932); Oberst (01 Jul 1934); Generalmajor (01 Oct 1937); Charakter als Generalleutnant (01 Oct 1939); Generalleutnant (01 Sep 1940)
Career:
Entered Army Service (14 Mar 1905)
Two Year Volunteer then Fahnenjunker in the 156th Infantry-Regiment (14 Mar 1905-01 Oct 1912)
Detached to the War School Hersfeld (01 Oct 1905-02 Jun 1906)
Adjutant of the II. Battalion of the 156th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1912-01 Oct 1913)
Adjutant of the III. Battalion of the 156th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1913-24 Aug 1914)
Sevrely wounded, in Hospital (24 Aug 1914-09 Nov 1914)
Transferred into the II. Battalion of the 156th Infantry-Regiment (09 Nov 1914-30 Nov 1914)
Company-Leader in the 156th Infantry-Regiment (30 Nov 1914-30 Dec 1914)
Leader of the III. Battalion of the 156th Infantry-Regiment (30 Dec 1914-02 Jan 1915)
Company-Leader in the 156th Infantry-Regiment (02 Jan 1915-01 Apr 1915)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 156th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1915-01 Sep 1915)
Company-Leader in the 156th Infantry-Regiment (01 Sep 1915-31 Dec 1915)
Adjutant of the 23rd Infantry-Brigade (31 Dec 1915-12 May 1916)
Ordinance-Officer in the Staff of the 11th Reserve-Division (12 May 1916-30 Nov 1916)
Transferred into a General-Staff-Position of the XIV. Reserve-Corps (30 Nov 1916-01 Apr 1917)
Transferred into a General-Staff-Position of the 87th Infantry-Division (01 Apr 1917-16 Jun 1917)
Transferred into the General Staff of the Army and in the General-Staff of the Chief of Field Railway Affairs (16 Jun 1917-24 May 1919)
Representative of the Chief of the Field-Railway-Affairs with Army-Group Below (24 May 1919-01 Oct 1919)
Transferred into the Staff of Military-District-Command V, then of 5th Division (01 Oct 1919-01 May 1921)
Company-Chief in the 8th Infantry-Regiment (01 May 1921-01 Oct 1923)
Advisor in the Troop Office, RWM (01 Oct 1923-01 Feb 1928)
Group-Director T2 then T3 in RWM (01 Feb 1928-01 Oct 1930)
Detached to Russia (15 Aug 1929-21 Sep 1928)
Detached to Artillery-Course in Jüterbog (01 Oct 1928-16 Oct 1928)
Transferred into the Staff of Artillery-Leader V (01 Oct 1930-01 Apr 1932)
Commander of the II. Battalion of the 15th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1932-19 Sep 1933)
Detached to the RWM (19 Sep 1933-01 Oct 1933)
Officer with Special Duties with the Chief of the Army Command and Lecturer at the University of Breslau (01 Oct 1933-01 Mar 1934)
Chief of Operations (Ia) in the General-Staff of Group-Command 2 (01 Mar 1934-01 Oct 1934)
Commander of Infantry-Regiment Kassel (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the 15th Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-12 Oct 1937)
Commandant of Army-Service-Office 9 (12 Oct 1937-10 Nov 1938)
Commandant of Fortifications at Aachen (10 Nov 1938-01 Apr 1939)
Commander of the 15th Infantry-Division (01 Apr 1939-06 Oct 1939)
Commander of Replacement-Troops 2, Military-District VI (06 Oct 1939-14 Nov 1939)
Commander of Division 166 (14 Nov 1939-30 Apr 1940)
Commander of the 254th Infantry-Division (30 Apr 1940-23 Mar 1942)
Führer-Reserve OKH (23 Mar 1942-01 May 1942)
Military-Replacement-Inspector Hannover (01 May 1942-20 Feb 1945)
Commandant of Magdeburg (Elbe Defences) (20 Feb 1945-05 Mar 1945)
Führer-Reserve OKH (05 Mar 1945-14 Mar 1945)
Military-Replacement-Inspector Hannover (14 Mar 1945-01 Apr 1945)
Commandant of Einbeck (01 Apr 1945-09 Apr 1945)
In US captivity (09 Apr 1945-17 Dec 1946)
Released (17 Dec 1946)

Awards & Decorations:
- - Deutsches Kreuz in Gold : am 06.09.1942 als Generalleutnant und Komm. 254. Infanteriedivision
- - 1939 EK I –S-
- - 1939 EK II –S-
- - 1914 EK I
- - 1914 EK II
- - Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
- - Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- - Sachsen-Meiningisches Ehrenkreuz für Verdienst im Kriege
- - K.u.K. Österr. Militär-Verdienstkreuz III Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration
- - K.u.K. Österr. Ehrenzeichen vom Roten Kreuz II Klasse
- - Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- - Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I Klasse
- - Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”


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