Hermann Reinecke * 14.02.1888 Wittenberg, † 10.10.1973 01.08.1940 Generalleutnant, 01.06.1942 General der Infanterie Hauptkadettenanstalt. 00.00.1937 - 00.00.0000 organisiert “nationalpolitische Lehrgänge“ (für die späteren NSFO) mit ständigen Kontakten zu Heß, Goebbels, Rosenberg und Himmler. Sogenannter “Leiter der Weltanschaulischen Schulung“ 01.12.1939 Amtschef AWA / OKH; ihm nachgeordnet ist die Abteilung Kriegsgefangene im AWA bzw ab 01.01.1942 d ie Amtsgruppe “Chef des Kriegsgefangenenwesens“, zugleich “Inspekteur der Kriegsgefangenenlager“ 00.00.1941 Reinecke zieht grundsätzliche Entscheidungen an sich und vertritt sie auch nach außen Mitte März 1941 ruft die Kommandeure der Kriegsgefangenen in den Wehrkreisen in Berlin im Hinblick auf den bevorstehenden Russlandfeldzug zusammen 26.03.1941 Ehrenteilnehmer bei der Gründung von Rosenbergs “Instituts zur Erforschung der Judenfrage“ in Frankfurt / a.M. Mitte 1941 Es folgt der Befehl zur Einrichtung neuer Lager im Reich, in denen ohne Beachtung der Haager Landkriegsordnung sowjetische Kriegsgefangene “scharf zu behandeln“ und, wenn nicht anders möglich, unter freiem Himmel unterzubringen seien. Auf Flüchtlinge sei entgegen der Vorschrift zu schießen 04.09.1941 Tagung des Chefs AWA in Warschau; Verkündung von Grundsätzen für die schlechte Behandlung und Versorgung von russischen Kriegsgefangenen 08.09.1941 hierzu grundsätzlicher OKW-Befehl: Die sowjetischen Gefangenen haben “jeden Anspruch auf Behandlung als ehrenhafter Soldat ... verloren.“ Das erleichtert die “Lösung der Judenfrage“ bei den (schon längst aktiven) Einsatzgruppen. Reinecke gibt alle relevanten Befehle an die Parteikanzlei weiter, die sie bis auf Kreisleiter-Ebene verbreitet. So kann die Partei die Ausführung und die Ausführenden streng überwachen, was sich im Kriegsgefangenenwesen fatal auswirkt 22.11.1941 Erweiterung des Befehls vom 08.09.1941: wieder ergriffene sowjet. Gefangene sind grundsätzlich zur Liquidierung der nächstgelegenen Dienststelle der Gestapo zu übergeben! . . “Der Waffengebrauch gegenüber sowjetischen Kriegsgefangenen gilt in der Regel als rechtmäßig.“ 01.01.1943 NSDAP-Mitglied ehrenhalber 30.01.1943 Goldenes Ehrenzeichen der NSDAP 25.10.1943 endgültiges Mitglied der NSDAP Oktober 1943 die erste Tagung mit 180 Generalen in der Ordensburg Sonthofen mit Nazigrößen. 22.12.1943 Chef des Nationalsozialistischen Führungsstabes im OKW, Hitler direkt unterstellt 07.01.1944 trägt Hitler sein Konzept für den NSFO vor (der Krieg kann mit 51% Sicherheit durch die weltanschauliche Einstellung und Ausrichtung aller Offiziere gewonnen werden ). Organisiert in der Folge laufend NSFO-Lehrgänge und Generalstagungen, auf denen Nazigrößen wie Hitler, Himmler, Goebbels, Bormann und andere sprechen 08.03.1944 Eröffnung des ersten Lehrgangs in der Ordensburg Krössinsee 20.07.1944 bekommt gegen 21.15h von Hitler über Goebbels den Befehl, das Kommando über die Truppen des Stadtkommandanten und des Wachbataillons in Berlin zu übernehmen und gegen die Bendlerstraße vorzugehen. General von Hase wird von Reinecke entsprechend orientiert, und nach 21.30h zu Goebbels in dessen Dienstwohnung geschickt, wo er zunächst festgehalten und am folgenden Morgen dann verhaftet wird 00.07.1944 - 00.10.1944 an Roland Freislers Seite in den Prozessen gegen die wichtigsten Verschwörer, u.a. Leuschner, Goerdeler, von Hassell, Popitz, die Generale von Witzleben, Hoepner, von Hase und Stieff. An insgesamt 112 Verfahren beteiligt, bei denen gegen 185 Angeklagte 50 Todesurteile verhängt werden. 02.09.1944 der Chef HPA, Burgdorf, protestiert, weil sich Reineckes System immer mehr dem Politruk der Sowjets angleiche 25.10.1944 Freisler meldet dem Reichsjustizminister Thierack, dass Reinecke die weitere Teilnahme beim Volksgerichtshof “ganz unmöglich“ sei, insbesondere gegen seinen früheren Chef, den Generalobersten Fromm 15.03.1945 ein völlig überraschter Reinecke wird von GFM Keitel seines Postens enthoben. Reichsleiter Bormann will aber wegen der katastrophalen Lage keine Änderung in den Befehlsverhältnissen, so dass R. bis zur Auflösung am 10.05.1945 auf seinem Posten bleibt 28.11.1947 Anklageschrift im Fall 12 (sog. OKW-Prozess) 30.12.1947 - 28.10.1948 Dauer des Verfahrens dieses Nürnberger Nachfolgeprozesses 05.02.1948 Verhandlungsbeginn vor dem amerikanischen Militärgericht Va.. Anklage insbesondere wegen Kriegsverbrechen und Verbrechen gegen die Menschlichkeit, Schwerpunkt hierbei der Kommissarbefehl von 1941 mit der daraus resultierenden Ermordung der politischen Kommissare der Roten Armee. Auch die Verantwortung für die Verletzung des Völkerrechts durch die Misshandlung und Ermordung insbesondere sowjetischer Soldaten, von denen etwa 3 Millionen in deutscher Gefangenschaft umkommen, wird ihm angelastet, zumal er die meisten Entscheidungen im Kriegsgefangenenwesen an sich gezogen hatte. 27.10.1948 im Nürnberger OKW-Prozess (Fall XII) als Kriegsverbrecher zu lebenslänglicher Haft verurteilt, 01.10.1954 Entlassung aus Landsberg, Begnadigung im Zusammenhang mit der Entscheidung über die Wiederbewaffnung Westdeutschlands Reinecke war ein sog. “Parteigeneral“. Witthöft, Joachim 12.01.1942 - 30.06.1942 KG XXVII. AK (Nachfolger Walter Weiß m.F.b. seit 01.07.1942) 21.07.1942 - 14.02.1943 Kommandierender General der Sicherungstruppen und Befehlshaber im Heeresgebiet B (Ostfront) 14.02.1943 - 00.07.1943 Befehlshaber Heeresgebiet Süd (Ostfront) 25.07.1943 - 21.09.1943 Kommandierender General der Sicherungstruppen und Befehlshaber im Heeresgebiet B (Oberitalien) 21.09.1943 - 27.10.1943 Militärbefehlshaber Oberitalien 27.10.1943 - 10.01.1944 Befehlshaber im Sicherungsgebiet Alpenvorland 10.01.1944 - 21.01.1944 Befehlshaber in der Operationszone Alpenvorland 21.01.1944 - 01.05.1944 Befehlshaber der Operationszone Alpenvorland (Gruppe Witthöft) 01.05.1944 - 15.05.1944 Kommandierender General des Generalkommandos Witthöft 01.05.1944 Weisung zum korrekten Bandeneinsatz 15.05.1944 - 31.08.1944 Befehlshaber Venetianische Küste 01.09.1944 Führerreserve 16.03.1945 Sonderbeauftragter beim OB West, abgestellt zur Heeresgruppe H (Blaskowitz) 00.04.945 Kommandierender General des Generalkommandos Witthöft (Kampfgruppe Witthöft) in der Lüneburger Heide unter OB Nordwest (GFM Busch) Gerhard Matzky * 19.03.1894 in Küstrin/ Oder + 09.06.1983 in Bad Godesberg 18.08.1913 Leutnant (Pt. 19.08.1911) 15.10.1916 Oberleutnant 01.11.1923 Hauptmann 01.02.1932 Major 01.10.1934 Oberstleutnant 01.04.1937 Oberst 20.04.1941 Generalmajor 20.04.1943 Generalleutnant 01.09.1944 General der Infanterie 01.07.1951 Ministerialdirigent 01.04.1957 Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr) 08.1915 EK I 05.04.1944 Ritterkreuz 00.00.1960 Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland Vater: Major a.D. Rudolf Matzky 1912 humanistisches Abitur 26.03.1912 Fahnenjunker im 4. Oberschlesischen Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 63 (later „“Kaiser Karl von Österreich und König von Ungarn), Oppeln spring 1913 Offizierexamen an der Kriegsschule in Neiße/Oberschlesien („Allerhöchste Belobigung“) 1914 - 1916 Frankreich; Zugführer, Ordonnanzoffizier, Kompanieführer. 3 Verwundungen autumn 1916 im Stab der 3. Landwehrdivision (Ostfront / autumn 1918 Flandern) “Grenzschutz Oberschlesien“ 01.10.1920 im Infanterie-Regiment 7 (Schlesien) 10.1921 Beginn der “Führergehilfenausbildung“ (nach Bestehen der Wehrkreisprüfung beim Wehrkreiskommando III, Berlin) 1921 - 1923 beim Wehrkreiskommando III (in der Rangliste beim Reiter-Regiment 4 und beim Artillerie-Regiment 4 geführt) zwischenzeitlich (temporarily) Truppenkommando beim Infanterie-Regiment 11 1923 Reichswehrministerium, Berlin 10.10.1926 in den Füherstab versetzt, Heeresabteilung (T 1) des Truppenamtes im Reichswehrministerium spring 1926 Adjutant des Abteilungsleiters T 1 (Oberst Werner Freiherr von Fritsch) nebenbei (by the way) 4 Semester Studium an der Technischen Hochschule Berlin-Charlottenburg spring 1927 im Stab des Gruppenkommandos 2 (Kassel), OB Gen.d.Inf. Walther Reinhardt, Chef des Stabes Oberst Gerd von Rundstedt 1928 in der Völkerbundsabteilung des Reichswehrministeriums (Abrüstungsverhandlungen in Genf) 10.1929 Beginn der Teilnahme an den “Reinhardt-Kursen“, Freistellung für (exemption for) 2 Semester Studium der Geschichte und Staatswissenschaften (history and political sciences) an der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Berlin 10.1930 Kompaniechef 3. / 2. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment in Ortelsburg / Ostpreußen (today Szczytno/Poland), “Ortelsburger Jäger“ (Tradition des ehemaligen preußischen Jäger-Bataillons Graf Yorck von Wartenburg Nr. 1) 03.1932 Reichswehrministerium, Berlin. In der Organisationsabteilung (T 2) des Truppenamts, then in der Wehrmachtabteilung des Ministeramts 04.1934 Ia im Wehrkreiskommando VII, München (KG GLt. Wilhelm Adam) 16.03.1935 Ia VII: AK kommandiert zum ersten Lehrgang an der Wehrmachtakademie (01.10.1935 unter Wilhelm Adam gegründet) 1936 Ia im Stab des Gruppenkommandos 1, Berlin (Gen.d.Inf. von Rundstedt) 15.09.1938 - 30.11.1940 Militärattaché an der deutschen Botschaft in Tokio 05.01.1941 - 00.11.1942 Oberquartiermeister IV (OQu IV) im Generalstab des Heeres (unterstellt / subordinated: “Heerwesen-Abteilung“, “Fremde Heere West“, “Fremde Heere Ost“, “Attaché-Abteilung“) 00.11.1942 Führerreserve 10.01.1943 Kommandeur der 21. Infanterie-Division 28.03.1944 - 28.05.1944 Führer des XXVIII. Armee-Korps 11.04.1944 Nennung im Wehrmachtbericht 06.07.1944 Führer des XXVI. Armee-Korps 01.09.1944 Kommandierender General des XXVI. Armee-Korps 00.05.1945 über Pillau nach Schleswig-Holstein Brit. Gefangenschaft 02.1948 released Buchhändler und Schriftsteller (bookseller and writer) 10.1950 “Liaison Director“ in the “German Labour Service” 01.07.1951 Unterabteilungsleiter im Bundesministerium des Innern (Bundesinnenminister Dr. Robert Lehr), zugleich Inspekteur des Bundesgrenzschutzes 01.07.1956 Ministerialdirigent im Bundesministerium der Verteidigung 01.04.1957 - 29.02.1960 Kommandierender General des I. Korps der Bundeswehr, Münster 29.02.1960 Ruhestand (retirement) ehrenamtlich im Deutschen Roten Kreuz (honorary member of the german Red Cross) 04.05.1965 - 1978 Vorsitzender des Verbandes deutscher Soldaten (succeeding Generaloberst a.D. von Salmuth) VIETINGHOFF 1936 Kommandeur der “Panzer-Abteilung 88“ bei der “Legion Condor“ 00.02.1938 erster Inspekteur der Panzertruppe und Heeresmotorisierung 24.11.1938 Kommandeur der 5. Panzerdivision 26.10.1939 Kommandierender General des XIII. Armeekorps 01.11.1940 – 11.06.1942 Kommandierender General des XXXXVI. Armeekorps (mot.), 23.05.1942 Model wird im Fieseler Storch durch MG-Schuss schwer verwundet 00.00.1942 - 00.08.1942 von Vietinghoff-Scheel wird mit der Führung der 9. Armee beauftragt, bis Model am 07.08.1942 seinen Genesungsurlaub in Dresden abbricht (bis 11.06.1942 bleibt er noch zugleich KG XXXXVI. AK [mot.], dann führt dort GdI Hans Zorn, unter dem am 14.06. 1942 die Umbenennung in XXXXVI. Panzerkorps erfolgt) 01.09.1942 Führerreserve 01.12.1942 mit der Führung der 15. Armee beauftragt 09.02.1943 - 31.07.1943 Oberbefehlshaber der 15. Armee 25.08.1943 - 24.10.1943 Oberbefehlshaber der 10. Armee 31.12.1943 - 24.10.1944 erneut Oberbefehlshaber der 10. Armee (24.10.1943-31.12.1943 m.st.F.b. Gen.d.Pz.Tr. Joachim Lemelsen) 24.10.1944 - 16.01.1945 mit der Vertretung des verwundeten Oberbefehlshabers Südwest zugleich Oberbefehlshaber der Heeresgruppe C, GFM Albert Kesselring, beauftragt 16.01.1945 Führerreserve OKH 30.01.1945 - 10.03.1945 Oberbefehlshaber der Heeresgruppe Kurland 10.03.1945 Oberbefehlshaber Südwest zugleich Oberbefehlshaber der Heeresgruppe C 05.04.1945 und 07.04.1945 Generaloberst von Vietinghoff erklärt sich in zwei ausführlichen Gesprächen mit SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Karl Wolff, Höchster SS- und Polizeiführer und Bevollmächtigter General der Deutschen Wehrmacht in Italien, zur Mitwirkung bei der Sonderkapitulation bereit, nachdem Wolff ihn nach Rückkehr aus der Schweiz nach Italien voll in die Pläne einge-weiht hatte. Über Mittelsmänner werden die allierten Unterhänd-ler in Ascona informiert. (Gleichfalls seine Bereitschaft hat sein Chef des Generalstabes, General der Panzertruppe Röttiger, schon am 01.04.1945 erklärt) 22.04.1945 im HQu der Heeresgruppe C (OB Südwest) findet eine große Aussprache statt,. Teilnehmer: der OB, von Vietinghoff genannt Scheel, sein Stabschef, General der Panzertruppe Röttiger, SS-Obergruppenführer Wolff, der Gesandte Dr. Rahn und der Gauleiter von Tirol, Franz Hofer. Man ist sich einig, die Gespräche fortzusetzen, zumal sich die deutsche Niederlage am Po abzeichnet. OTL i.G. Victor von Schweinitz sowie SS-Sturmbannführer Eugen Wenner werden ins alliierte HQu nach Caserta entsandt, Wolff wird als Verhandlungsführer bestimmt 29.04.1945 in Caserta wird die Kapitulation der HGR C unterzeichnet OTL i.G. von Schweinitz (“für Generaloberst von Vietunghoff-Scheel, Oberbefehlshaber Südwest und OB Heeresgruppe C“) und SS-Sturmbannführer Wenner (“für SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Wolff, Höchster SS- und Polizeiführer und Bevollmächtigter General der Deutschen Wehrmacht in Italien“) sowie Stabschef Generalleutnant W. D. Morgan (“für Field Marshal, the Honorable H.R.L.G. Alexander, Supre-me Aliied Commander Mediteranean Theatre of Operations“) unterzeichnen gegen 14 Uhr in Caserta die Kapitulations-Urkunde: Kampfeinstellung 02.05.1945 12 h westeuropäische Zeit 30.04.1945 GFM Kesselring als OB Süd widersetzt sich der Kapitulation und lässt Generaloberst von Vietinghoff-Scheel festnehmen. Auch Wolff wird abgesetzt und pro forma durch Kaltenbrunner ersetzt 01.05.1945 der abgesetzte Generalstabschef Röttiger gibt nicht nach und lässt seinerseits den seit 30.04.1945 amtierenden neuen OB von Kesselrings Gnaden, General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz, mitsamt seinem mitgebrachten neuen Stabschef (also Röttigers Nachfolger) Generalleutnant Fritz Wentzell im HQu Recoaro verhaften. Röttiger seinerseits übernimmt nun die Führung der Heeresgruppe C vom 01.05.1945 bis 02.05.1945 02.05.1945 erst nach Hitlers Tod befiehlt Kesselring die Freilassung von Generaloberst von Vietinghoff-Scheel, der am 02.05.1945 wie Röttiger und Wolff wieder in seine alte Dienststelle eingesetzt wird. Dies geschieht auf Drängen der US-Amerikaner, deren Verhandlungspartner dieser und die anderen Abgesetzten ja waren 02.05.1945 in US-Kriegsgefangenschaft 00.00.1948 entlassen 23.2.1952: died in Pfrontenreid/Allgau. August Winter 00.00.1916 Fahnenjunker 00.00.1917 Leutnant 00.00.1933 Hauptmann 00.00.1936 Major 00.00.1939 Oberstleutnant 00.00.1941 Oberst 00.08.1943 Generalmajor 00.08.1944 Generalleutnant 20.04.1945 General der Gebirgstruppen z.1917 bayr.2.Telegraphen-Btl. 1934 Kriegsakademie 1937 in der 1.Abt./OKH okt 1940 Ia.H.Gr.A bzw.Süd bzw.B april 1943 Chef d.Gen.St.2.Pz.Armee 26.08.1943-11.03.1944 Chef d.Gen.St.d.H.Gr.E 11.03.1944-05.09.1944 Chef d.Gen.St.OB.Südost (H.Gr.F) (15.3.44) 30.10.1944-00.00.1944 kommandiert zum WFSt./OKW 08.11.1944-21.04.1945 stellv.Chef Wehrmachtführungsstab (1.12.44) 24.04.1945-08.05.1945 Chef Führungsstab Süd General der Panzertruppen Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma SPECIAL CAMP 11 This profile is based on a copy of Ritter von Thoma’s microfilmed service record housed at the United States National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. Supplementary sources are listed below. NAME: General der Panzertruppe Wilhelm Josef Ritter von Thoma PW NO 59931 RANK: General der Panzertruppe CAPTURED: Tel el Mampsra, west of El Alamein, Egypt DATE: 4 November 1942 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 11 November 1891 (Born Wilhelm Josef Thoma, he received the personal, non-hereditary title of nobility “Ritter von Thoma” upon award of the Knight’s Cross of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order on 5 July 1916.) PLACE OF BIRTH: Dachau/Oberbayern/Bayern DATE OF DEATH: 30 April 1948 PLACE OF DEATH: Dachau/Bayern NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Catholic OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: WEIGHT: NEXT OF KIN: Starnberg, bei Muenchen, (American Zone) Parents: November 1899 in Dachau and 4 May 1921 in München respectively. Wife: None (Bachelor). A tough but likeable type, he is obviously a born enthusiast who lives in a world of tanks, loves fighting for the zest of it, but would fight without ill-feeling, respecting any opponent. In the Middle Ages he would have been perfectly happy as a knight-errant, challenging all comers at any crossroad for the honour of crossing spears with them. The advent of the tank in warfare was a godsend to such a man, giving him a chance to re-live the part of the mail-clad knight. – B.H. Liddell Hart, The German Generals Talk (1948) Promotions: 23.09.1912 Fahnenjunker
25.01.1913 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
20.05.1913 Fähnrich:
01.08.1914 Leutnant (ohne Patent; later granted Patent vom 30.10.1912)
14.12.1917 Oberleutnant (later granted Patent vom 18.04.1917)
01.02.1925 Hauptmann
01.04.1934 Major
01.08.1936 Oberstleutnant
01.04.1938 Oberst (later granted RDA vom 01.10.1936)
01.08.1940 Generalmajor
01.08.1942 Generalleutnant
01.11.1942 General der Panzertruppe (later granted RDA vom 01.11.1942)
Commands & Assignments: 00.00.1903 – 00.00.1912: Attended the humanistic Ludwigs-Gymnasium in München.
. 23 September 1912: Entered the Royal Bavarian Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Bavarian 3. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern. 1 October 1913-1 August 1914: Detached to the War School in München. 2 August 1914: In the field with the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment. 25 September 1914: Wounded (head grazed by a shot) during the Battle on the Somme, France/treated at the front and remained with the troops. 28 September 1914: Leader of the 11th Company of the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment. 2 October 1914: Wounded (shrapnel hit in right elbow) during the Battle on the Somme, France/treated at the front and remained with the troops. 24 January 1915: Regimental Adjutant of the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment. 12 October 1915: Wounded (chest shot) during the campaign in Serbia/spent five days in hospital. 11 November 1916: Appointed a Knight of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order with effect from 5 July 1916. On 4 June 1916, the Russians unleashed the Brusilov Offensive against the Austro-German forces on the Eastern Front. Commanded by General Alexei A. Brusilov, the Russian Southwest Front consisting of four armies attacked along a nearly 200-mile front and by the end of the month had advanced almost 60 miles and taken some 350,000 Austrian prisoners. While the Austrians collapsed and fell back in retreat, the German units offered stiff resistance and maintained a disciplined withdrawal in the face of the Russian offensive. On 5 July 1916, Leutnant Thoma performed the deed that garnered him the Knight’s Cross of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order, the highest purely military decoration that could be bestowed on Bavarian officers for bravery in war. From Bayerns Goldenes Ehrenbuch (Bavaria’s Golden Honor Book): After hard fighting during the combat between the Styr and Stokhod Rivers and despite the exhaustion of the troops, the Bavarian 11th Infantry Division was again assigned to the area of Ugli-Gruziatyn on 5 July 1916 since the Austrians were withdrawing. Leutnant Thoma and his regimental commander arrived for a situation briefing at the Austrian command post straight in the path of a new Russian attack. The Austrians flooded to the rear, the command post was vacated. Despite close combat, Thoma voluntarily held out alone and sent important messages to regiment and brigade. When the Russians approached the command post, Thoma, on his own initiative, rapidly gathered together a weak Austrian battalion, which, spurred on by his coolness and absolutely fearless bravery, drove the enemy back. He likewise beat back a second and third Russian attack preventing a Russian breakthrough and, by his courageous stand, gave the high command the time and opportunity to send appropriate reinforcements. 4-8 April 1917: Detached to a training course with Field Airship Detachment 14, Colmar. 4-9 February 1918: Detached to the 62nd Course at the Army Gas School in Berlin. 23-27 March 1918: Detached to the 6th Leader Course in Wörth. 25 April 1918: Wounded (grenade fragment in right wrist) during the Battle of Kemmel, Belgium/treated at the front and remained with the troops. 2 May 1918: Leader of the 3rd Machinegun Company of the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment. 14 May 1918: Leader of the I. Battalion of the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment. 18 July 1918-27 October 1919: Prisoner of war in French/American captivity. [After the failure of the fifth and last of the German “Ludendorff Offensives” (15-17 July 1918), the French and Americans, backed by heavy French tank support, launched the first phase of the Aisne-Marne counteroffensive against the German lines southwest of Soissons on the 18th of July. On this date, Ritter von Thoma was captured by American troops, probably Major General Charles P. Summerall’s U.S. 1st Division, while leading the I. Battalion of the Bavarian 3rd Infantry Regiment in a bitter defense of his division’s right flank.] 28 October 1919-9 February 1920: Placed on leave following release from captivity. 10 February 1920: Transferred to Reichswehr-Schützen [Rifle]-Regiment 42 of Reichswehr-Brigade 21 commanded by Oberst Franz Ritter von Epp. 11 February 1920-1 April 1920: Leader of the Recruiting Post Office of Reichswehr-Brigade 21 (listed as Brigade “Epp” in Ritter von Thoma’s service record). 17-25 May 1920: Deputy Battalion Adjutant in Reichswehr-Schützen-Regiment 42 of Reichswehr-Brigade 21. 29 May 1920-10 June 1920: Deputy Hauptmann on the Staff of Reichswehr-Schützen-Regiment 42 of Reichswehr-Brigade 21. 1 January 1921: Transferred to Infantry Regiment 19 upon the formation of the new Reichsheer from the Übergangsheer or Transitional Army. 15 May 1921: Leader of the 6th Company of Infantry Regiment 19. 1 July 1922: Transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion as Battalion Adjutant. [Took part in the suppression of the Nazi uprising (Adolf Hitler’s “Beer Hall Putsch”) in München, 8-23 November 1923.] 27 November 1923: Company Officer in the 2nd Company of the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion. 22 March 1924-14 April 1924: Detached to a course for the leading and use of armored motor vehicle platoons. 24 May 1924-7 June 1924: Detached as Leader of a motorcycle platoon to the exercises of Reiter [Mounted]-Regiment 18 at Grafenwöhr. 12 January 1925: Delegated with the leadership of the 2nd Company of the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion. 1 April 1925: Chief of the 2nd Company of the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion. 9 August 1929: Detached to the staff of Group Command 2. 1 October 1929: Transferred to Group Command 2 and detached to the Motorized Training Command of the 3rd (Prussian) Motorized Battalion. 14-21 December 1930: Detached to Gas Protection Course E in Berlin. 1 February 1931: Transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion and detached to the staff of the 7th Division as the Staff Officer for Motor Transport. 1 March 1931: Transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Medical Battalion and detached to the staff of the 7th Division as the Staff Officer for Motor Transport. 6-31 October 1931: Detached to the Motorized Demonstration Staff in Berlin for participation in a course for the training and testing of military motor vehicle driving experts. 25-26 November 1931: Participated in an examination of the assembly process of the Krupp-Daimler 100-horsepower chassis at the Daimler-Benz Firm in Berlin. 1 May 1933: Transferred to the staff of the 7th Division. 1 August 1934: Transferred to the Motorized Demonstration Command Ohrdruf. [Formed in 1934 at Ohrdruf, the Kraftfahr-Lehrkommando or Motorized Demonstration Command was Germany’s first dedicated tank unit and, in the words of Ritter von Thoma, was “the grandmother of all the others.” Initially composed of one battalion, the unit later gained a second battalion and was equipped with Germany’s first new tank, the small two-man PzKpfw I light tank armed with two machineguns. A second Motorized Demonstration Command was later established at Zossen. These two commands provided the nucleus from which several panzer regiments were born.] 15 October 1935: Commander of the II. Battalion of Panzer Regiment 4 of the 2nd Panzer Division. [This date marked the official formation of Germany’s first three armored divisions: the 1st Panzer Division commanded by General der Kavallerie Maximilian Freiherr von und zu Weichs an der Glon at Weimar; the 2nd Panzer Division commanded by Oberst (later Generalmajor) Heinz Guderian at Würzburg; and the 3rd Panzer Division commanded by Generalleutnant Ernst Feßmann at Berlin.] 9-14 December 1935: Detached to the Army and Luftwaffe Signals Course at the Halle/Salle Signals School. 23 September 1936-8 June 1939: At the disposal of the Army High Command – Commander of Group “Imker” [Beekeeper], the ground contingent of the German Condor Legion in Spain. [Arriving in Spain in early October 1936, the personnel of Group “Imker” were originally volunteers from Panzer Regiment 6 “Neuruppin” of the 3rd Panzer Division. Tasked with training General Francisco Franco’s Spanish Nationalist officers and men in tanks, infantry tactics, and artillery and signals employment, Group “Imker” maintained two, then three panzer training companies equipped with PzKpfw I light tanks (panzer units were codenamed Group “Drohne” or Drone). After completion of their training, the Spanish troops took custody of the tanks at which time a new shipment of PzKpfw I tanks arrived from Germany. Additionally, Group “Drohne” made use of large numbers of the superior Russian tanks captured from Republican forces (the T-26 tank was particularly prized). While ostensibly in Spain in a training capacity, the German Army instructors also rotated to the front to provide further technical advice to the Spanish and to engage in direct combat operations. Ritter von Thoma was a frequent visitor to the combat zones; he later claimed to have taken part in 192 tank actions in Spain.] CLICK ANY PHOTO TO ENLARGE Photos courtesy of Francisco de Asís Romero y Medina Von Thoma gives instructions to a Spanish official. Province of Cáceres, October 1936 Cáceres, 18.10.1936 Franco and Ritter von Thoma. Outskirts of Derio (País Vasco): (left to right) Oberleutnant Willig, Comandante Pujales, Oberstleutnant von Thoma General SperrleOberstleutnant von Funck and von Thoma observe the artillery fire against the final republican positions. Bilbao, June 1937. 8 June 1939: Allocated as a Staff Officer in Berlin – duties determined by the General of the Mobile Troops. 1 August 1939-18 September 1939: Transferred to the staff of Panzer Regiment 3 of the 2nd Panzer Division and, at the same time, delegated with the leadership of the regiment. [In September 1939, the 2d Panzer Division commanded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel took part in the invasion of Poland as a component of General der Kavallerie Ewald von Kleist’s XXII Army Corps (Motorized). Attacking from its staging area in the Orava Valley in Slovakia, von Kleist’s corps advanced south of Kraków and took river crossings on the Dunajec River at Tarnów. Continuing its advance from Rzeszów, the corps then seized a bridgehead on the San River at Jarosław from whence the 2nd Panzer Division advanced northeast to Zamošč. The 2nd Panzer Division then engaged Polish forces at Rawa Ruska, Kulikow, Zolkiew, Tomaszów and Krasnobród before ending its advance and retiring behind the San River that served as the German-Soviet demarcation line in that sector. Ritter von Thoma received the 1939 Bars to both of his First World War Iron Crosses for his performance during the campaign.] 19 September 1939-5 March 1940: Commander of Panzer Regiment 3 of the 2nd Panzer Division. 5 March 1940: General of the Mobile Troops in the Army High Command. 17 July 1941-15 September 1941: At the same time, delegated with the leadership of the 17th Panzer Division on the Eastern Front. [Commanded by Generalmajor Dipl. Ing. Karl Ritter von Weber (acting commander in place of Generalleutnant Hans-Jürgen von Arnim who had been wounded on 26 June 1941 near Stolpce), the 17th Panzer Division was engaged in the invasion of the Soviet Union as a component of Army Group Center. On 17 July 1941, Ritter von Thoma assumed temporary command of the division after Generalmajor Ritter von Weber—a fellow holder of the Knight’s Cross of the Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order—was severely wounded near Krassnyj, south of Smolensk (he died two days later). Generaloberst Heinz Guderian, the Commander of Panzer Group 2, remarked on Ritter von Thoma’s appointment to the 17th Panzer Division in his memoirs, Panzer Leader: “He was one of our most senior and experienced panzer officers; he had been famous for his icy calm and exceptional bravery both in the First World War and in Spain, and was now to prove his ability once again.” Ritter von Thoma led the division until 15 September 1941, when Generalleutnant Hans-Jurgen von Arnim, since recovered from his wounds, resumed command.] 15 September 1941: Army High Command Leader Reserve – duties determined by the Commander of Wehrkreis [Military District] III, Berlin. 14 October 1941-1 July 1942: Commander of the 20th Panzer Division on the Eastern Front. [Succeeding Generalmajor Horst Stumpff as divisional commander, Ritter von Thoma led his new command on the drive on Moscow that began on 15 November 1941. Despite the onset of a brutal winter, the Germans doggedly advanced on Moscow from the north and the south in an attempt to close the pinchers around the Russian capital. However, the increasing cold, fierce local counterattacks and lack of reserves slowed the German advance. On 6 December 1941, the Russians launched the first of a series of major counteroffensives that forced the Germans back from Moscow. By the end of the month, Ritter von Thoma received the coveted Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross for organizing and holding a new defensive position on the Ruza River despite being closely pursued by strong Soviet forces. On 15 January 1942, Hitler finally bowed to the inevitable and authorized his freezing and exhausted armies to slowly pull back in measured stages to the Rzhev-Gzhatsk-Orel-Kursk line (Königsberg Line). After continuing to serve on the Moscow front, Ritter von Thoma relinquished command of the 20th Panzer Division to Generalmajor Walther Düvert.] 1 July 1942: Army High Command Leader Reserve – duties determined by the Commander of Wehrkreis III, Berlin. 1 September 1942-4 November 1942: Delegated with the leadership of the German Afrika Korps for the duration of the absence of the commanding general. [In the early morning hours of 31 August 1942, General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring, the Commanding General of the German Afrika Korps, was wounded when a British aircraft bombed his command vehicle during the Battle of Alam Halfa. Temporary command of the corps passed briefly to Nehring’s chief of staff, Oberst Fritz Bayerlein, until later in the morning when Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst relinquished command of the 15th Panzer Division to assume leadership of the German Afrika Korps. Although formally appointed to command on 1 September 1942, various sources indicate Ritter von Thoma did not actually arrive in North Africa to take command of the German Afrika Korps until the 17th of September.] 24-25 October 1942: Delegated with the leadership of Panzer Army Afrika. [Ritter von Thoma briefly commanded the army after its commander, General der Kavallerie Georg Stumme, suffered a fatal heart attack during the Battle of El Alamein. At the time, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel was en route to North Africa from Germany where he had been on sick leave. Rommel arrived on the 25th of October and resumed command of Panzer Army Afrika.] 4 November 1942: Captured by the British at Tel el Mampsra, west of El Alamein, Egypt. [On 23 October 1942, the decisive Battle of El Alamein commenced when General Sir Bernard Law Montgomery’s British Eighth Army began its offensive against the German-Italian Panzer Army Afrika front in Egypt. In the face of rapidly mounting losses and dangerous penetrations into his line, Generalfeldmarschall Rommel prepared to withdraw his army into Libya. However, Adolf Hitler intervened and, on the 3rd of November, issued the astonishing order for Panzer Army Afrika to remain and fight where it was. Ominously, Hitler concluded his order with these sober words to Rommel: “As to your troops, you can show them no other way than that to victory or death.” Appalled at this controversial order, Ritter von Thoma declared it “madness” and, with his German Afrika Korps grinding itself to pieces in desperate counterattacks and virtually bereft of tanks, mounted one of the tanks of his headquarters guard unit and drove to the apex of the battle. With his tank hit several times and on fire, Ritter von Thoma dismounted and stood quietly amongst a sea of burning tanks and German dead scattered around the small hill of Tel el Mampsra where he was taken prisoner by Captain Allen Grant Singer of the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own). (Rommel later opined that Ritter von Thoma was probably seeking his death in battle while other staff officers quietly speculated that he went to the front to deliberately surrender.) That evening, Ritter von Thoma dined with General Montgomery at his headquarters to discuss the battle. B.H. Liddell Hart later recorded Ritter von Thoma’s reaction to Montgomery’s revelations over dinner: “I was staggered at the exactness of his knowledge…He seemed to know as much about our position as I did myself.”] 4 November 1942-1946: Prisoner of war in British captivity. [Over the next several years, Ritter von Thoma was held in several senior officer prisoner of war camps in Great Britain including Trent Park (Barnet, Middlesex), Wilton Park (Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire), Grizedall Hall (Hawkshead, Lancashire) and Island Farm (Bridgend, Glamorgan). In late 1945, SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer, captured in Belgium in September 1944 while commanding the 12th SS-Panzer Division “Hitler Jugend,” arrived at Trent Park and noted Ritter von Thoma, the German camp leader, was “…highly thought of by the English. Relations between him and the guards is excellent.” In 1945, Ritter von Thoma had one of his legs amputated at Wilton Park and was fitted with an artificial limb in Cardiff.] 20 November 1942 transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp. 21 July 1946 transferred to Camp 160 Military Hospital from Camp 300. Dated 20 July 46 - Held on strength of Island Farm Special Camp 11 with effect from this date (UM/M/1879/PW1) 23 September 1947 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 99 25 November 1947 Repatriated Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 31 December 1941, Generalmajor, Commander of the 20th Panzer Division. Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order, Knight’s Cross: 5 July 1916, Leutnant, Adjutant of the Royal Bavarian 3. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern. [Established on 8 June 1797 by Kurfürst (Elector) Karl Theodor of Bavaria, the Military Max Joseph Order was the highest purely military decoration that could be bestowed on Bavarian officers for bravery in war. Recipients of the order received a patent of personal, non-hereditary nobility in the form of the title “Ritter von…” Including 35 awards rendered to non-Bavarians, the order was bestowed only 300 times during World War I: Grand Cross (25 recipients), Commander’s Cross (22 recipients) and Knight’s Cross (253 recipients). The order was inscribed with the motto VIRTUTI PRO PATRIA or Courage on Behalf of the Fatherland.] Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 3 June 1915. Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 17 October 1914. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class: 1939. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class: 1939. Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 (“East Medal”) – It is unknown if Ritter von Thoma actually received this medal before his capture, but his service on the Eastern Front during the winter of 1941-1942 fit the award criteria. Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords: 16 November 1914. Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918: 1935. Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration: 5 April 1916. German Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds Spanish Military Medal with Diamonds Spanish Campaign Medal Condor Legion Panzer Badge in Gold – This unique version of the standard silver badge was presented to Ritter von Thoma by the men of his command at the Nationalist Victory Day Parade in Madrid, Spain on 19 May 1939. Wound Badge in Silver – World War I award: 22 November 1916 (Ritter von Thoma was wounded four times in World War I.) Notes on Decorations: A certain amount of conjecture exists regarding the award of the German Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds and the Spanish Military Medal with Diamonds to Ritter von Thoma. While he definitely received the medals in question, the debate centers on whether or not they were embellished with Diamonds. The Diamond embellishments are mentioned in at least one reference book: Virtuti Pro Patria: Der königlich bayerische Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden. General der Panzertruppe Ritter von Thoma’s World War I Combat Service Record: During World War I, Ritter von Thoma saw extensive combat service on the Western, Eastern and Serbian Fronts while assigned to the Bavarian 3. Infanterie-Regiment Prinz Karl von Bayern of the Bavarian 11th Infantry Division commanded by Generalleutnant Paul Ritter von Knueßl. Western Front 2-11 August 1914: Combat in the Vosges. 20-22 August 1914: Battle in Lorraine. 22 August 1914-14 September 1914: Battle of Nancy-Epinal. 23 September 1914-6 October 1914: Battle on the Somme. 7 November 1914-1 April 1915: Positional combat near Péronne. Eastern Front 1-3 May 1915: Battle of Gorlice-Tarnow, Galicia. 4 May 1915: Breakthrough following the Battle of Gorlice-Tarnow, Galicia 14 May 1915: Crossing of the San River, Galicia. 26 May 1915-7 June 1915: Combat near Przemysl, Galicia. 8 June 1915: Engagement near Hodynie, Galicia. 9-10 June 1915: Attack against M.H. Jozefowka, Galicia. 12-15 June 1915: Attack battle of Lubaczow, Galicia. 12-22 June 1915: Battle of Lemberg, Galicia. 22 June 1915-16 July 1915: Combat on the Galician-Polish border. 17-18 July 1915: Battle of Maslomencze. 19-30 July 1915: Battle of Hrubieszow. 31 July 1915: Battle of Strelcze. 1-3 August 1915: Battle of Chelm. 7-14 August 1915: Battle on the Ucherka. 13-17 August 1915: Battle of Wlodawa. 18-24 August 1915: Attack on Brest-Litovsk. 25-26 August 1915: Capture of Brest-Litovsk. 27-28 August 1915: Pursuit to Kobryn. 29-30 August 1915: Pursuit through the Pripet Marshes. Serbian Front 7-11 October 1915: Crossing of the Sava-Danube Rivers into Serbia. 6 October 1915-28 November 1915: Campaign in Serbia. Western Front 28 February 1916-17 May 1916: Battle of Verdun. 4 March 1916-18 April 1916: Battle in the Bois d’Avocourt. Eastern Front 7 June 1916-15 July 1916: Combat on the Styr and Stokhod Rivers. 16-27 July 1916: Combat on the upper Styr River. 28 July 1916-10 October 1916: Battle of Kovel. 15 October 1916-9 November 1916: Combat in the Vulcan Mountains on the Romanian border. 10-14 November 1916: Engagement at Szurduk (Surduc) on the Romanian border. 16-17 November 1916: Engagement at Târgu Jiu, Romania. 18-23 November 1916: Breakthrough into western Walachia, Romania. 24-27 November 1916: Combat in the Aluta Valley, Romania. 1-5 December 1916: Battle of the Arges River, Romania. 6 December 1916: Capture of Bucharest, Romania. 9 December 1916-6 January 1917: Breakthrough into eastern Walachia, Romania. Western Front 20-25 April 1917: Positional combat in Upper Alsace. 29 April 1917-6 June 1917: Double Battle of the Aisne and Champagne. 5 July 1917-11 October 1917: Positional combat in Champagne. 14 October 1917-14 November 1917: Autumn Battle in Flanders. 25 November 1917-13 January 1918: Positional combat between the Maas and the Mosel. 11 February 1918-29 March 1918: Positional combat between the Maas and the Mosel. 10-29 April 1918: Battle of Kemmel, Belgium. 30 April 1918-2 June 1918: Border defense on the Franco-Belgian border. 4-13 June 1918: Battle near Soissons and Reims. 14-30 June 1918: Positional combat between the Oise and the Marne. 5-17 July 1918: Positional combat southwest of Soissons. 18 July 1918: Defensive battle between Soissons and Reims (prisoner of war). General der Panzertruppe Ritter von Thoma and the Secret of Peenemünde Although the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) had learned in 1939 that a German experimental station existed at Peenemünde on the Baltic coast, its true function was not known. By the end of 1942, the SIS had received many fragmented and conflicting reports that the Germans were developing a long-range rocket program with probable launching sites in France. Additionally, aerial reconnaissance photographs taken in early 1943 revealed the Germans had recently built new structures and a power station at Peenemünde. Shortly thereafter, the SIS received a valuable tip from a most unusual source. On 22 March 1943, Generals der Panzertruppe Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma and Ludwig Crüwell, both captured by the British in North Africa, were heard discussing Germany’s rocket program while being held in London.* With a microphone planted in the room, the SIS listened as Ritter von Thoma discussed a rocket test he had witnessed at Kummersdorf West while in the company of Generalfeldmarschall Walther von Brauchitsch, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and other technical program details **. Spurred on by this plausible information, further British reconnaissance flights over Peenemünde in May-June 1943 brought back unmistakable images of rockets at the facility. The Allies were on target: Peenemünde was the German center for research and testing of the pilotless, guided missiles and long-range ballistic missiles better known as the V-1 “Buzz Bomb” or “Doodlebug” and the V-2 respectively. (See profile of Generalmajor Dr. Ing. h.c. Walter Robert Dornberger who was also held as a prisoner of war at Special Camp 11, Bridgend.) * On 29 May 1942, General der Panzertruppe Ludwig Crüwell, the Commanding General of the German Afrika Korps, was shot down and captured by the British while on a reconnaissance flight during the Battle of Gazala. After being held as a prisoner in England, General Crüwell (PW No. 20772) was later transferred to the United States where he was imprisoned at Camp Clinton near Jackson, Mississippi. This camp housed the majority of all German generals held as prisoners of war in the United States. ** The Kummersdorf West Research Station, located south of Berlin, was the site of Germany’s first military experimental rocket testing facility. Although the facility began transferring to Peenemünde in 1937, Kummersdorf West was still used as a rocket research and development site for some time thereafter. Movie Portrayals: La Battaglia di El Alamein (1969), Tom Felleghy. SOURCES: Bayerns Goldenes Ehrenbuch. Den Inhaber der höchsten bayerischen Kriegsauszeichnungen aus dem Weltkrieg 1914/1918. Bayerisches Kriegsarchiv, 1928. Bender, Roger James & Law, Richard D. Uniforms, Organization and History of the Afrika Korps. R. James Bender Publishing, San Jose, California, 1973. Bender, Roger James. Uniforms, Organization and History Legion Condor. R. James Publishing, San Jose, California, 1992. Carell, Paul. The Foxes of the Desert. Mervyn Savill, translator. Bantam Books, New York, New York, 1972 printing. Guderian, Heinz. Panzer Leader. Constantine Fitzgibbon, translator. De Capo Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 2002 (unabridged republication of the 1952 first edition). Haythornwaite, Philip J. The World War One Sourcebook. Arms and Armour Press, London, United Kingdom, 1992. Hinsley, F.H., et al. British Intelligence in the Second World War: Its Influence on Strategy and Operations, Volume Three, Part I. Cambridge University Press, New York, New York, 1984. Irving, David. The Trail of the Fox. Avon Books, New York, New York, 1978 printing. Klietmann, Dr. Kurt G. Pour le Mérite und Tapferkeitsmedaille. Verlag “Die Ordenssammlung,” Berlin, Germany, 1966. Kramer, Rudolf von; Waldenfels, Otto Freiherr von & Pechmann, Dr. Günther Freiherr von. Virtuti Pro Patria: Der königlich bayerische Militär-Max-Joseph-Orden. Munich, Germany, 1966. Liddell Hart, B.H. The German Generals Talk, Quill, New York, New York, 1979 printing of original 1948 edition. Liddell Hart, B.H. (editor). The Rommel Papers. Paul Findlay, translator. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, Inc., New York, New York, 1953. Messenger, Charles. The Last Prussian: A Biography of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, 1875-1953. Brassey’s, London, United Kingdom, 1991. Meyer, Kurt. Grenadiers. Michael Mendé, translator. J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing, Winnipeg, Canada, 1994. Sullivan, Matthew Barry. Thresholds of Peace: Four Hundred Thousand German Prisoners and the People of Britain, 1944-1948. Hamish Hamilton, London, United Kingdom, 1979. Ziemke, Earl F. Moscow to Stalingrad: Decision in the East. Army Historical Series. Washington D.C.: Center of Military History, United States Army, 1987. Refer to this website for a transcript of an account of the French/American Aisne-Marne Counteroffensive during which Ritter von Thoma was captured on 18 July 1918. He was described as “Die Seele das Widerstandes” (“the soul of resistance”) of the sector manned by his battalion. (Reichsarchiv Band 35, von seite 34 bis 52): http://perso.club-internet.fr/batmarn2/rar35_03.htm World War II Day-by-Day website consulted for the Heereslage Ost daily situation reports to track the movements of the 2nd Panzer Division during the 1939 Polish Campaign: http://www.wwiidaybyday.com/ General der Panzertruppe Gustav von Vaerst SPECIAL CAMP 11 This profile is based on a copy of General der Panzertruppe von Vaerst’s microfilmed service record housed at the United States National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. As the service record covered only the period from 1912-1935, supplemental sources (see below) were consulted for the remainder of von Vaerst’s military career. NAME: General der Panzertruppe Gustav Fritz Julius von Vaerst PW NO: 18808 RANK: General der Panzertruppe CAPTURED: Vicinity of Bizerta, Tunisia DATE: 9 May 1943 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 19 April 1894 PLACE OF BIRTH: Meiningen/Saxe-Meiningen/Prussia DATE OF DEATH: 10 October 1975 PLACE OF DEATH: NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Evangelical OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: WEIGHT: NEXT OF KIN: Parents: Gustav and Emmeline (née Hack) von Vaerst. Wife: Married Astor Freiin von Swaine on 30 August 1925 in Obertheres am Main – one son and three daughters. Promotions: Fahnenjunker: 15 July 1912 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier: 17 December 1912 Fähnrich: 22 March 1913 Leutnant: 17 February 1914 – Patent 21 February 1912 Oberleutnant: 18 April 1917 (R) – RDA later changed to 18 April 1917 (3) Rittmeister: 1 June 1924 (9) Major: 1 February 1934 (7) Oberstleutnant: 1 August 1936 Oberst: 1 March 1939 – RDA later changed to 1 August 1937 (27) Generalmajor: 1 September 1941 (22) Generalleutnant: 1 December 1942 General der Panzertruppe: 1 March 1943 (2) Commands & Assignments: Easter 1903-1907: Attended Gymnasium (High School) in Meiningen. June 1907-1908: Attended Realgymnasium in Meiningen. July 1908-13 July 1912: Attended Realgymnasium in München; attained his certificate of graduation from that institution. 15 July 1912: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker in Husaren-Regiment Landgraf Friedrich III von Hessen-Homburg (2. Kurhessisches) Nr.14. 3 August 1914: In the field with Hussar Regiment 14 and detached as an Ordnance Officer to the 22nd Cavalry Brigade. 1 December 1914: Returned to Hussar Regiment 14. 1 April 1915: Detached as an Ordnance Officer to the 22nd Cavalry Brigade. 26 May 1916: Returned to Hussar Regiment 14. 8 June 1916-27 August 1916: Deputy Regimental Adjutant of Hussar Regiment 14. 2 November 1916-27 December 1916: Deputy Regimental Adjutant of Hussar Regiment 14. 18 February 1917-25 February 1917: Detached to a course with Assault Battalion 4. 10 April 1917-20 September 1917: Deputy Regimental Adjutant of Hussar Regiment 14. 21 September 1917: Regimental Adjutant of Hussar Regiment 14. 5 August 1918: Detached as Deputy Adjutant to the staff of the 22nd Cavalry Brigade. 11 November 1918: Returned to Hussar Regiment 14 and delegated with the leadership of the 3rd Squadron. 28 February 1919: Delegated with the leadership of the 2nd Squadron of Volunteer Hussar Regiment Hessen-Homburg. 1 November 1919: Transferred to Reichswehr Cavalry Regiment 11. 1 April 1920: Transferred to the 16th Reiter [Mounted]-Regiment. 3 January 1921: Detached to Wehrkreis [Military District] Command VII in München for training as an Officer for Special Employment. 20 June 1922-31 July 1922: Detached to the II. Battalion of the 21st (Bavarian) Infantry Regiment. 1 October 1922: Relieved of his command to the staff of the 7th Division. 1 October 1924: Leader of the Machinegun Platoon of the 16th Reiter-Regiment. 30 September 1924-23 October 1924: Detached to a machinegun course at Sennelager. 1 October 1925: Chief of the 6th Squadron of the 16th Reiter-Regiment. 15 July 1927-15 August 1927: Detached to a course promoting standardized riding training at Hannover. 4-23 March 1929: Detached to the Course for Physical Education at Wünsdorf. 1 October 1929: Chief of the 3rd Squadron of the 16th Reiter-Regiment. 6 December 1929: Saber of Honor for good shooting with the carbine. 5-19 September 1930: Detached to the Hungarian Army. 1-7 October 1930: Detached to a cavalry course at Neuhammer. 1 November 1930: Transferred to the staff of the 1st Cavalry Division. 3 December 1930: Message of greeting from the Chief of the Army Command (General der Infanterie Kurt Freiherr von Hammerstein-Equord) for good shooting with the carbine. 1 July 1933: Detached to the Cavalry School at Hannover. 1 January 1935: Transferred to the Hannover War School. 20 January 1938: Commander of Schützen [Rifle]-Regiment 2 of the 2nd Panzer Division. 11 April 1939-31 May 1941: Commander of the 2nd Schützen-Brigade of the 2nd Panzer Division. [In September 1939, the 2nd Panzer Division, commanded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel, took part in the invasion of Poland as a component of General der Kavallerie Ewald von Kleist’s XXII Army Corps (Motorized). Following the Polish Campaign, the 2nd Panzer Division transferred to western Germany and then engaged in the invasion of the Low Countries and France in May-June 1940. After a period of occupation and training duty in Poland, the division took part in Operation “Marita,” the invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941 as a component of General der Infanterie Franz Böhme’s XVIII Mountain Army Corps. Prior to Operation “Barbarossa,” the invasion of the Soviet Union, Oberst von Vaerst relinquished command of the 2nd Schützen-Brigade to Oberst Arno von Lenski. An officer evaluation prepared by Generalleutnant Veiel on 25 August 1941 assessed Oberst von Vaerst’s command qualities: “Splendid man of high personal standards. Practical, clear, calm and determined in his leadership and issuance of commands before the enemy! He has proven outstanding! Knight’s Cross holder. His formal performance as a brigade commander as well as a leader of a mixed combat group is very good.”] 1 June 1941-8 December 1941: Although his exact duty status during this period is not known, it appears from the evaluation cited above that Oberst/Generalmajor von Vaerst was serving at the School for Mobile Troops at Krampnitz for at least a part of the time. 9 December 1941-12 December 1942: Delegated with the leadership of the 15th Panzer Division in North Africa. 12 December 1942-26 May 1942: Commander of the 15th Panzer Division in North Africa. 26 May 1942: Wounded/in hospital. [After Generalmajor von Vaerst was wounded during the Battle of Gazala in Libya, temporary leadership of the 15th Panzer Division passed to Oberst Eduard Crasemann, commander of the division’s Artillery Regiment 33 (Motorized).] 8 July 1942-31 August 1942: Again, Commander of the 15th Panzer Division in North Africa. 31 August 1942-17 September 1942: Delegated with the leadership of the German Afrika Korps. [In the early morning hours of 31 August 1942, General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring, the Commanding General of the German Afrika Korps, was wounded when a British aircraft bombed his command vehicle during the Battle of Alam Halfa. Temporary command of the corps passed briefly to Nehring’s chief of staff, Oberst Fritz Bayerlein, until later in the morning when Generalmajor von Vaerst relinquished command of the 15th Panzer Division to Generalmajor Heinz von Randow and assumed leadership of the German Afrika Korps. Although formally appointed to command on 1 September 1942, various sources indicate Generalleutnant (later General der Panzertruppe) Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma did not actually arrive in North Africa to take command of the German Afrika Korps until the 17th of September. Generalmajor von Vaerst resumed command of his division upon Ritter von Thoma’s arrival.] 17 September 1942-11 November 1942: Again, Commander of the 15th Panzer Division in North Africa. 11 November 1942: On sick leave. 28 February 1943-9 May 1943: Commander-in-Chief of the 5th Panzer Army in North Africa. 9 May 1943-Circa 1946/1947: Prisoner of war in British captivity. [Pushed into a pocket southeast of Bizerta by the British-American linkup at Protville in Tunisia, General der Panzertruppe von Vaerst unconditionally surrendered his battered 5th Panzer Army on 9 May 1943 to Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley’s U.S. II Corps. On 12 May 1943, Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim, the Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Afrika, accompanied by General der Panzertruppe Hans Cramer, the Commanding General of the German Afrika Korps, surrendered at Ste.-Marie-du-Zit to Lieutenant-General Charles W. Allfrey and Major-General F.I.S. Tuker, commanders of the British V Corps and the 4th Indian Division respectively. The next morning, Maresciallo d’Italia Giovanni Messe surrendered the remnants of his Italian 1st Army to Major-General Sir Bernard C. Freyberg, the commander of the 2nd New Zealand Division, thus ending the long and costly campaign in North Africa.] Known POW camp transfers 16 May 1943 - transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp. 1 June 1943 - departure from Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp to unknown camp. Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 30 July 1940, Oberst, Commander of the 2nd Schützen-Brigade. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 24 December 1916. Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 25 September 1914. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War: 30 May 1915. Schaumburg-Lippe Cross for Faithful Service: 29 November 1914. Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 00.00.194_ Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber (?)
00.00.1942 Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Schwarz (?)
00.00.1943 Ärmelband “Afrika”
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung III. Klasse
08.11.1938 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
NOTE: Based on his service in World War II, it would seem probable that General der Panzertruppe von Vaerst was a recipient of the following decorations: Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze or Silver; Wound Badge in Black (for wounds received on 26 May 1942); and the “AFRIKA” Campaign Cuff-Title. However, no photographic or documentary evidence has been seen to support this assumption. General der Panzertruppe von Vaerst’s World War I Combat Service Record: Western Front 6-18 August 1914: Engagement against the Othain and Ciers Districts and reconnaissance in force at Fillen. 22-27 August 1914: Battle of Longwy – Longuyon and the Othain District. 28 August 1914-1 September 1914: Battle of the Maas River crossings. 2-3 September 1914: Battle of Varennes – Montfaucon. 4-5 September 1914: Pursuit west of Verdun and through the Argonne. 7-11 September 1914: Battle on the Rhine-Marne canal. 4-6 October 1914: Engagement before Lille. 8-15 October 1914: Engagement at St. Jans Cappel – Metern – Berquin – Estaires. 15-28 October 1914: Battle of Lille. 30 October 1914-24 November 1914: Battle of Ypern. 13 October-13 December 1914: Positional combat in Flanders and Artois. Eastern Front 3-21 April 1915: Positional combat between Augustow, Mariampol and Pilwizki. 26 April 1915-29 May 1915: Advance against Lithuania and Courland. 28 April 1915: Engagement at Kielmy. 30 April 1915: Engagement at Schaulen. 2 May 1915: Engagement at Skaiskiry and Janisehky. 4-9 May 1915: Advance against Kieidany. 5 May 1915: Engagement at Beisagola. 7 May 1915-13 July 1915: Engagement on the lower Bubissa. 9-15 May 1915: Engagement at Schaulen. 19-26 May 1915: Engagement at Rossanie. 27 May 1915-4 June 1915: Engagement at Sawdiniky and Podubis. 4-7 June 1915: Engagement at Cytowiany. 6-7 June 1915: Engagement at Bubice. 8-9 June 1915: Engagement at Jlgize. 10-26 June 1915: Engagement at Zoginie and on the Bagno-Terule. 14-25 July 1915: Battle of Schaulen. 30 July 1915-7 August 1915: Battle of Kupischki. 3-10 August 1915: Engagement at Kowarsk and Willkomierz. 19 August 1915-8 September 1915: Niemen Battle. 9 September 1915-2 October 1915: Battle of Vilna. 1 January 1916-10 August 1916: Positional combat between Krewo – Smorgen – Lake Narotsch. 25 August 1916-21 November 1916: Positional combat west of Brody. 9-20 December 1916: Combat pursuit to Jalomita – Prahova – Buzaul. Western Front 9 January 1917-24 February 1917: Border defense on the Belgian-Holland border. 16 March 1917-7 April 1917: Combat before the “Siegfried” Front. 29 June 1917-9 September 1917: Border defense on the Belgian-Holland border. Eastern Front 14 September 1917-20 October 1917: Positional combat on the upper Styr and Stokhod Rivers. 3 December 1917-16 February 1918: In the War Zone on the Stokhod River during the cessation of hostilities. 19 February 1918-15 November 1918: Combat in support of the Ukraine. 16 November 1918-14 January 1919: Evacuation of the Ukraine. 15 January 1919-20 February 1919: Border and railway protection in Bialystock. 21 February 1919: Evacuation home. Supplemental Sources: Atkinson, Rick. An Army at Dawn: The War in North Africa, 1942-1943. Henry Holt and Company, Inc., New York, New York, 2002. Bender, Roger James & Law, Richard D. Uniforms, Organization and History of the Afrika Korps. R. James Bender Publishing, San Jose, California, USA, 1973. Bender, Roger James & Odegard, Warren W. Uniforms, Organization and History of the Panzertruppe. R. James Bender Publishing, San Jose, California, 1980. Carell, Paul. The Foxes of the Desert. Mervyn Savill, translator. Bantam Books, New York, New York, 1972 printing. Mehner, Kurt. Die deutsche Wehrmacht 1939-1945: Führung und Truppe. Militair-Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, Germany, 1993. General der Artillerie Anton Reichard Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt BechtolsheimSOME OF THE PRISONERS SPECIAL CAMP 11 Poor quality photo due to it being a scan taken from the Xeroxed copy of the service record. This profile is based on a copy of Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim’s microfilmed service record housed at the United States National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. A nephew of the late general graciously provided the family photographs and supplementary biographical and family information. NAME: General der Artillerie Anton-Reichard Hermann Friedrich Maria Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim PW NO: 560392 RANK: General der Artillerie CAPTURED: Norway DATE: 16 October 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 9 July 1896 PLACE OF BIRTH: Würzburg/Bayern DATE OF DEATH: 9 February 1961 PLACE OF DEATH: Würzburg/Bayern NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Roman Catholic OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: 6’ 1” WEIGHT: 189 Pounds HAIR COLOUR: Dark Brown EYE COLOUR: Grey-Blue NEXT OF KIN: Parents: Franz Philipp Gottfried Anton Hermann Moritz Maria Freiherr and Sophie Freifrau (née Freiin von und zu Guttenberg) von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim. Wife: Married Marie-Gabriele Freiin von Ritter zu Groenesteyn (born 17 October 1900) on 21 May 1919 in München – one daughter. Divorced on 15 April 1924 in Würzburg. Remarried on 9 August 1930 in Solitude near Stuttgart to Erika Maria Notthaft Freiin von Weißenstein (born 13 May 1904) – three sons and one daughter. Brother: Kapitän zur See Theodor Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim (26 August 1902-20 April 1973) – see biographical details below. NOTE: Despite sharing the same name, Generalmajor Gustav Maria Benno Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim (16 June 1889, München-25 December 1969, Nonnenhorn) and Anton were not brothers. The family split into two branches during the 16th Century and each general hailed from opposite family branches. During World War II, Gustav commanded Infantry Regiment 404 and the 707th Infantry Division before serving as the Inspector of the Regensburg Regional Recruiting Inspectorate for the remainder of the war. Promotions: 07.08.1914 Fahnenjunker
01.10.1914 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter
25.11.1914 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
17.12.1915 Fähnrich
27.03.1916 Leutnant (ohne Patent; 01.10.1917: Granted Patent vom 23.06.1914, later changed to 01.04.1914)
22.02.1924 Oberleutnant (mit RDA vom 01.11.1923)
01.10.1928 Hauptmann
01.11.1934 Major
01.08.1937 Oberstleutnant (later granted RDA vom 01.03.1937)
01.02.1940 Oberst
01.07.1942 Generalmajor
01.06.1943 Generalleutnant
01.03.1945 General der Artillerie
Commands & Assignments: 7 August 1914: Entered the Royal Bavarian Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Bavarian 1. Feldartillerie-Regiment Prinz-Regent Luitpold. 5 September 1915: In the field with the Bavarian 1st Field Artillery Regiment. 29 December 1916: Battalion Adjutant in the Bavarian 1st Field Artillery Regiment. 12 April 1918: Lightly wounded. 28 April 1919: Transferred to the 1st Bavarian Schützen [Rifle]-Regiment. 16 May 1919: Transferred to the 3rd Bavarian Light Artillery Regiment 23, Würzburg. 10 June 1919: Adjutant of the March Group Würzburg of Freikorps “Epp” (Oberst Franz Ritter von Epp). 1 October 1920: Ordonnanz-Offizier on the Staff of Reichswehr Artillery Regiment 23 of Reichswehr-Brigade 23, Würzburg. 1 January 1921: Transferred to the I. Battalion of the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment at Würzburg upon the formation of the new Reichsheer from the Übergangsheer or Transitional Army. 1 November 1921: Battery Officer in the 1st Battery of the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment, Würzburg. 6 January 1922-29 March 1922: Detached to a training course at the Artillery School in Jüterbog. 5 January 1923-30 June 1923: Granted leave to regain his health following a cure in Bad Reichenhall. 1 May 1924-16 August 1924: Detached to a Weapons School Course at the Ohrdruf Troop Training Area. 1 October 1926: Transferred to the staff of the 7th Division for Leader Assistant training. 1 October 1928: Transferred to the 6th (Prussian) Artillery Regiment and detached to the Reich Defense Ministry with duties determined by the Army Department (T 1) of the Troop Office. [This department was responsible for Army operational planning. As such, it handled all matters relating to the internal and external military situation, border defense, land fortifications, troop employment and organization, military transportation and military measurement, mapping and charting.] 20-30 September 1929: Detached to the Statistics Department (T 3) of the Troop Office/Reich Defense Ministry. [This department was responsible for the collection and analysis of documentation on foreign armies.] 1 October 1929: Transferred to the Statistics Department (T 3) of the Troop Office/Reich Defense Ministry and carried the Uniform of a Leadership Staff Officer. 1 June 1930-31 July 1930: Detached for two months to the British Army. August 1931-August 1932: Detached for one year to the United States Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 1 October 1931: Transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment. 1 October 1932: Transferred to the Statistics Department (T 3) of the Troop Office/Reich Defense Ministry. 1 April 1934: Chief of the 5th Battery of the 7th (Bavarian) Artillery Regiment, München. 1 October 1934: Transferred to the I. Battalion of Artillery Regiment “München.” 15 April 1935: Transferred to the Army Department (T 1) of the Troop Office/Reich Defense Ministry, on 21 May 1935 renamed the Reich War Ministry, and carried the Uniform of the General Staff. 1 July 1935: Transferred to the I. Department (Operations) of the Army General Staff. 12 October 1937: Military Attaché at the German Embassy in London, Great Britain. 7 August 1939: While retaining his previous duty position, moved to the German Embassy in Dublin, Ireland. 1 September 1939: Army High Command Leader Reserve. 3 October 1939: Operations Officer (Ia) in the General Staff of the 10th Army. [Commanded by Generaloberst Walter von Reichenau, the 10th Army was redesignated the 6th Army on 10 October 1939.] 10 October 1939: Operations Officer (Ia) in the General Staff of the 6th Army. [Commanded by Generaloberst (later Generalfeldmarschall) Walter von Reichenau, the 6th Army took part in the invasion of the Low Countries and France in May-June 1940. During the first phase of the campaign, the 6th Army advanced against elements of the Dutch, Belgian and French armies and, after heavy fighting, captured Brussels on 17 May 1940. After tearing a fatal hole between the Belgians and the British Expeditionary Force, Generaloberst von Reichenau accepted the surrender of King Leopold III of Belgium and his army on 28 May 1940. During the second phase of the campaign, the 6th Army wheeled south and, after crossing the Marne and the Cher rivers, captured Orleans. Following the Western Campaign, the 6th Army concentrated on the Cherbourg peninsula in preparation for Operation “Seelöwe” (Sea Lion)—the planned invasion of Great Britain. While the main landings were tasked to the 16th Army (Generaloberst Ernst Busch) and the 9th Army (Generaloberst Adolf Strauß) respectively, the 6th Army remained on alert and, if feasible, would land in Lyme Bay between Weymouth and Lyme Regis. After the cancellation of Operation “Seelöwe,” the 6th Army remained in France for the next several months performing coastal defense and routine occupation and training duties.] 28th May 1940 This picture was taken at the time of capitulation of the Belgian Army. From left to right: Lieutenant-General O.J.J. Derousseaux, the Belgian DCGS Hauptmann Paltzo Generaloberst Walter von Reichenau (Commander-in-Chief 6th Army) Oberst Anton-Reichard Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim (Ia 6th Army); Generalmajor Friedrich Paulus (Chief of the General Staff 6th Army). 15 February 1941: Chief of the General Staff of the XXIII Army Corps. [Initially held in Army Group North reserve, the XXIII Army Corps, commanded by General der Infanterie Albrecht Schubert, took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union from 22 June 1941. Transferring to control of Army Group Center, the corps saw heavy combat at Polozk, Velikiye Luki and Toropez.] 1 October 1941: Chief of the General Staff of the XXIX Army Corps on the Eastern Front. [Commanded by General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder, the XXIX Army Corps saw action in southern Russia at Sumy, Belgorod and Kharkov. Oberst (later General der Infanterie) Eberhard Kinzel assumed the post of corps chief of staff upon the transfer of Oberst Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim to France.] 28 May 1942: Army High Command Leader Reserve. 16 June 1942: Chief of the General Staff of the 1st Army in France. [Headquartered at Bordeaux, the 1st Army commanded by Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz occupied the French Atlantic coast from south of the Loire River to the Spanish border. On 11 November 1942, in response to Operation Torch, the Allied amphibious landings in Morocco and Algeria, Adolf Hitler directed the implementation of Operation “Anton,” the occupation of Vichy France and the disbandment of its army to prevent that government from possibly casting its lot with the Allies. Armored and infantry elements of the 1st Army and General der Infanterie Hans-Gustav Felber’s Army Group “Felber” advanced into southern France while the Italian 4th Army commanded by General Mario Vercellino occupied the French Riviera and the island of Corsica. On 27 November 1942, the Germans further consolidated their hold on Vichy France with Operation “Lila,” the occupation of Toulon and the attempted seizure of the French fleet lying in the port. SS-Obergruppenführer Paul Hausser’s SS-Panzer General Command moved on the city with elements of the 7th and 10th Panzer Divisions and the SS-Motorcycle Battalion “Langemarck” (from the SS-Panzer Grenadier Division “Das Reich”) in an early morning bid to grab the fleet, the naval arsenal and the fortresses around the harbor.[1] However, Admiral Jean de Laborde ordered his entire fleet scuttled before the Germans could arrive at the harbor in time to capture the ships. Among the losses were the battleship Provence, the battlecruisers Strasbourg and Dunkerque, the heavy cruisers Colbert, Foch, Dupleix and Algérie, the light cruisers La Galissonnière, Jean de Vienne and Marseillaise, the seaplane carrier Commandant Teste and numerous destroyers, submarines and smaller vessels.] 1 August 1943: Army High Command Leader Reserve – duties determined by the Chief of the Army Personnel Office (P 3). 5 November 1943: Commander of the 257th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front. [After taking part in the defensive battle of Krivoi Rog, the 257th Infantry Division fought at Nikopol and then retreated through the Ukraine crossing the Bug River at Voznesensk. Continuing its fighting retreat, the division withdrew into the Romanian region of Bassarabia where it fought to contain the Russian bridgehead on the Dniester River at Tiraspol, Tighina and Chisinău.] 2 July 1944: Delegated with the deputy leadership of the XXIX Army Corps on the Eastern Front for the duration of the absence of the commanding general (General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger). [Assigned to the Romanian 3rd Army commanded by General de armatâ Petre Dumitrescu, the XXIX Army Corps opposed the Russian bridgehead on the Dniester River south of Tiraspol in Bassarabia. Composed of three divisions—the German 9th Infantry Division (Generalmajor Werner Gebb), the Romanian 21st Infantry Division (General de divizie Atanasie Trincu) and the Romanian 4th Mountain Division (General de brigadă Alexandru Nasta)—the XXIX Army Corps faced a major Russian offensive across the Dniester River on 20 August 1944. While the brunt of the right wing of the Russian attack struck the neighboring German 6th Army commanded by General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico, strong secondary attacks against the XXIX Army Corps resulted in the collapse of its two Romanian divisions. Faced with imminent encirclement, General Dumitrescu’s army, along with the XXIX Army Corps, began withdrawing on 22 August 1944 to the Foşcani-Namaloasa-Braile Fortified Line south of the Siret River. Although the bulk of the corps staff ultimately escaped from Romania, its three divisions were effectively destroyed while Generalmajor Gebb was captured on 29 August 1944.] 12 October 1944: Army High Command Leader Reserve – duties determined by the Commander of Wehrkreis [Military District] XIII, Nürnberg. 15 December 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the LXXI Army Corps in Norway. 1 March 1945-9 May 1945: Commanding General of the LXXI Army Corps in Norway. [Headquartered at Setermoen, north of Narvik, the LXXI Army Corps served as a component of General der Gebirgstruppe Ferdinand Jodl’s Army Detachment “Narvik.” At the time of the German surrender, the LXXI Army Corps controlled the following formations: the 9th Mountain Division (North) [2] (Generalmajor Mathias Kräutler), the 210th Infantry Division (Oberst Rademacher), the 230th Infantry Division (Oberst von Wagner), Grenadier Brigade 503 and Panzer Battalion 211 (equipped with French Hotchkiss H39 and Somua S35 “booty” tanks).] 9 May 1945-16 October 1945: Upon the German surrender, Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim was detached to serve as the liaison officer between the German Armed Forces Commander of Norway (General der Gebirgstruppe Franz Böhme) and the Allies for the turnover of Norway. 16 October 1945-October 1947: Prisoner of war in Great Britain until the summer of 1947 when transferred to Dachau, Germany for the remaining months of his captivity. [During his captivity at Island Farm Special Camp 11, Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim served as the head teacher of English language lessons and other educational classes offered to the prisoners. A period British report assessed his qualifications for this role: “Head teacher and is in charge of education. His English is fluent and correct and his words are well chosen in conversation. He has spent some time in USA.”] 1952-1954: Succeeded General der Artillerie a.D. Friedrich von Boetticher to complete the task of indexing and evaluating all of the manuscripts in the collection of the U.S. Army’s Military Foreign Studies Program with regard to historical, operational and technical interest. Decorations & Awards: German Cross in Gold: 25 April 1942, Oberst, Chief of the General Staff of the XXIX Army Corps. 28.05.1940 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
18.05.1940 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
04.06.1917 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
18.02.1916 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
20.09.1916 Bayerischer Militärverdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
29.05.1918 Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
08.08.1942 Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42”
26.01.1935 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung I. Klasse
00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung III. Klasse
ca. 1942 Medal for the Crusade Against Communism (Romania)
General der Artillerie Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim’s World War I Combat Service Record: Western Front, 1915-1918 5 September 1915-20 October 1915: Positional combat on the Somme. 21 October 1915-8 May 1916: Positional combat in Artois. 23 January 1916-10 February 1916: Engagement at Neuville. 1 June 1916: Capture of Fort Douaumont. 22 May 1916-13 June 1916: Combat in the Thiaumont Forest. 23 June 1916-15 July 1916: Combat at “Kalte Erde” [“Cold Earth”] and at Fleury. (Zwischenwerke or Intermediary Works “Kalte Erde” was the German name for the French Ouvrage de Froideterre, a fortified infantry strongpoint on the Côte de Froideterre about 2 kilometers to the west of Fleury.) 19 July 1916-23 October 1916: Positional combat on the Maas Heights. 5 November 1916-5 May 1917: Positional combat in the Aprem Forest and at Ailly. 14-27 May 1917: Double Battle on the Aisne. 28 May 1917-1 July 1917: Positional combat at Chemin des Dammes. 27 July 1917-28 December 1917: Positional combat in Champagne. 25 January 1918-24 February 1918: Positional combat in the Argonne. 2-20 March 1918: Rest period of the 18th Army. 21 March 1918-6 April 1918: Great Battle in France (“Ludendorff Offensive”). 21-22 March 1918: Breakthrough Battle at St. Quentin. 23-24 March 1918: Combat crossing of the Somme. 25-31 March 1918: Combat pursuit to Montdidier. 7 April 1918: Combat on the Avre and at Noyon. 31 May 1918-14 July 1918: Positional combat in Champagne. 15-17 July 1918: Attack Battle on the Marne. 18-21 July 1918: Positional combat in Champagne. 22-25 July 1918: Defensive combat between Soissons and Reims. 26 July 1918-3 August 1918: Defensive combat between the Marne and Vesle. 4-6 August 1918: Positional combat between the Oise and the Aisne. 17 August 1918-4 September 1918: Defensive combat on the Oise. 5-22 September 1918: Rest period with the 7th Army. 26 September 1918-9 October 1918: Defensive combat in Champagne. 10-12 October 1918: Combat on the “Hunding” Front. 13-18 October 1918: Combat on the Aisne and the Aire. 18-25 October 1918: Battle of Vouzieres. 24-31 October 1918: Combat on the Aisne and the Aire. 1-4 November 1918: Combat on the Aisne and the Maas. 5-11 November 1918: Fighting retreat from the Maas Position. 12 November 1918: Withdrawal from the occupied territories and the return home. Kapitän zur See Theodor Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim Born on 26 August 1902 at Schloß Mainsondheim/Kreis Kitzingen, Kapitän zur See Theodor Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim, the younger brother of Anton, was a member of the German Naval Class of 1923. Although not held as a prisoner of war at Special Camp 11 at Bridgend, he is included here as a matter of historical interest. After commanding the destroyer Karl Galster (Z 20) from 21 March 1939-3 August 1942, he served as the First Admiral Staff Officer of the Leader of Destroyers (Konteradmiral Erich Bey; Kapitän zur See Max-Eckart Wolff from December 1943; and Vizeadmiral Leo Kreisch from 26 January 1944-29 May 1945) and then temporary Chief of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla. From 25 April-22 June 1944, he was Chief of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla “Narvik” based on the French Atlantic coast. On the night of 8-9 June 1944, he led his 8th Destroyer Flotilla “Narvik” (destroyers Z 32, ZH 1, Z 24 and torpedo boat T 24) on a sortie from Brest to Cherbourg in an attempt to interdict Allied shipping supporting the Normandy invasion. At 0123 hours, however, the Germans encountered the four British, two Canadian and two Polish destroyers of Commander Basil Jones’s 10th Destroyer Flotilla off the Brittany coast.[3] In a night action lasting several hours, the ZH 1 was scuttled after being fatally damaged while the destroyer leader Z 32 was run aground in flames off the Île de Batz and abandoned by her crew. The Z 24 and the T 24, both damaged, returned to Brest. After abandoning the Z 32, Kapitän zur See Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim was rescued from the English Channel a few hours later by German light coastal forces. From late June 1944 until the end of the war, he served as the Naval Liaison Officer of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine to the Reich Central Security Main Office (RSHA). From May 1945-November 1946, Kapitän zur See Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim was held as a prisoner of war by the British at Rendsburg, Germany. Highly decorated (see below), he died on 20 April 1973 in Stuttgart. Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 3 July 1944, Kapitän zur See, Chief of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla “Narvik.” German Cross in Gold: 12 February 1942, Korvettenkapitän, Commander of the destroyer Karl Galster (Z 20). For further reading on Kapitän zur See Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim and the destroyer action off Île de Batz, please refer to the excellent article “Masters of the Channel Night: The 10th Destroyer Flotilla’s Victory off Ile de Batz, 9 June 1944” by Michael Whitby at http://www.wlu.ca/~wwwmsds/vol2n1-10destroyerwhitby.htm. [1] The German assault force for Operation “Lila” consisted of four battle groups: Battle Group A (Oberst Edgar Feuchtinger) – elements of the 10th Panzer Division plus an army reserve artillery regiment and flak regiment and a small naval commando unit; Battle Group B (Oberstleutnant Wolfgang Glaesemer) – elements of the 7th Panzer Division plus about 400 naval personnel; Battle Group C (Oberstleutnant Friedrich-Karl von Steinkeller) – elements of the 7th Panzer Division; Battle Group D (SS-Sturmbannführer Jakob Fick) – SS-Motorcycle Battalion “Langemarck.” Additionally, Battle Group “Brenner” commanded by SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Karl Brenner, followed Battle Group A to occupy the area surrounding Sanary to the west of Toulon. [2] The 9th Mountain Division (North) was undergoing formation in Norway as the war ended. The unit is listed in most period German records as Division Group “Kräutler” or Division for Special Employment (z.b.V.) 140, the previous designations of Generalmajor Kräutler’s command. Upon Germany’s surrender, Kräutler’s divisional staff was amalgamating Gebirgsjäger-Brigade 139 “Generaloberst Dietl,” the newly formed Gerbirgsjäger-Regiment 856 (the former independent Jäger Battalions 3 and 6) and other elements to form the 9th Mountain Division (North). [3] Composition of the British 10th Destroyer Flotilla during the night action on 9 June 1944: HMS Ashanti, HMS Eskimo, HMS Javelin, HMS Tartar (Commander Jones), HMCS Haida, HMCS Huron, Polish Blyskawica and Polish Piorun. General der Artillerie Hermann Karl Richard Eugen Tittel SPECIAL CAMP 11 This profile is based on a copy of Tittel’s microfilmed service record housed at the United States National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C. NAME: General der Artillerie Hermann Karl Richard Eugen Tittel PW NO: B33416 RANK: General der Artillerie CAPTURED: Oslo, Norway DATE: 29 July 1946 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 12 November 1888 PLACE OF BIRTH: Lichte/Kreis Königsee/Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt DATE OF DEATH: 22 August 1959 PLACE OF DEATH: NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Evangelical OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: 176cm WEIGHT: 60kg HAIR COLOUR: White EYE COLOUR: Blue-Grey NEXT OF KIN: Parents: Hilmar and Johanna (née Hölterhoff) Tittel. Wife: Married Louisa Krauser (born 13 February 1891) on 11 March 1911 in Darmstadt – one son and two daughters. Following the death of his first wife, Hermann Tittel married Anneliese Cordes on 18 December 1944. Promotions: Fahnenjunker: 27 February 1908 Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter: 13 June 1908 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier: 20 August 1908 Fähnrich: 18 October 1908 (R2r) Leutnant: 19 August 1909 – Patent 17 August 1907 (Y) Oberleutnant: 27 January 1915 (L47l) Hauptmann: 25 November 1916 (C4c) – RDA later changed to 25 November 1916 (15) Major: 1 February 1930 (11) Oberstleutnant: 1 February 1934 (8) Oberst: 1 December 1935 (3) Generalmajor: 1 October 1939 (7) Generalleutnant: 1 September 1941 (5) General der Artillerie: 1 September 1943 (1) Commands & Assignments: 1895-1899: Attended Volksschule (Elementary School) in Coburg. 1899-1904: Attended Gymnasium (High School) in Coburg. 1904-1908: Attended Realgymnasium in Darmstadt; attained his certificate of graduation from that institution. 27 February 1908: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Fußartillerie-Regiment General-Feldzeugmeister (Brandenburgisches) Nr.3. 3 October 1908-26 June 1909: Detached to the Anclam War School. 1 October 1912-15 July 1913: Detached to the Military Technical Academy. 1 October 1913-30 September 1915: Regimental Adjutant of Foot Artillery Regiment 3. 14 October 1914-18 November 1914: At the same time, detached as Adjutant of the Artillery Commander of the XXVI Reserve Corps (Staff of Foot Artillery Regiment 3). 30 September 1915: Adjutant of the General of Foot Artillery No. 4. 3 November 1916: Transferred to Foot Artillery Battery 114. 15 November 1916: Leader of Foot Artillery Battery 114. 1 March 1917: Transferred into the General Staff of the XXV Reserve Army Corps. 8 May 1917-11 May 1917: Detached to the Assault Course of Army Group “Archduke Joseph” (Generaloberst Archduke Joseph of Austria). 15 June 1917-30 June 1917: Detached as a Company Leader to Infantry Regiment 256 of the 218th Infantry Division. 10 August 1917: Transferred to a General Staff position in the Guard Replacement Division. 13 November 1917-17 November 1917: Detached to the Signals School in Namur. 30 November 1917-8 December 1917: Detached to a training course in Sedan. 13 December 1917-17 December 1917: Detached to the 6th Guard Infantry Regiment. 17 December 1917-22 December 1917: Detached to the Artillery Measuring School in Wahn. 10 January 1918: Detached for four weeks to the General Staff Course in Sedan. 27 February 1918: Transferred into the Army General Staff. 11 March 1918: Transferred to the Officer of the Army and allocated to the High Command of Army Group “Duke Albrecht of Württemberg” (Generalfeldmarschall Duke Albrecht of Württemberg). 17 March 1918: Detached to the Division Command for Special Employment 310. 17 April 1918: Allocated to the 4th Cavalry Division. 19 April 1918: Allocated to Group “Weiler” (General Command of the Bavarian XV Reserve Army Corps). 12 June 1918-22 June 1918: Detached to deputize as the 1st General Staff Officer of the 61st Landwehr Brigade. 7 October 1918: Detached as Quartermaster to Group “Heiligblasien” (VII Army Corps). 11 November 1918: Entered the General Command of the VII Army Corps as a General Staff Officer. 1 October 1923: Transferred to the staff of the III. Battalion of the 5th Artillery Regiment, Ludwigsburg. 24 April 1924-5 June 1924: Detached to the Firing Course for Artillery Officers in Jüterbog. 1 October 1924: Leader of the 7th Battery of the 5th Artillery Regiment, Ludwigsburg. 23 October 1924: Transferred to the staff of the 5th Artillery Regiment, Fulda. 1 April 1925: Chief of the 7th Battery of the 5th Artillery Regiment, Ludwigsburg. 5-25 March 1928: Detached to the Course for Physical Education in Wünsdorf. 1 May 1928: Transferred to the staff of Artillery Leader IV, Dresden. 1 October 1930: Detached to the Artillery School in Jüterbog. 1 February 1932: Transferred to the 4th Artillery Regiment, Dresden. 1 October 1933: Commander of the III. Battalion of the 1st (Prussian) Artillery Regiment, Allenstein. 1 October 1934: Commander of the III. Battalion of Artillery Regiment “Allenstein.” 1 April 1935: Commander of Artillery Regiment “Jüterbog.” 15 October 1935: Commander of the Artillery Demonstration Regiment, Jüterbog. 1 April 1938: Artillery Commander (Arko) 16 – carried the Uniform of Artillery Regiment 11. 26 August 1939 1938-29 September 1941: Commander of the 69th Infantry Division. [On 9 April 1940, the 69th Infantry Division took part in Operation “Weserübung” (Weser Exercise), the invasion of Norway, as a component of General der Infanterie (later Generaloberst) Nikolaus von Falkenhorst’s Army Group XXI. The bulk of the division captured Stavanger, Bergen and Egersund by sea and air landings, while the remaining elements of the 69th Infantry Division landed at Oslo after that city’s capture and advanced through southern and central Norway (see details below). Following the campaign, the division remained in Norway as part of the German occupation force commanded by Generaloberst von Falkenhorst.] 1939 Photo Courtesy of: Yngve Nedrebø 29 September 1941-11 October 1941: Delegated with the leadership of the 169th Infantry Division in Finland for the duration of the illness of the divisional commander (Generalmajor Kurt Dittmar). [On 1 July 1941, the German Higher Command for Special Employment XXXVI commanded by General der Kavallerie z.V. Hans Feige consisting of the 169th Infantry Division (Dittmar) and SS-Battle Group “Nord” (SS-Brigadeführer Karl-Maria Demelhuber) plus the attached Finnish 6th Division (Colonel Verner August Viikla) launched Operation “Polarfuchs” (Polar Fox), an attack against Russia from Finland with the objective of cutting the Murmansk Railroad at Kandalaksha. During hard fighting in which portions of SS-Division “Nord” broke and ran, the corps captured Salla and Aalakurtti but ground to a halt in mid-September 1941 about 22 miles short of its objective. The corps made no further gains and dug in along the Verman River. After succeeding Generalmajor Dittmar who was evacuated from Finland due to illness, Tittel led the 169th Infantry Division on this static and largely quiet front for the next 22 months.] Oswald Bramowski who was a member of 169th Infantry Division -Awarded Iron Cross by Tittel.Oswald Bramowksi was MIA (missing in action) in July 1944 and was born in today's Poland in Ruda Account Courtesy of: Michal KuligowskiOswald Bramowski was awarded Iron Cross 2nd Class 9th October 1942 Citation signed by Tittel Courtesy of: Michal Kuligowski 11 October 1941-22 June 1943: Commander of the 169th Infantry Division in Finland. 22 June 1943-1 September 1943: Delegated with the leadership of the LXX Army Corps in Norway. 1 September 1943-9 May 1945: Commanding General of the LXX Army Corps in Norway. [Headquartered at Lillestrøm, east of Oslo, the LXX Army Corps served as a component of General der Gebirgstruppe Franz Böhme’s 20th Mountain Army and the primary German occupation force in southern Norway. At the time of the German surrender, Tittel’s corps controlled the following formations: the 280th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Johann de Boer), the 274th Infantry Division (Generalleutnant Kurt Weckmann) and Division Nr. 613 (Generalmajor Adrian Freiherr van der Hoop). 29 July 1946-17 May 1948: Prisoner of war in British captivity (transferred from the London Detention Center to Island Farm Special Camp 11 on 19 August 1946; transferred to Camp 186 on 12 May 1948 for repatriation). Decorations & Awards: German Cross in Gold: 9 March 1945, General der Artillerie, Commanding General of the LXX Army Corps. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 26 April 1916. Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 27 October 1914. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class Württemberg Friedrich Order, Knight 2nd Class with Swords: 25 February 1915. Schwarzburg Honor Cross, 3rd Class with Swords: 7 April 1915. Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918: 20 January 1935. Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration: 22 September 1917. Turkish War Medal (“Iron Crescent”): 18 November 1917. Bulgarian Bravery Order, 4th Class (1st Grade): February 1918. Royal Order of the Yugoslavian Crown, 3rd Class: 1 December 1938. Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with Swords: 7 May 1942. General der Artillerie Tittel’s World War I Combat Service Record: Western Front, 1914-1915 22-23 August 1914: Battle of Neufchâteau. 24-29 August 1914: Battle on the Maas. 30 August 1914-5 September 1914: Breakthrough from the Maas to the Marne. 6-12 September 1914: Battle on the Marne. 13 September 1914-10 October 1914: Positional combat in Champagne. 29 October 1914-30 November 1914: Battle on the Yser. 1 December 1914-21 April 1915: Positional combat on the Yser. 22 April 1915-5 May 1915: Combat on the Ypern. 26 May 1915-3 November 1915: Positional combat on the Yser. Macedonian Front, 1915-1916 28 November 1915-28 February 1916: Positional combat between Lake Ochrida (Ohrid) and Dudica, a small town in the mountains west of Ljumnica and north of Nonte on the present-day border of Greece and Macedonia. Eastern Front, 1916-1917 3 March 1916-11 June 1916: Positional combat in the “Waldkarpathen,” the eastern part of the Carpathian Mountains located approximately in present-day southwest Ukraine. 1-3 July 1917: Battle of Brzezany, Galicia. 3-21 July 1917: Positional combat between Narajowka and Zlota-Lipa, Galicia. 21-30 July 1917: Pursuit action in eastern Galicia. 31 July 1917-2 August 1917: Combat on the Zbrucz River, Galicia. 1-5 September 1917: Battle of Riga, Latvia. Western Front, 1917-1918 7 October 1917-29 December 1917: Positional combat before Verdun. 26 January 1918-20 February 1918: Positional combat before Verdun. 14 March 1918-11 November 1918: Positional combat in Lorraine and in the Vosges. 12 November 1918-20 December 1918: Withdrawal from the occupied territories and the return home. The 69th Infantry Division and the Invasion of Norway, April 1940 Composed of Infantry Regiments 159, 193 and 263, Generalmajor Hermann Tittel’s 69th Infantry Division was one of six German divisions earmarked for the invasion of Norway in April 1940. The German Armed Forces High Command tasked the division with the initial occupation of the Norwegian coast from Nordfjord to Egersund. On 9 April 1940, the staff of the 69th Infantry Division and two battalions of Infantry Regiment 159 (Oberst Christoph Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg) plus naval artillery troops totaling 1,900 officers and men were transported to Bergen by Konteradmiral Hubert Schmundt’s Warship Group 3 (the light cruisers Köln and Königsberg, the artillery school ship Bremse, the torpedo boats Leopard and Wolf, five motor torpedo boats or S-Boats, the S-Boat tender Carl Peters, and the armed trawlers Schiff 9 [ex-Alteland] and Schiff 18 [ex-Koblenz]). After arriving at Bergen, the Königsberg was hit by Norwegian shore batteries and suffered damage to her engines (the Bremse and Carl Peters also suffered damage in the same action). However, Bergen fell to the German landing troops later that day. On the following day, British Royal Navy Blackburn Skua fighter/dive-bombers attacked and sank the Königsberg in Bergen harbor with 500-pound bombs, scoring three hits and several near misses. This proved to be the first major warship ever sunk by air attack. On 9 April 1940, two battalions of Infantry Regiment 193 (Oberst Karl von Beeren) were flown by Luftwaffe transport aircraft to Stavanger after paratroopers of the 3rd Company of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 seized Stavanger-Sola airfield. The regiment’s third battalion arrived by air the next day. On 15 April 1940, Infantry Regiment 193 began moving by sea and air transport to join Infantry Regiment 159 fighting at Bergen. Concurrently, Infantry Regiment 355 of Generalmajor Max Horn’s 214th Infantry Division assumed the occupation of Stavanger from Oberst von Beeren’s departing regiment. On 9 April 1940, Warship Group 6 (four minesweepers) led by Korvettenkapitän Kurt Thomas transported the 150-man divisional bicycle company to Egersund where the troops captured the communications cable station. On 12 April 1940, the regimental staff and the I. Battalion of Infantry Regiment 236 (Oberst Xaver Adloch) were transported by air to Olso after that city’s capture. Arriving by air the next day, the other two battalions joined the regiment at Oslo. Infantry Regiment 236 then fought as a battle group under Generalleutnant Erwin Engelbrecht’s 163rd Infantry Division in southern and central Norway. General der Infanterie Otto Roettig SPECIAL CAMP 11 NAME: General der Infanterie Otto Roettig PW NO: A502481 RANK: General der Infanterie CAPTURED: Unknown DATE: 28 May 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 22 July 1887 PLACE OF BIRTH: Mühlhausen/Thüringen DATE OF DEATH: 18 August 1966 PLACE OF DEATH: Kassel NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Evangelical OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: 180cm WEIGHT: 165lbs HAIR COLOUR: Bald EYE COLOUR: Brown NEXT OF KIN: British Zone Parents: Kaufmann Friedrich and Pauline (née Werner) Roettig. Promotions: Fahnenjunker: 2 October 1905 Fähnrich: 14 June 1906 Leutnant: 27 January 1907 Oberleutnant: 24 December 1914 Hauptmann: 18 August 1916 Polizei-Major: 13 July 1921 Polizei-Oberstleutnant: 1 January 1934 Polizei-Oberst: 1 April 1935 Oberst: 1 October 1935 Generalmajor: 1 June 1939 Generalleutnant: 1 June 1941 General der Infanterie: 1 August 1943 Commands & Assignments: 2 October 1905: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker Leutnant in the 1. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.97. 24 September 1911: Adjutant of the III. Battalion of Infantry Regiment 97. 27 January 1914: Detached to the Potsdam War School. 16 February 1915: Regimental Adjutant of Infantry Regiment 97. 27 January 1918: Transferred to the General Staff of the 105th Infantry Division. 31 January 1920: Separated from the Army. 1 February 1920: Joined the Schutzpolizei [Municipal Police] in Berlin. 1 October 1935: Returned to the Army with the rank of Oberst and assigned to the staff of Infantry Regiment 67. 1 April 1937: Commander of Infantry Regiment 47 of the 22nd Infantry Division. 10 November 1939: Commandant of Posen. 10 January 1940-10 April 1942: Commander of the 198th Infantry Division. [After undergoing formation in the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia, Roettig’s division took part in the invasion of Denmark on 9 April 1940. Landing by sea at three points, the division quickly crossed the island of Sjaelland and occupied Copenhagen. The next day, a battalion of the 198th Infantry Division also occupied the island of Bornholm. Initially held in reserve, the division took part in the final phase of the invasion of France seeing some action during Operation “Tiger,” the offensive of Generaloberst Erwin von Witzleben’s 1st Army against Lorraine in June 1940. After occupation duty in eastern France, the 198th Infantry Division transferred to Romania in April 1941 where it was assigned to Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert’s 11th Army for the impending invasion of the Soviet Union. While the bulk of the German Army launched Operation “Barbarossa” on 22 June 1941, the Romanian 3rd and 4th Armies and the German 11th Army—subordinated to Army Group “Antonescu” (General de armată Ion Antonescu)—remained on the defensive. After German advances elsewhere forced the transfer of significant Soviet forces, Army Group “Antonescu” finally launched its offensive to take Northern Bucovina and Basarabia on the night of 2 July 1941. Following the successful conclusion of the campaign on 26 July 1941, Army Group “Antonescu” was dissolved and the German 11th Army reverted to control of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group South. Later assigned to the 1st Panzer Army, Roettig’s division fought in southern Russia seeing action at Dnepropetrovsk, Rostov and along the Mius River.] 25 June 1942: General for Special Employment in Army Group Center on the Eastern Front. 10 May 1943-15 June 1943: Delegated with the leadership of the LXVI Army Corps in France. 1 July 1943: Armed Forces Inspector General of Prisoner of War Camps. 4 December 1944: Commander of Special Staff I of the Army High Command. 28 May 1945-14 July 1947: Prisoner of war in British captivity. 28th January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC (London District Cage) 26th July 1946 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Specal Camp 11 19th August 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC 14th February 1947 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Special Camp 11 14th July 1947 released Decorations & Awards (included): German Cross in Gold: 28 February 1942, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 198th Infantry Division. Romanian Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd Class: 19 September 1941 (Royal Decree No. 2628). Sources: Axworthy, Mark; Scafeş, Cornel; Craciunoiu, Cristian. Third Axis Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945. Arms and Armour Press, London, United Kingdom, 1995. Ziemke, Earl F. The German Theater of Northern Operations, 1940-1945. Department of the Army Pamphlet No. 20-271, Washington, D.C., 1959. General der Infanterie Edgar Röhricht (Edgar Roehricht) SPECIAL CAMP 11 NAME: General der Infanterie Edgar Röhricht PW NO: B33409 RANK: General der Infanterie CAPTURED: 1st April 1945 DATE: Altefeld bei Eisennach PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 16 June 1892 PLACE OF BIRTH: Liebau/Silesia DATE OF DEATH: 11 February 1967 PLACE OF DEATH: NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Evangelical OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: 5'10" WEIGHT: 184lbs HAIR COLOUR: Dark Brown / Thinning / Grey EYE COLOUR: Grey NEXT OF KIN: US Zone Promotions (included): One-Year Volunteer: 1 October 1912. Leutnant der Reserve: 22 January 1915 Leutnant (Active): 1917 (Patent 28 January 1912) Hauptmann: 1 February 1927 Oberstleutnant: 1 April 1936 Oberst: 1 January 1939 Generalmajor: 1 February 1942 (Patent 1 April 1942) Generalleutnant: 1 April 1943 General der Infanterie: 1 September 1944 Commands & Assignments (included): 1 October 1912: Entered the Army as a One-Year Volunteer in the Grenadier-Regiment König Wilhelm I (2. Westpreußisches) Nr.7. 2 August 1914: In the field with the 4. Schlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.157. 1 December 1936: Operations Officer (Ia) in the General Staff of the IV Army Corps. 1 May 1939: Commander of Infantry Regiment 34 of the 35th Infantry Division. 26 August 1939-6 October 1939: Chief of the General Staff of the V Army Corps. [While the cream of the German military invaded Poland in September 1939, the V Army Corps, commanded by General der Infanterie Richard Ruoff, served on border defense duty along the western frontier of Germany as a component of General der Infanterie Curt Liebmann’s 5th Army.] 10 October 1939: Chief of Department 4 under the Senior Quartermaster II (Deputy Chief of Staff for Training) of the Army General Staff. 26 October 1940-16 June 1942: Chief of the General Staff of the 1st Army in France. [Headquartered at Bordeaux, the 1st Army, commanded by Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz, occupied the French Atlantic coast from south of the Loire River to the Spanish border. On 16 June 1942, Generalmajor Anton-Reichard Freiherr von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim succeeded Generalmajor Röhricht as the 1st Army chief of staff.] 3 October 1942-September 1943: Commander of the 95th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front. [During Röhricht’s tenure of command, the 95th Infantry Division saw action in Russia at Gshatsk, Rshew, Jelnya and Bryansk while serving under Army Group Center.] September 1943: Delegated with the leadership of the XII Army Corps on the Eastern Front. [During this month, Generalleutnant Röhricht deputized for General der Infanterie Kurt von Tippelskirch, the permanent commanding general of the XII Army Corps, during his absence.] December 1943-January 1944: Delegated with the leadership of XX Army Corps on the Eastern Front. [During this period, Generalleutnant Röhricht deputized for General der Artillerie Rudolf Freiherr von Roman, the permanent commanding general of the XX Army Corps, during his absence.] 10 June 1944-29 January 1945: Commanding General of the LIX Army Corps on the Eastern Front. [After taking part in the fighting retreat through the northern Ukraine in mid-1944 with the 1st Panzer Army, the LIX Army Corps withdrew into southern Poland by August 1944. Transferred to control of the 17th Army (General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz) at that time, the corps held its positions in Poland until mid-January 1945 when it fell back through Dębica, Tarnów, and Kraków and into Upper Silesia in the face of a major Russian offensive. After handing over leadership of the corps to Generalleutnant Joachim von Tresckow, available documentation suggests General der Infanterie Röhricht was not employed for the remainder of the war.[1]] 1st April 1945-1947: Prisoner of war in British captivity. 9th January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1 8th March 1947 transferred to LDC (London District Cage) from Island Farm Special Camp 11 30th September 1947 transferred to U.S custody for discharging Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 15 May 1944, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 95th Infantry Division. German Cross in Gold: 9 April 1943: Generalmajor, Commander of the 95th Infantry Division. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration Wound Badge in Silver – World War I award [1] Although General der Gebirgstruppe Georg Ritter von Hengl was delegated with the leadership of the LIX Army Corps on 25 January 1945, his command never took effect due to illness. General der Infanterie Friedrich August Schack SPECIAL CAMP 11 NAME: General der Infanterie Friedrich-August Schack PW NO: A451658 RANK: General der Infanterie CAPTURED: Ruhr industrial area, Germany DATE: April 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 27 March 1892 PLACE OF BIRTH: Schmiedeberg/Kreis Schubin DATE OF DEATH: 24 July 1968 PLACE OF DEATH: NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: WEIGHT: NEXT OF KIN: Promotions (included): War Volunteer: 6 August 1914 Leutnant: September 1915 (without Patent) Leutnant: 3 April 1918 (Patent 23 March 1914) Oberleutnant: 1 April 1923 Hauptmann: 1 April 1928 Oberstleutnant: 1 October 1937 Oberst: 1 October 1940 Generalmajor: 1 July 1943 Generalleutnant: 1 January 1944 General der Infanterie: 20 April 1945 Commands & Assignments (included): 6 August 1914: Entered the Army as a War Volunteer in the 1. Leib-Husaren-Regiment Nr.1. September 1915: Commissioned a Leutnant in Infantry Regiment 195, transferred to the Grenadier-Regiment Graf Kleist von Nollendorf (1. Westpreußisches) Nr.6 later in World War I. 1 October 1938: Commander of Machinegun Battalion 15. 18 January 1940-23 August 1942: Commander of Infantry Regiment 392 of the 169th Infantry Division. [On 1 July 1941, the German Higher Command for Special Employment XXXVI, commanded by General der Kavallerie z.V. Hans Feige, consisting of the 169th Infantry Division (Generalmajor Kurt Dittmar) and SS-Division “Nord” (SS-Gruppenführer Karl-Maria Demelhuber) launched Operation “Polarfuchs” (Polar Fox), an attack against Russia from Finland with the objective of cutting the Murmansk Railroad at Kandalaksha.[1] During hard fighting in which portions of SS-Division “Nord” broke and ran, the command captured Salla and Aalakurtti but ground to a halt in mid-September 1941 about 22 miles short of its objective. The command made no further gains and dug in along the Verman River. Commanded by Generalleutnant Hermann Tittel since 29 September 1941, the division continued to serve on this static and largely quiet front for the next few years.[2]] 1 October 1942-29 March 1943: Commander of the Potsdam War School. April 1943: Attended the Division Leader Course. 7 May 1943-3 October 1943: Commander of the 216th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front. 15 December 1943-3 September 1944: Commander of the 272nd Infantry Division in Belgium and France. 4 September 1944-21 September 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the LXXXI Army Corps on the Western Front. 10 November 1944-16 December 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the LXXXV Army Corps on the Western Front. 1 January 1945-30 January 1945: Attended the Course for Commanding Generals. 26 March 1945-April 1945: Commanding General of the XXXII Army Corps on the Western Front and in the Ruhr pocket. April 1945-Circa 1947: Prisoner of war in American and, later, British captivity. 9th January 1946 transferred from Camp 1 to Island Farm Special Camp 11 17th December 1946 transferred from Island Farm Special Camp 11 to Allendorf (on loan), 30th September 1947 transferred to US Custody for discharge Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 24 July 1941, Oberst, Commander of Infantry Regiment 392. Oakleaves (No. 597): 21 September 1944, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 272nd Infantry Division. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class: 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class: Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Silesian Eagle, 1st Class Silesian Eagle, 2nd Class Bulgarian Military Merit Order, 5th Class (Knight’s Cross) – World War I award Wound Badge in Black – World War II award Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class with Swords: 12 December 1941. Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht [Armed Forces Communiqué]: 4 August 1944; 27 August 1944. [1] On 18 November 1941, the Higher Command for Special Employment XXXVI was redesignated XXXVI Mountain Army Corps. [2] Generalleutnant Kurt Dittmar, SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Karl-Maria Demelhuber and General der Artillerie Hermann Tittel were all held as prisoners of war at Island Farm Special Camp 11. General der Infanterie Hellmuth Thumm SPECIAL CAMP 11 NAME: General der Infanterie Hellmuth Thumm PW NO: B33404 RANK: General der Infanterie CAPTURED: Welzheim DATE: 19 April 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 25 August 1895 PLACE OF BIRTH: Ravensburg DATE OF DEATH: 13 July 1977 PLACE OF DEATH: NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: WEIGHT: NEXT OF KIN: Promotions (included): War Volunteer: 8 August 1914 Leutnant: 2 August 1915 (Patent 26 December 1914) Hauptmann: 1 March 1930 Oberstleutnant: 1 October 1938 Oberst: 1 October 1941 (RDA 1 October 1940) Generalmajor: 1 March 1943 Generalleutnant: 1 September 1943 General der Infanterie: 1 January 1945 Commands & Assignments (included): 8 August 1914: Entered the Army as a War Volunteer. 2 August 1915: Commissioned a Leutnant in Infanterie-Regiment Kaiser Friedrich, König von Preußen (7. Württembergisches) Nr.125. 1 October 1938: Commander of the I. Battalion of Infantry Regiment 75 of the 5th Infantry Division. [While the cream of the Germany military invaded Poland in September 1939, the 5th Infantry Division, commanded by Generalleutnant Wilhelm Fahrmbacher, remained on the Upper Rhine as a component of the 7th Army facing the French Maginot Line in Alsace. Following the redeployment of German forces to the Western Front, the division transferred to control of the 12th Army and took part in the invasion of France in May-June 1940. The 5th Infantry Division remained in France as part of the German occupation force until transferring to East Prussia in April 1941 preparatory to Operation “Barbarossa,” the invasion of the Soviet Union.] 13 June 1940: Commander of Infantry (later Jäger) Regiment 56 of the 5th Infantry Division; redesignated 5th Light Infantry Division in October 1941 and then 5th Jäger Division in July 1942. [Commanded by Generalleutnant Karl Allmendinger since the previous October, the division took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 under Army Group Center. After refitting in France from December 1941, the division returned to the Eastern Front in February 1942 where it served under the 16th Army of Army Group North for the next 23 months.] 5 January 1943-15 August 1944: Commander of the 5th Jäger Division on the Eastern Front. [Assuming command from Generalleutnant Allmendinger, then Oberst Thumm continued to lead the division in northern Russia until it was transferred to Army Group Center in January 1944. After seeing action at Vitebsk, Kovel and Narew, Thumm handed command of the division over to Generalleutnant Friedrich Sixt.] 1 November 1944-15 January 1945: Commanding General of the LXIV Army Corps on the Western Front. [After succeeding Generalleutnant Otto Lasch, Thumm’s new command, a component of the 19th Army, had been pushed into the so-called Colmar Pocket in Alsace by the end of December 1944. On 31 December 1944, the German 1st Army launched Operation “Nordwind” (North Wind), an offensive aimed at destroying the Allied forces in Alsace. On 5 January 1945, after the main effort of “Nordwind” had failed, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler’s Army Group Oberrhein (Upper Rhine) began a two-pronged attack on Strasbourg.[1] Himmler’s XIV SS-Army Corps launched a cross-Rhine attack north of Strasbourg seizing a 10-mile bridgehead at Gambsheim while two days later, south of the city, the 19th Army in the Colmar Pocket launched Operation “Sonnenwende” (“Winter Solstice”). With the 198th Infantry Division, the 106th Panzer Brigade “Feldherrnhalle,” and company of heavy Jagdpanther tank destroyers at his disposal, General der Infanterie Thumm’s LXIV Army Corps attacked north from the Colmar Pocket along the western bank of the Rhône-Rhine Canal to linkup with the Gambsheim bridgehead and encircle Strasbourg. Although Thumm’s corps quickly captured Erstein and cleared the west bank of the Rhine up to that location, Operation “Sonnenwende” ground to a halt by January 13th with the transfer of the reserve unit, the 269th Infantry Division, to the Eastern Front. After passing leadership of the corps to Generalleutnant Friedrich-Wilhelm Hauck, available documentation suggests Thumm was not employed for the remainder of the war.] 19 April 1945-Circa 1947: Prisoner of war. 10 May 1945 transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp. 9 January 1946 transferred from Camp 1 to Island Farm Special Camp 11 4 December 1946 transferred from Island Farm Special Camp 11 to Allendorf (on Loan) 30 September 1947 transferred to US Custody for discharge 1976: Published the divisional history Der Weg der 5. Infanterie- und Jäger-Division 1921-1945 (The Journey of the 5th Infantry- and Jäger Division, 1921-1945). Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 30 June 1941, Oberst, Commander of Infantry Regiment 56. Oakleaves (No. 166): 23 December 1942, Oberst, Commander of Jäger Regiment 56. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 3 July 1918. Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 26 August 1915. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class: 13 June 1940. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class: 3 June 1940. Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 (“East Medal”) Württemberg Gold Military Merit Medal Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 Wound Badge in Black – World War I award Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht [Armed Forces Communiqué]: 5 July 1941. [1] At the start of Operation “Nordwind,” Himmler’s Army Group Oberrhein controlled four corps headquarters: the LXIV Army Corps and LXIII Army Corps under General der Infanterie Siegfried Rasp’s 19th Army in the Colmar Pocket and the XIV SS-Army Corps and XVIII SS-Army Corps on the east bank of the Rhine. On 24 January 1945, Himmler’s army group staff transferred to the Eastern Front where it was redesignated Army Group Weichsel [Vistula]. General der Infanterie Kurt von Tippelskirch SPECIAL CAMP 11 A special thanks to Richard Murphy for providing the core of the research on this profile. NAME: General der Infanterie Kurt von Tippelskirch PW NO: Unknown RANK: General der Infanterie CAPTURED: Vicinity of Lübeck-Schwerin-Wismar, Germany DATE: 2 May 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 9 October 1891 PLACE OF BIRTH: Berlin-Charlottenburg DATE OF DEATH: 10 May 1957 PLACE OF DEATH: Lüneburg/Niedersachsen NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: WEIGHT: NEXT OF KIN: Wife: Elly (née Gallencamp) von Tippelskirch. Son: Adolf-Hilmar von Tippelskirch received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 September 1941 as an Oberleutnant while serving as Chief of the 1st Battery of Artillery Regiment 3 (Motorized) on the northern sector of the Eastern Front. On 28 June 1944, he was killed in action near Mogilev in Russia as a Major in the General Staff (see Hitler Moves East 1941-1943 by Paul Carell for an account of Oberleutnant von Tippelskirch’s heroism during the early stages of the Russian Campaign). Brother-in-Law: General der Artillerie Curt Gallencamp (17 February 1890-13 April 1958). Received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 November 1941 while commanding the 78th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front. Promotions: Fähnrich: 3 March 1910 Leutnant: 20 March 1911 (Patent 24 June 1909) Major: 1 April 1928 Oberstleutnant: 1 February 1933 Oberst: 1 March 1935 Generalmajor: 1 April 1938 Generalleutnant: 1 June 1940 General der Infanterie: 27 August 1942 (RDA 1 February 1942) Commands & Assignments: 3 March 1910: Entered the Army as a Fähnrich in Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr.3 after passing out from the Cadet Corps. September 1914: Captured by the French during the Battle of the Marne. 1920: Promoted to Hauptmann after being released from captivity and appointed Chief of the 4th Company of Infantry Regiment 9. 1924-1933: Served in a variety of staff positions. 1934: Commander of Infantry Regiment 27. 1936: Transferred to the Reich Defense Ministry. 10 November 1938-5 January 1941: Senior Quartermaster IV (Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence) in the Army General Staff. [In this post von Tippelskirch and his talented assistant, Oberst Ulrich Liß, played a key role in analyzing vital intelligence data that proved instrumental in ensuring the success of Germany’s opening campaigns of the war. However, he reportedly failed to properly asses and pass on the doubts of Generalmajor Werner Marcks, one of the primary architects of Operation “Barbarossa,” as to Germany’s abilities to fight an Anglo-American-Soviet coalition should the campaign fail to fully defeat the Soviet Union in 1941. NOTE: On 22 June 1940, Generalleutnant von Tippelskirch had a minor brush with history when he escorted the French delegates — General Charles L. C. Huntziger (chairman of the delegation), Ambassador Léon Nöel, Vice-Admiral Maurice R. LeLuc, and Air Force General Jean-Marie Joseph Bergeret — into the railway carriage at Compiègne for the ceremonial signing of the armistice ending the war with France. Inside, Adolf Hitler observed as Generaloberst Wilhelm Keitel, the Chief of the Armed Forces High Command, dictated the terms of the armistice to the French delegates. After Hitler departed the carriage and further discussions took place, General Huntzinger and Keitel signed the armistice at 1850 hours. Keitel later commented in his memoirs, “That day was the climax of my career as a soldier…”] On 22 June 1940, Generalleutnant Kurt von Tippelskirch (on right climbing stairs) escorted the French delegation into the railway carriage at Compiègne for the ceremonial signing of the armistice ending the war with France. Right to left: Generalleutnant von Tippelskirch; French General Charles L. C. Huntziger (chairman of the delegation); Ambassador Léon Nöel (in civilian clothing behind unknown German staff officer); French Air Force General Jean-Marie Joseph Bergeret; French Vice-Admiral Maurice R. LeLuc. The railway carriage (and location of Compiègne) was the same one where French Marshal Ferdinand Foch had met the German delegation that signed the armistice on 11 November 1918 ending World War I. 5 January 1941-5 June 1942: Commander of the 30th Infantry Division. [After succeeding the renowned General der Infanterie Kurt von Briesen as divisional commander, von Tippelskirch led his new command in the invasion of the Soviet Union from 22 June 1941 as a component of Army Group North. After advancing across the Baltic States with Generaloberst Ernst Busch’s 16th Army, the 30th Infantry Division moved into the wilderness south of Lake Ilmen in early August 1941. During a weeklong battle there in August, von Tippelskirch’s division helped defeat a Russian counterattack that threatened to turn the southern flank of the German X Army Corps (General der Artillerie Christian Hansen). His division was instrumental in pushing the Russian 34th Army back across the Pola River and advancing the German front to the line Lishno-Lytschkowa-Knewizy. In November, von Tippelskirch received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross in recognition of his leadership during this action. Although the 30th Infantry Division was amongst the units encircled at Demyansk in 1942 by the Russian winter offensive, von Tippelskirch handed his post over to Generalmajor Thomas-Emil von Wickede in early June 1942 and left the pocket.] 27 August 1942-1 February 1943: German General assigned to the Italian 8th Army on the Eastern Front. [In August 1942, Generale d’armata Italo Gariboldi’s Italian 8th Army in Russia consisted of the II Corps (2nd Sforzesca, 3rd Ravenna, and 5th Cosseria Infantry Divisions), the XXXV Corps (9th Pasubio and 52nd Torino Infantry Divisions and the 3rd Principe Amedeo Duca d’Aosta “Celere” Division), the Alpini Corps (2nd Tridentina, 3rd Julia, and 4th Cuneense Alpini Divisions), and the 156th Vicenza Infantry Division on lines of communications duties. In early August 1942, the Italian 8th Army moved forward into positions on the Don River in support of the German drive on Stalingrad. Following the Russian counteroffensive in November that encircled the German 6th Army at Stalingrad, the Russians launched a second offensive (Operation “Little Saturn”) aimed in the general direction of Rostov on 16 December 1942. Three Russian armies struck the left wing of the Italian 8th Army and, despite pockets of tough resistance, the Italian front collapsed leaving a 100-mile gap in the Axis lines. After regrouping in the Ukraine in January 1943, the remnants of the Italian 8th Army began leaving for Italy the following month.] 18 February 1943-4 June 1944: Commanding General of the XII Army Corps on the Eastern Front. [Kurt von Tippelskirch succeeded General der Infanterie Walther Gräßner as Commanding General of the XII Army Corps, which was on the right flank of Army Group Center’s 4th Army. Apart from a brief break in September 1943, when Generalleutnant Edgar Röhricht stood in for him, von Tippelskirch ably led this corps throughout the subsequent retreat through Belorussia until shortly before the massive Soviet “Bagration” offensive in June 1944. At this time, he turned over command of the corps to Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller and assumed temporary command of the 4th Army from Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici when that officer went into Leader Reserve following a four week cure for Hepatitis.] 4 June 1944-18 July 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the 4th Army on the Eastern Front. [This “promotion” nearly proved his undoing as the Russians launched Operation “Bagration” on 22 June 1944. On that date, a massive Russian offensive opened along a 300-mile front that tore deep into Army Group Center with the intent of liberating Belorussia and driving to the Vistula River and the Prussian border. Not only were the German forces vastly outnumbered with virtually no armor in reserve, but the leadership of the army group commander-in-chief, Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch, had, in the words of American historian Earl F. Ziemke, “…become a mindless instrument for transmitting the Fuehrer’s will. Busch did not intend to exercise any leadership outside the very narrow bounds of Hitler’s order to hold the front exactly where it was.” (Nonetheless, Busch was dismissed from command on the 28th of June by Hitler.) General von Tippelskirch’s 4th Army defended the sector south of Mogilev, but he was fortunate in that the main Russian spearheads passed to the north of his positions, though they suffered heavy casualties nonetheless when repeated requests to be allowed to withdraw were either refused or delayed. (General von Tippelskirch eventually gave the order for a general retreat, but, under pressure from Generalfeldmarschall Busch, later modified it with the proviso “only when attacked”). Since the Armed Forces High Command insisted on Mogilev being held as a “Fester Platz” (strong point), none of his three corps commanders and only one (Generalmajor Dipl.-Ing. Paul Schürmann) of his 11 divisional commanders avoided being killed or captured during the difficult withdrawal that was approved too late. However, von Tippelskirch managed to extract as much of his army as possible by urging a steady withdrawal across the Dnepr, Prut, Beresina and Neman Rivers where a new defense line was established. His own son, Major Adolf-Hilmar von Tippelskirch, was also counted among the dead at Mogilev. As the fighting petered out in mid-July, General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach assumed command of the shattered remnants of the 4th Army shortly after von Tippelskirch was injured in an airplane crash.] On 17 July 1945, Generalfeldmarschall Ernst Busch (PW NO: A423794) died of a heart attack caused by Myocarditis while being held as a prisoner of war at the Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre at Wilton Park, Buckinghamshire. Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt and eight other captured German generals were allowed to attend the burial at Aldershot Cemetery which, much to the aged field marshal’s chagrin, was performed with very little ceremony. 18 July 1944: Injured in an airplane crash/in hospital/convalescence. 31 October 1944-11 November 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the 1st Army on the Western Front in Lorraine. 12 December 1944-22 February 1945: Delegated with the leadership of the 14th Army in Italy. [General von Tippelskirch took over temporary army command from General der Panzertruppe Traugott Herr who underwent a head operation in mid-December 1944. The Italian front remained quiet during his tenure and he relinquished command to General der Panzertruppe Joachim Lemelsen in late-February 1945. NOTE: Both Herr and Lemelsen were held for varying periods of time at Special Camp No. 11, Island Farm.] 27 April 1945-2 May 1945: Delegated with the leadership of the 21st Army on the Eastern Front in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. 29 April 1945-1 May 1945: At the same time, delegated with the leadership of Army Group Weichsel [Vistula] on the Eastern Front in Brandenburg and Mecklenburg. [On 29 April 1945, Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel personally dismissed Generaloberst Gotthard Heinrici from command of Army Group Weichsel for conducting an unauthorized withdrawal. Keitel named Generaloberst Kurt Student as his replacement. However, Student did not arrive from Holland to assume physical command of Army Group Weichsel until 1 May 1945. In the meantime, von Tippelskirch had been persuaded by Generalfeldmarschall Keitel and Generaloberst Alfred Jodl to assume acting command of the army group on 29 April 1945 pending Student's arrival. Keitel recalled their meeting in his memoirs: "I was obliged to order him [von Tippelskirch] to assume command, as he repeatedly begged me not to confer it on him…I learned from him that SS General [Felix] Steiner had taken over command of his [21st] Army (for the time being!)…" NOTE: Both Heinrici and Student were held for varying periods of time at Special Camp No. 11, Island Farm.] 2 May 1945-1947: Prisoner of war in British captivity after surrendering his 21st Army in the Lübeck-Schwerin-Wismar sector of northern Germany. 9th January 1946 transferred from Camp 1 to Island Farm Special Camp 11 4th December 1946 transferred from Island Farm Special Camp 11 to Allendorf and transferred to US custody 1951: Published his acclaimed book Geschichte des Zweiten Weltkriegs (History of the Second World War). Decorations & Awards: Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: 23 November 1941, Generalmajor, Commander of the 30th Infantry Division. Oakleaves (No. 539): 30 July 1944, General der Infanterie, Deputy Leader of the 4th Army (Direct Award). Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914): 20 December 1919. Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914): 18 November 1914. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class: 31 May 1940. 1939 Bar to the Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class: 30 September 1939. Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941/1942 (“East Medal”) Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal) Commemorative Medal of 13 March 1938 Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 with Castle Prague Bar Wound Badge in Black – World War I award Demyansk Shield (Although no photographic or documentary evidence has been seen regarding von Tippelskirch’s possession of this campaign distinction, it seems probable he was awarded it.) Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht [Armed Forces Communiqué]: 3 April 1944. Click here to see a tentatively identified photo of General der Infanterie Kurt von Tippelskirch in the company of fellow prisoners of war at Island Farm General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach SPECIAL CAMP 11 NAME: General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach PW NO: 18890 RANK: General der Kavallerie CAPTURED: Bitburg, Germany DATE: 7 March 1945 PERSONAL DATE OF BIRTH: 1 November 1888 PLACE OF BIRTH: Militsch near Oels DATE OF DEATH: Unknown PLACE OF DEATH: Unknown NATIONALITY: German RELIGION: Evangelical OCCUPATION: Regular Soldier HEIGHT: 5'11" WEIGHT: 154lbs HAIR COLOUR: Grey EYE COLOUR: Brown NEXT OF KIN: Leopold Rothkirsch, Oberurf. Post Borken near Kassel (US Zone) Promotions: Leutnant: 1 March 1908 (Patent 19 June 1908) Oberleutnant: Unknown Rittmeister: 16 September 1917 Major: Unknown Oberstleutnant: 1 May 1934 Oberst: 1 April 1936 Generalmajor: 1 March 1940 Generalleutnant: 1 March 1942 General der Kavallerie: 1 January 1944 Commands & Assignments: 1 March 1908: Entered Army service as a Leutnant in 1. Großherzoglich Mecklenburgisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 17 after passing out from the Prussian Cadet Corps. Remained in Army service in the post-World War I German Reichswehr. (As of) 1 May 1930: On the staff of Cavalry Regiment 14, Ludwigslust. 1 October 1934: Commander of Cavalry Regiment 15, Paderborn. 1 March 1938: Commander of the 2nd Rifle Brigade. 10 November 1938: Commandant of the Fortifications of Breslau. 1 September 1939: Chief of the General Staff of the XXXIV Corps Command. 25 April 1940: Commander of the 442nd Landesschützen (“Territorial”) Division. 11 October 1940: Higher Field Commandant 365. 5 January 1942: Commander of the 330th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front. September 1943: Commander of Army Area Center on the Eastern Front. 1 January 1944: Leader of versch. Corps i.V. 3 November 1944-6 March 1945: Commanding General of the LIII Army Corps. [At the start of the German Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, Graf von Rothkirch und Trach’s corps was held in 7th Army (General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger) reserve at Trier without any major tactical components assigned. On 22 December 1944, the LIII Army Corps headquarters moved up to Wiltz where it took control of several divisions released from reserve or transferred from other corps in order to shorten the over-extended front of General der Infanterie Baptist Kneiß’s LXXXV Army Corps. Positioned north of the river Sûre, Graf von Rothkirch und Trach’s corps secured the northern flank of the 7th Army with the following units: the 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Generalmajor Ludwig Heilmann – also held as a prisoner of war at Special Camp 11, Bridgend), the Führer Grenadier Brigade, the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division, and the 9th, 79th and 276th Volkgrenadier Divisions. Also on 22 December 1944, Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr.’s U.S. 3rd Army began its drive against the German southern shoulder to relieve the U.S. 101st Airborne Division surrounded at Bastogne. During heavy combat over the next several days, Heilmann’s paratroopers delayed the U.S. 4th Armored Division, however, that division’s 37th Tank Battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Creighton W. Abrams eventually broke through to Bastogne on 26 December 1944.] 7 March 1945-Circa 1947: Prisoner of war in British and then U.S. captivity. [Graf von Rothkirch und Trach was captured at Bitburg by his old nemesis from the Ardennes Offensive: Lieutenant Colonel Abrams’ 37th Tank Battalion. The remnants of Graf von Rothkirch und Trach’s LIII Army Corps fell back across the Rhine River but was destroyed a month later in the Ruhr pocket.] 9 March 1945 transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp. 9 January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1 9 October 1947 transferred to US Custody via LDC (London District Cage) In Thunderbolt, From the Battle of the Bulge to Vietnam and Beyond: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times, biographer Lewis Sorley quoted Life magazine reporter Will Lang’s description of Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams’ 37th Tank Battalion headlong 58-hour-long drive to the Rhine River in March 1945: Abrams and his outfit [37th Tank Battalion] destroyed more than 300 German motor vehicles, 75 artillery pieces, 75 antitank guns, 15 Tiger and Panther tanks, 20 ‘screaming meemies’ and overran a rear-area German hospital with 80 patients, three enemy ammunition dumps, one ordnance depot, one fuel dump and a German army corps headquarters where an annoyed German lieutenant general and most of his staff were captured while still at their desks. The captured German corps commander was none other than General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach. Lewis Sorley wryly noted: “By this time he was probably getting more than a little tired of the 37th Tank Battalion.” Decorations & Awards: German Cross in Gold: 5 November 1942, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 330th Infantry Division. Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 1st Class Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 2nd Class Hamburg Hanseatic Cross Reuß Honor Cross, 3rd Class Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918 Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal