Oberst Heinz Guderian (Creation - 31 January 1938)
Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel (1 February 1938 - 17 February 1942) Generalleutnant Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck (17 February 1942 31 May 1942) (Vacation)
Generalmajor Arno von Lenski (1 June 1942 - 30 June 1942) Generalleutnant Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck (1 July 1942 - 10 August 1942) (Wounded)
Oberst Karl Fabiunke (5 September 1942 - 30 September 1942) Generalleutnant Vollrath Lübbe (1 October 1942 - 31 January 1944) Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1 February 1944 - 4 May 1944) (Vacation)
Generalleutnant Franz Westhoven (5 May 1944 - 26 May 1944) Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (27 May 1944 - 31 August 1944)
Oberst Eberhard von Nostitz (1 September 1944 - 4 September 1944) Generalmajor Henning Schönfeld (5 September 1944 - 14 December 1944)
Generalmajor Meinrad von Lauchert (15 December 1944 - 19 March 1945)
Generalmajor Oskar Munzel (20 March 1945 - 3 April 1945) Major i.G. Waldemar von Gazen (3 April 1945 - 4 April 1945) Oberst Karl Stollbrock (4 April 1945 - 8 May 1945)
Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel
Dates: 10 December 1883, in Stuttgart – 19 March 1956, in Stuttgart German General of the Panzertruppe during World War II. Veiel's first army service was noted as a Fahnenjunker in the Ulanen-Regiment 19 in April 1904. On 18 August 1905, he became a leutnant. At the beginning of World War I, Veiel was a commander of the Squadron in the Württemberg Reserve-Dragoon-Regiment. He served in this regiment until the end of the war.
After World War I, Veiel was a member of the Freikorps in Württemberg (1919). From 1 October 1920, he was in the 18th (Saxon) Cavalry Regiment of the Reichswehr. From 1 June 1923, Veiel commanded a Squadron in 10th (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment where he was promoted to major on 1 March 1927. In the same year, Veiel became an adjutant in 3rd Cavalry Division. He stayed in this division as an adjutant until 1 April 1931 when he became an oberstleutnant. From 1 November 1932 to 1 October 1935, Veiel commanded the 18th Cavalry Regiment. He then commanded the 2nd Rifle Brigade until 1 February 1938 when he was given command of the 2nd Panzer Division. During all of this, Veiel became an oberst on 1 December 1933, a generalmajor on 1 January 1937, and a generalleutnant on 10 October 1938.
In the early stages of World War II, as commander of the 2nd Panzer Division, Veiel played a distinguished role in the invasions of Poland in 1939, of France in 1940, of Yugoslavia and Greece in 1941, and of the Soviet Union in 1941. On 3 June 1940, for his achievements as a divisional commander, Veiel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
From 1 April 1942 to 28 September 1942, after the German defeat at Moscow, Veiel became a General der Panzertruppe. He later commanded the XLVIII Panzer Corps. After 28 September, Veiel was made Chief of revitalization in the Headquarters of the Army Group Center. He continued in this position until 6 June 1943.
From September 1943 to 20 July 1944 General Veiel was Commanding General of Battle Sector V (Wehrkreis V) in Stuttgart. He was relieved of command because of complicity in the July 20 Conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. On 16 April 1945 he was put in the Officer Reserve (Führerreserve) of the Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres or OKH).
After World War II, Rudolf Veiel spent two years in American captivity. On 12 May 1947, he was released. He died nine years later in his hometown of Stuttgart, aged 72.
Awards
Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
Ritterkreuz des Württembergischen Militärverdienstordens (2 August 1917)
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 June 1940
Generalleutnant Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck Dates: 10 July 1892 – 5 January 1955
A German General who commanded the 15th Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps. He was also a conspirator against Adolf Hitler. Von Esebeck had knowledge of and was sympathetic to the anti-Hit
ler conspiracy. He was arrested on 21 July 1944 and spent the rest of the war in concentration camps. Liberated at the end of the war he lived the rest of his life in poverty and died on 5 January 1955.
Awards
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class (20 September 1914)
1st Class (27 January 1917)
Knight's Cross Second Class of the Friedrich Order with Swords Order of Merit 4th Class with Swords (Waldeck, 24 July 1915) Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with War Decoration (Austria-Hungary, 2 October 1916)
Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd class with Swords (Finland, 7 May 1918)
Commemorative Medal of the Finnish War of Independence (1918) (15 August 1918)
Cross of Honor
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (26 September 1939)
1st Class (15 May 1940)
Wound Badge (1939)
in Silver (15 August 1942)
German Cross in Gold (20 December 1942)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 July 1940 as Oberst and commander of the 6. Schützen-Brigade
Silesian Eagle, 2nd class
Generalmajor Arno von Lenski
Dates: 20 July 1893 – 4 October 1986
A German military officer and general who served in the Imperial German army, the Wehrmacht, and after the war in the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic, where he was also a politician.
Lenski was born in the East Prussian village of Czymochen to a landowning family; his mother was a teacher of Masurian descent. Starting in 1903 he was educated at the Cadet School Köslin, Farther Pomerania and the Hauptkadettenanstalt Lichterfelde (Berlin) in 1908. In 1912 Lenski joined the German Imperial Army and was promoted to a Fähnrich in the Grenadierregiment zu Pferde Nr. 3 (Mounted Grenadier Regiment No. 3) in Bromberg on 22 March 1912.
Lenski fought in World War I, initially as a platoon leader, and joined the staff of the Generalkommando z.b.V. 55 in 1915. After the end of the war Lenski served in the Weimar German Reichswehr and served in the Kavallerieregiment 6 in Demmin and Pasewalk and at the Cavalry School Hanover, where he was a subordinate of Wilhelm Keitel in 1921. In 1925 he became a teacher at the cavalry school and in 1929, now a Rittmeister, commanding officer of the 5. Squadron of the Reiterregiment 14 at Ludwigslust.
Nazi Germany
In 1933 he was promoted to a Major and became the commander of
the NCO riding school and adjutant of the Cavalry School commander at Hanover. In 1935 Lenski became the commander of the Kavallerieregiment 6 in Schwedt/Oder, which was transferred to Darmstadt in 1937. Promoted to an Oberst in 1938, Lenski commanded a reconnaissance unit at the Western Front in 1939 and became the commander of the "School for Mobile Troops" in Krampnitz near Potsdam on 1 December 1939.
On 29 August 1940 Lenski was appointed as an assessor at the Volksgerichtshof in Berlin by Adolf Hitler. He was involved in at least eight trials, including a death sentence, as an assessor of Roland Freisler. In September 1942 Lenski took over the command of the 24 Panzer Division, which fought near Stalingrad and was promoted to a lieutenant general on 1 January 1943. After the defeat of the German Wehrmacht in the Battle of Stalingrad Lenski became a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union.
Soviet captivity
Lenski was first imprisoned at Krasnogorsk and transferred to Suzdal
in April 1943. After initial hesitation he joined the National Committee for a Free Germany and the Bund Deutscher Offiziere led by Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach on 7 May 1944.
Lenski was released on 17 August 1949 and moved to the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany.
German Democratic Republic
After the foundation of the German Democratic Republic Lenski was formally acknowledged as a "Victim of Fascism" in October 1949 and became a member of the council of the National Democratic Party of East Germany (NDPD) in May 1950. Between March 1951 and July 1952 Lenski worked at the municipal administration of Berlin. Starting on 1 August 1952 he joined the staff of the East German paramilitary Kasernierte Volkspolizei (Barracked People's Police) and was responsible for the configuration of tank troops. On 28 April 1953 he was promoted to Commander of Tank Troops (Chef der Panzertruppen) at the "Department of National Defence" at Strausberg and became a major general of the National People's Army after its foundation.
Beginning in 1954 Lenski was observed by the East German Secret Police (Stasi). In December 1957 the Socialist Unity Party of Germany decided to release Lenski from duty in the National People's Army and Lenski retired on 31 July 1958.
Private life
Lenski first married in 1930, but his first wife died in 1932. He married again in 1935, and had two sons and a daughter with his second wife.
In 1952 Lenski became a member of the East German Parliament for the NDPD. After his retirement he joined several equestrian associations and was a member of the East German Olympic Committee and the executive board of the Society for German-Soviet Friendship and the East German Gymnastics and Sports Association. Lenski was the President of the equestrian sports society, the equestrian board of the paramilitary Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik and the Consortium
of former officers. Lenski died on 4 October 1986 and was buried at Strausberg.
Awards
Iron Cross (1914) II. and I. class
Military Merit Order (Bavaria) IV. class with swords
Albrechtsorden Ritterkreuz II. Klasse
Military Merit Cross (Austria–Hungary) III. class
Wound Badge (1918) in black
Cross of Honor
Service award IV. – I. class
Iron Cross (1939) II. and I. class
German Cross in Gold
1952–1958 Ehrendolch der NVA
1954 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden der DDR in Bronze 1952–1958 Vaterländischer Verdienstorden in Gold
1958 Medaille der Kämpfer gegen den Faschismus
1963 Verdienstmedaille der DDR
1968 Kampforden "Für Verdienste um Volk und Vaterland" in Gold 1978 Ehrenspange zum Vaterländischen Verdienstorden in Gold
Generalleutnant Vollrath Lübbe
Dates: 4 March 1894 – 4 April 1969
A highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Vollrath Lübbe was captured by Soviet troops in February 1945 and was held until October 1955.
Awards and decorations
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class
1st Class
Wound Badge (1914) in Black
Knight's Cross Second Class with Swords of the Albert Order Knight's Cross Second Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Swords
Mecklenburg-Schwerin Merit Cross
2nd Class
1st Class
Cross of Honor
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (20 August 1940)
1st Class (7 July 1941)
German Cross in Gold (6 March 1943)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 August 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 2. Panzer-Division
Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz Dates: 6 December 1896 – 9 October 1969
A German general of the Panzer troops, serving during World War II. His cousins Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz and Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz were also decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the latter also received the Diamonds.
Battle of the Bulge, "Nuts!"
In 1944, in the Battle of the Bulge, Lüttwitz's troops had surrounded the US forces commanded by US General Anthony McAuliffe. Lüttwitz's demand for the US troops to surrender was the following: To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne. The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands. There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well-known American humanity.
The German Commander.
He received the following reply from McAuliffe:
To the German Commander.
NUTS!
The American Commander
McAuliffe's reply, "Nuts!" was explained to the German negotiators as the equivalent of "go to hell!"
Awards
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class (18 May 1915)
1st Class (2 June 1918)
Panzer Badge in Bronze
Wound Badge in Gold
German Cross in Gold on 19 December 1941 as Oberstleutnant in the Schützen-Regiment 59
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (20 September 1939)
1st Class (1 August 1941)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Knight's Cross on 27 May 1942 as Oberst and commander of Schützen-Regiment 59
571st Oak Leaves on 3 September 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 2. Panzer-Division
157th Swords on 9 May 1944 as General der Panzertruppe and commanding general of the XXXXVII. Panzerkorps
Franz Westhoven
Dates: 7 December 1894 – 9 October 1983
A highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World
War II who commanded several panzer divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Awards and decorations
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class
1st Class
Cross of Honor
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (17 June 1940)
1st Class (30 July 1940)
Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (25 May 1942)
Eastern Front Medal
German Cross in Gold (9 July 1942)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 October 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 3. Panzer-Division
Generalmajor Henning Schönfeld
Dates: 19 May 1894 – 11 March 1958
A highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded 2. Panzer-Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Henning Schönfeld retired from the army in 1944. He was take prisoner by British troops in 1945 and was released in 1947.
Awards and decorations
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class
1st Class
Wound Badge (1914) in Black
Cross of Honor
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (13 September 1939)
1st Class (2 October 1939)
Panzer Badge in Bronze
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 20
Generalmajor Meinrad von Lauchert
Dates: 29 August 1905 in Potsdam - died 4 December 1987 in Stuttgart
A highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Von Lauchert entered on active duty as a Fahnenjunker (Officer Cadet) on 1 April 1924. By the eve of World War II, he had advanced to the rank of Hauptmann (Captain) and commanded the 2nd Company of Panzer Regiment 35. The first day of fighting in Poland brought his elevation to battalion commander after the previous commander, Hauptmann Stenglein, received a serious head wound - a common injury for armour commanders.
Lauchert served with Panzer Regiment 35 of the 4th Panzer Division throughout the Polish and French Campaigns. During the first drive into Russia in the summer of 1941, he earned the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross.
Lauchert's skill and energy as a Panzer leader caught the attention of such armour notables as Heinz Guderian and Heinrich Eberbach. When Germany developed a new tank to regain its lost superiority on the battlefield, Major Lauchert was chosen to form and train the first two battalions of Panthers.
Hitler ordered the delay of the 1943 summer offensive until Lauchert's Panthers arrived to spearhead the southern arm of the attack. Unfortunately, the failure of the commanders whom Lauchert was supporting to familiarize themselves with this new weapon caused the Panther's debut at the Battle of Kursk to be less than decisive. Lauchert continued to command a battle group of Panthers after Kursk, was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) and eventually was named as the commander of Panzer Regiment 15 of the 11th Panzer Division. While with this unit, he earned the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.
In the summer of 1944, Lauchert was called upon to command Panzer Brigade 101, one of several new armoured units hastily formed to restore the German Army's precarious situation in the East. As part of Panzerverband von Strachwitz and later as its commander, Lauchert helped restore the land connection between Army Groups North and Centre.
Just one day before the start of the Battle of the Bulge, Oberst (Colonel) Lauchert was tasked with taking charge of the 2nd Panzer Division. His division punched through the American lines on 16 December 1944 and by the time the offensive had literally run out of fuel Lauchert's men had achieved the deepest penetration into Allied-held territory of any of the German formations.
Afterwards, Lauchert's division fought a continuous rearguard action against the US forces as they pushed him back across the German frontier. During the fighting in February and March 1945, the 2nd Panzer Division had ceased to exist as much more than a marker on the map.
By the end of March, as the remnants of his division were backed up against the Rhine without a secure crossing point, Generalmajor Lauchert ordered a breakout eastwards in small groups. Lauchert swam the Rhine with a small number of his staff and, apparently fed up with the hopelessness of the situation, quit the war and walked home to Bamberg, the home garrison of Panzer Regiment 35.
After the war, he was imprisoned for trial at Nuremberg for war crimes, but was found not guilty and released.
Later Career
He was technical advisor on the 1965 movie Battle of the Bulge and is featured in the "Making of the Battle of the Bulge" featurette produced in 1965.
Awards
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (22 September 1939)
1st Class (23 October 1939)
Panzer Badge in Silver
Eastern Front Medal
Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (8 August 1941)
German Cross in Gold (5 September 1943)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Knight's Cross on 8 September 1941 as Major and commander of the I./Panzer-Regiment 35
396th Oak Leaves on 12 February 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Panzer-Regiment 15
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (25 October 1944)
Generalmajor Oskar Munzel
Dates: 13 March 1899 – 1 January 1992
A highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a General der Kampftruppen in the Bundeswehr who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Oskar Munzel was captured by Allied troops in 1945 and was released in 1947. For 4 years he served as a military advisor in Egypt, and then he joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 and retired in 1962.
Awards and decorations
Iron Cross (1914)
2nd Class
Cross of Honor
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class
1st Class
German Cross in Gold (14 February 1943)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 October 1944 as Oberst and commander of 14. Panzer-Division
Federal Cross of Merit
Major Waldemar von Gazen
Date: 6 December 1917
Officer in the German Wehrmacht and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Waldemar von Gazen joined the military service with Infanterie-Regiment 66 (66th Infantry Regiment) as a Fahnenjunker (Cadet) in 1936. He was promoted to Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) on 1 September 1938 and participated in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France as a platoon leader (Zugführer). He was promoted to Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) on 1 September 1940. He was tasked with the leadership of the 2nd company of Schützen-Regiment 66 on the Eastern Front.
Von Gazen was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 September 1942 for his achievements in summer of 1942 and the assault on Rostov. Shortly afterwards he was made leader of the I. Bataillon (1st Battalion) of the regiment. In early 1943 he distinguished himself again in combat as the leader of a Kampfgruppe (combat formation) in the Kuban bridgehead. For these actions he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 18 January 1943. Von Gazen was made leader of Schützen-Regiment 66 in April 1943 and was officially commander of the regiment on 28 August 1943. His regiment succeeded in holding the German lines in the vicinity of Melitopol against numerous attacks by the Red Army at the end of September 1943.
Von Gazen was severely wounded in these battles. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 3 October 1943 for the achievements of his regiment. After a period of convalescence he was transferred to the Generalstab des Heeres (General staff of the Army) on 1 July 1944. Here he received a general staff traineeship. He was appointed Ia (operations officer) of the 13. Panzer-Division stationed in Hungary in early September 1944. He was transferred again and appointed Ia of the 2. Panzer-Division in February 1945. Von Gazen was taken prisoner of war at the end of hostilities in Europe and released in 1946.
Awards
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd Class (29 September 1939)
1st Class (14 October 1939)
Panzer Badge in Bronze (3rd Class)
Wound Badge in Silver
Tank Destruction Badge
German Cross in Gold on 15 November 1941 as Oberleutnant in the
2./Schützen-Regiment 66
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Knight's Cross on 18 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 2./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 66
182nd Oak Leaves on 18 January 1943 as Hauptmann and leader of a Kampfgruppe of the 13. Panzer-Division
38th Swords on 3 October 1943 as Major and leader Panzergrenadier-Regiment 66
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
