Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz

Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz
as Oberst and commander of Panzer-Regiment "Großdeutschland", June 1943
Nickname	Conté, Der Panzergraf
Born	(1893-07-30)30 July 1893 Groß Stein, Province of Silesia, German Empire
Died	25 April 1968(1968-04-25) (aged 74) Trostberg, Upper Bavaria, Germany[1]
Buried at	Cemetery in Grabenstätt
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1912–1945
Rank	Generalleutnant of the Reserves
Unit	Guards Cavalry Division Freikorps "von Hülsen"
Commands held	Panzer-Regiment Großdeutschland 1. Panzer Division
Battles/wars	World War I Silesian Uprisings Battle of Annaberg World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Stalingrad Third Battle of Kharkov Battle of Kursk
Awards	Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten

Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz^{[Note 1]} (30 July 1893 – 25 April 1968) was a German Army officer of aristocratic descent. Strachwitz saw action in World War I, but rose to fame for his command of armored forces in World War II. For these services he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with its higher grade, the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or outstanding military leadership.

Strachwitz was born in 1893 on his family estate in Silesia. He was educated at various Prussian military academies and served with distinction as a cavalry officer in the opening weeks of World War I, winning both classes of the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) before being captured by the French in October 1914. As he had been wearing civilian clothes on a patrol the French initially sentenced him to death, but this was reduced to forced labor. After an odyssey through various French prisons and several escape attempts he returned to Germany after the war in 1918. Post-war, Strachwitz fought with the Freikorps in the Spartacist uprising of the German Revolution in Berlin, and in the Silesian Uprisings against the Poles and Polish Silesians of Upper Silesia who were trying to break away from Germany to join the Second Polish Republic. For these services he received the Silesian Eagle (Schlesischer Adler) medal second and first class. In the mid-1920s he took over the family estate Groß Stein from his father and became a member of the NSDAP in 1932 and Allgemeine SS a year later. As an officer of the military reserve force, he participated in various military exercises with Reiter-Regiment 7 (7th Cavalry Regiment) and Panzer-Regiment 2 (2nd Armored Regiment) during the 1930s.

At the outbreak of World War II, Strachwitz was appointed ordnance officer of the 1st Panzer Division. He participated in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France, where he led the I. Abteilung (1st Battalion) of the 2nd Panzer-Regiment. Following these actions, he was awarded both classes of the Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz) and was transferred to the 16th Panzer Division. With this unit he fought in the Invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941 and Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, which started on 22 June 1941. He received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 25 August 1941. Little over a year later, as the commander of Panzer-Regiment 2, he became the 144th soldier to be awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 November 1942 for the destruction of more than 270 Soviet tanks and artillery pieces within 48 hours in the tank battle of Kalach. He was severely wounded and evacuated before the Stalingrad pocket collapsed. In January 1943, after his convalescence, he was given command of Panzer-Regiment "Großdeutschland". Following this he received the Swords to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 28 March 1943, for his contribution in the counterattack at Kharkov. He then fought in the battle of Kursk and the German retreat to the Dnieper. In November 1943 he was relieved of his command, officially on the grounds of ill health but perhaps for differences with his divisional commander, Walter Hörnlein. He was recalled to active service in ealy 1944 and received the Diamonds to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves with Swords on 15 April 1944, while commanding a battle group on the Narva front.

He was wounded 12 times during the war, and was also injured in an automobile accident. He surrendered to US forces in 1945. On his release from US custody, his youngest son had been killed in action, his wife had been killed in a road accident, and his Silesian estate had been confiscated by the Soviet Union. He remained in West Germany, married again and briefly worked for the Syrian Armed Forces as a military consultant. From 1951 he lived on an estate in Bavaria, until his death from lung cancer on 25 April 1968. Strachwitz was buried with military honors in Grabenstätt, Bavaria.

Childhood, education and early career

Strachwitz was born on 30 July 1893 in Groß Stein, in the district of Groß Strehlitz in Silesia, a province in the then Kingdom of Prussia. Today it is Kamień Śląski, in Gogolin, Opole Voivodeship, Poland. Strachwitz was the second child of Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz (1864–1942) and his wife Aloysia (1872–1940),^{[Note 2]} née Gräfin von Matuschka Freiin von Toppolczan und Spaetgen.^{[2][Note 3]} He had an older sister, Aloysia (1892–1972), followed by his younger brother Johannes (1896–1917) nicknamed "Ceslaus", his sister Elisabeth (1897–1992), his brother Manfred (1899–1972), his brother Mariano (1902–1922), and his youngest sister Margarethe (1905–1989).^[3] His family were members of the old Silesian nobility (Uradel), and held large estates in Upper Silesia, including the family Schloss (Palace) at Groß Stein. Following family tradition, as the first-born son and heir to the title Graf Strachwitz he was christened Hyacinth, after the 12th century Saint Hyacinth, whose clothes remained in the family's possession until 1945.^[3]

Graf Strachwitz Coat of Arms.

Strachwitz attended the Volksschule (primary school) and the Gymnasium (advanced secondary school) in Oppeln—present-day Opole. He received further schooling and paramilitary training at the Königlich Preußischen Kadettenkorps (Royal Prussian cadet corps) in Wahlstatt—present-day Legnickie Pole—before he transferred to the Hauptkadettenanstalt (Main Military Academy) in Berlin-Lichterfelde. Among his closest friends at the cadet academy were his fellow Silesian Manfred von Richthofen, the World War I flying ace, and Hans von Aulock, brother of the World War II colonel Andreas von Aulock.^[3] In August 1912, the cadet Strachwitz was admitted to the élite Gardes du Corps cavalry regiment in Potsdam as a Fähnrich (Ensign). The Gardes had been established by Prussian King Frederick the Great in 1740, and were considered the most prestigious posting in the Imperial German Army. The patron was Emperor Wilhelm II, who nominally commanded them. He was sent to an officer training course at the Kriegsschule (War School) in Hanover in late 1912. Here he excelled in various sports competitions.^[3] Strachwitz was commissioned as Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) on 17 February 1914.^[4] At this early stage of his career in Potsdam, Strachwitz was already insisting on being addressed as "Herr Graf" rather than "Herr Leutnant", even from higher-ranking officers, a quirk that he maintained for his entire military career. He always felt more proud of his aristocratical descent than of his military rank.^[5] His close friends called him Conté (Count).^[6]

Upon his return from Hanover to the Prussian Main Military Academy, Strachwitz was appointed sports-officer for the Gardes du Corps, where he introduced the soldiers to daily gymnastics and weekly endurance running. The sports team of the Gardes du Corps was selected to participate in the 1916 Olympic Games, which further encouraged his ambition. He emphasized many sporting activities, particularly equestrian, fencing and track and field athletics, which became the focus of his interest. Strachwitz continued to excel as a sportsman, and with his friend Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia, was among the best athletes to train for the Olympic Games.^[3]

The outbreak of World War I destroyed this opportunity, as Strachwitz, along with the rest of the German Army, was mobilized and sent west. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg were assassinated on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo, and Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914. The Russian Empire ordered a partial mobilization one day later and the German Empire mobilized on 30 July 1914. Strachwitz received his mobilization order during vacation in Silesia. He immediately packed his bags and returned to his unit in Berlin. His regiment was subordinated to the Guards Cavalry Division and immediately scheduled for deployment in the west.^[7]

World War I

Shortly after the mobilization his Gardes du Corps arrived close to the Belgian border. Strachwitz and his entire platoon volunteered for a mounted long distance reconnaissance patrol, to operate far behind enemy lines. His orders were to gather intelligence information of enemy rail and communications connections and potentially disturb them, as well as report on the war preparations being made by the enemy. If the situation allowed, he was to destroy railway and telephone connections and to derail trains, causing as much havoc as possible.^[5] His patrol ran into many obstacles and they were constantly on the verge of being detected by either British or French forces. Their objective was the train track Paris–Limoges–Bordeaux. Strachwitz ordered a messenger with the collected information to break through to the German lines and make a report, which the messenger achieved. The patrol then blew up the signal box at the Fontainebleau railway station.^[8] The patrol then tried to make contact with presumed German troops at the Marne near Châlons, however the French forces were too strong and they were unable to break through. After six weeks behind enemy lines their rations were depleted and they had to live by either stealing or begging. Strachwitz then intended to head for Switzerland, hoping that the French-Swiss border was not as heavily protected.^[9] Living under the open skies for so many weeks also deteriorated their uniforms. After a brief skirmish with French forces, one of Strachwitz's men was severely wounded. This forced them to seek medical attention. Strachwitz took the opportunity to buy new clothes for his men. Now, slowed down by a wounded comrade and wearing civilian clothes, they were caught by French forces.^[10]

Fort Barraux, 2011

Strachwitz and his men were questioned by a French captain and accused of being spies and saboteurs. They were taken to the prison at Châlons the next day where they were separated. Strachwitz, as an officer, was put in solitary confinement. One early morning they were all lined up for the firing squad. A French captain arrived just in time to stop the execution. Strachwitz and his men were then tried before a French military court on 14 October 1914. The court sentenced them all to five years of forced labor on the prison island Cayenne. At the same time they were deprived of rank, thus losing the status of prisoners of war. He was then taken to the prisons at Lyon and Montpellier, and then to the Île de Ré. From here the prison ship would leave en route to the penal colony of Cayenne. It is unclear what circumstances prevented his departure to Cayenne, but he was taken to the prison at Riom and Avignon instead. At Avignon prison he was physically and mentally tortured by both the guards and other prison inmates. The torture included being chained naked to a wall, deprival of food and severe beatings. After one year at Avignon he was put in a German uniform and taken to Fort Barraux.^[11]

At Barraux he learned that the war in the west had turned into a war of attrition and that only on the Eastern Front German troops still reported successes. His physical condition improved rapidly and Strachwitz started making escape plans. Together with other German soldiers he started digging an escape tunnel, which was detected, and Strachwitz was again put in solitary confinement. Because he was now classified as "determined to escape" he was put in the cargo hold of a ship which commuted from Marseilles or Toulon to Thessaloniki, Greece. Putting German prisoners of war on a ship was a deterrence against German U-boat attacks. Deprived of food and reduced to a skeleton, he returned to Barraux after four trips. During further solitary confinement he recovered again and made further escape plans. Together with a fellow soldier, he climbed over the prison walls, with the plan to head for neutral Switzerland. However, Strachwitz injured his foot when he fell into barbed wire, and the injury caused blood poisoning. In the search for help, they were picked up by the French police and turned over to a military court. He was then sent to the prisoner of war prison for officers at Carcassonne. His request for medical attention was ignored. The injury was severe and he fell into a state of delirium. A medical inspection by the Swiss medical commission from the International Red Cross ordered him transferred to a hospital in Switzerland. After days of unconsciousness he woke up in a hospital bed in Geneva, Switzerland.^[11]

Strachwitz recovered quickly in Geneva. During his convalescence he was visited by the Queen of Greece and sister of the German Emperor, Sophia of Prussia, the Duke of Mecklenburg Frederick Francis IV and the Duke of Hesse Ernest Louis. The Archbishop of Munich Michael von Faulhaber, who was on his way to the Vatican, also stopped by to pay his respects. The doctors told Strachwitz that the French government had requested his extradition back to France once he had fully recovered, to serve his full term of five years of forced labor. Strachwitz then moved into a villa in Luzern where he was visited by his mother and sister. His fear of returning to France was immense and together they came up with the plan to "sit out the war" in a mental asylum in Switzerland in order to avoid his extradition back to France. The plan worked, though Strachwitz was on the verge of going genuinely mad in the process. The war ended and Strachwitz was released to Germany.^[12] For his services during the war while imprisoned by the French he was awarded the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) second and first class.^[13]

Interwar period

In the Weimar Republic

Troops loyal to the government at the Silesian Station, 1919.

After the Armistice with Germany in November 1918, Strachwitz was repatriated and returned to a Germany in civil turmoil. He returned to Berlin via Konstanz, at the Swiss-German border, and Munich. On his journey he saw many former German soldiers whose military discipline had broken down. Unable to tolerate this situation and fearing a Communist revolution, he travelled on to Berlin, arriving at the Berlin Anhalter Bahnhof where he was met by a friend. Strachwitz had called ahead asking his friend to bring him his Gardes du Corps uniform, which he put on immediately. Berlin was in a state of revolution. The newly established provisional government under the leadership of Chancellor Friedrich Ebert was threatened by the Spartacist uprising of the German Revolution, whose ambition was a Soviet-style proletarian dictatorship. Ebert ordered the former soldiers, organized in Freikorps (paramilitary organizations) among them Strachwitz, to attack the workers and put down the uprising.^[13]

In early 1919, following these events in Berlin, Strachwitz returned to his home estate. Here he found his family palace taken by French officers. Upper Silesia was occupied by British, French, and Italian forces, and an Interallied Committee headed by a French general, Henri Le Rond. The Versailles Treaty at the end of World War I had placed formerly German territory in neighboring countries, some of which had not existed at the beginning of the war. In the case of the new Second Polish Republic, the Treaty of Versailles detached some 54,000 square kilometers (21,000 sq mi) of territory which had formerly been part of the German Empire in order to revive the state of Poland which had disappeared as a result of the Third Partition of Poland in 1795.^[14] His father urged him to prepare and educate himself inorder to take over the family estate and business. He was put under the guidance of his father's most senior Oberinspektor (Chief Inspector). In parallel, Strachwitz fearing that Silesia was "handed over to the Poles", as he viewed the actions of the Interallied Committee, joined the Oberschlesische Selbstschutz (Upper Silesian Self Protection). Starchwitz collected weapons and recruited volunteers, which was prohibited. He was caught four times and put in prison in Oppeln by the French. Also his father had to go to prison. His distrust, rooted in his experience as a prisoner of war during World War I, for the French was immense. He believed that only the Italians played an honest and neutral role in the situation. On 25 July 1919, he married Alexandrine Freiin Saurma-Jeltsch and their first child, a son, was born on 4 May 1920.^[15]

During the Silesian Uprisings when in 1921 Poland tried to separate Upper Silesia from the Weimar Republic, Strachwitz was among those that served under the command of the Generals Bernhard von Hülsen and Karl Höfer in self-defence. The conflicted pinnacled when the Poles dug in on the Annaberg, a hill near the village of Annaberg—present-day Góra Świętej Anny. The German Freikorps launched the assault in what would become the Battle of Annaberg, which was fought between 21 May and 26 May 1921. Strachwitz and his two battalions outflanked the Polish positions and overran part of them in hand-to-hand combat around midnight on 21 May. Strachwitz was the first German to reach the summit. They captured six artillery guns, numerous machine guns and rifles, and ammunitions.^[16] On 4 June the Freikorps attacked Polish positions at Kandrzin—present-day Kędzierzyn—and Slawentzitz—present-day Sławięcice. In this battle Strachwitz and his men captured a Polish artillery battery which they turned against the Poles.^[17] For these services he received the Silesian Eagle (Schlesischer Adler) medal second and first class with Oak Leaves and Swords. His younger brother Manfred had also fought for Silesia and was severly wounded leading his men at Krizova. Two months later his wife gave birth to their second child, a daughter named Alexandrine Aloysia born on 30 July 1921. The Reichswehrministerium (Ministry of the Reichswehr) informed him in 1921 that he had been promoted to Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant). The promotion was backdated and made effective as of 1916. The Strachwitz family grew further when on 22 March 1925 a third child, a son named Hubertus Arthur was born on their manor at Schedlitz, later renamed Alt Siedel—present-day Siedlec—was born^[18]

The ancestral home of the Strachwitz family,^[19] The Palace in Kamień Śląski in 2006.

Strachwitz and his family moved from their palace in Groß Stein to their manor in Alt Siedel, because of personnel discrepancies with his father who remained in Groß Stein, in 1925. Between 1924 and 1933 Strachwitz founded two dairy cooperatives which many local farmers joined. In parallel he studied a few semesters of forestry. He used his knowledge to influence the Silesian forest owners to sell their wood to the paper mills. He continued to use his influence in Upper Silesia to modernize forestry and farming. His ambitions were aided by his presidency of the Forstausschuss (Forestry Committee) of Upper Silesia and his membership in the Landwirtschaftskammer (Chamber of Agriculture).^[18] Strachwitz completely took over his father's estate in 1929, at first as a General Manager and then as the owner with full responsibility. This made Strachwitz one of the most wealthy land and forest owners in Silesia. Along with the palace in Groß Stein he owned a lime kiln and quarry in Klein Stein—present-day Kamionek—and Groß Stein, a distillery in Groß Stein with a 92,894 liters (24,540 US gal) output and Alt Siedel with 116,386 liters (30,746 US gal) output. Of his 4,109 hectares (10,150 acres) property, 1,182.6 hectares (2,922 acres) were farmland, 69.9 hectares (173 acres) meadows, 26.3 hectares (65 acres) pastures, 6.1 hectares (15 acres) water, 2,737.3 hectares (6,764 acres) forest, 10 hectares (25 acres) parks, and 6.6 hectares (16 acres) gardens, 35 hectares (86 acres) wasteland and 19.4 hectares (48 acres) buildings and farms, as well as 16 roads. His agricultural production included forest seeds, rye, barley, corn, potatoes, lupins and malt. In animal husbandry he had feral, cattle, foal, Deutsches Edelschwein (German pig), merinos and fish.^[20]

Strachwitz also owned the manor in Alt Siedel with a property size of 583 hectares (1,440 acres), 278 hectares (690 acres) were farmland, 13.5 hectares (33 acres) pastures, 3.5 hectares (8.6 acres) gardens, 279 hectares (690 acres) forest, 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres) water, and 5 hectares (12 acres) buildings. The manor in Einsiedel, in Freudenthal—present-day Bruntál in the Czech Republic—Upper Silesia, with its oak forests and farmland belonged to him as well.^[20]

In National Socialism

In the belief that he could better politically represent his Upper Silesian agricultural and forestry interests, he applied for membership in the Nazi Party (NSDAP—National Socialist German Workers' Party) with the Reichsleitung (Reich Leadership) of the NSDAP in Munich in 1931. He was accepted and in 1932 joined the Ortsgruppe (Local Group) of the NSDAP in Breslau with a membership number 1.405.562. On 17 April 1933 he became a member of the Allgemeine SS with the SS membership number 82.857. This decision started a series of quick promotions within the SS. He had progressed to SS-Obersturmführer by the end of 1934 and SS-Sturmbannführer in 1936. In parallel to his SS-career, his military rank in the military reserve force also advanced, he attained the rank of Hauptmann (Captain) of the Reserves in 1934 and a year later became a Rittmeister (Cavalry master) of the Reserves.^[20]

On 30 January 1933, the Nazi Party, under the leadership of Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany, ushering in a period of rearmament. The Heer (Germany Army) was increased and modernized with a strong focus on the Panzer (tank) force. The personnel was recruited from the cavalery. In October 1935 Panzer-Regiment 2 was created and was subordinated to the 1st Panzer Division, at the time under command of General Maximilian von Weichs. The soldiers of the I. Abteilung (1st Battalion) came from Sachsony and Thuringia, the II. Abteilung (2nd Battalion) was made up from soldiers from Silesia. Strachwitz who had served as an officer of the reserves in Reiter-Regiment 7 (7th Cavalry Regiment) in Breslau had asked to be transferred to the Panzer force and participated in his first maneuver in May 1936 on the training ground at Ohrdruf, followed by an exercise of life shooting on the gunnery training ground at Putlos—present-day in the adminstrative district of Oldenburg-Land—near the Baltic Sea. A year later, from July to August 1937, he participated in a second reserve training exercise on the Silesian training grounds at Neuhammer—present-day Świętoszów.^[20]

Mussolini, Hitler and Friedrich Hoßbach at the Wehrmacht maneuvers, September 1937.

Following a brief vacation back home in Silesia, Strachwitz was back with the 1st Panzer Division at the training grounds at Königsbrück near Dresden. During the preparations for the fall maneuvers the General der Kavallerie (General of the Cavalry) von Weichs was dismissed. On 18 September Panzer-Regiment 2 was relocated from Königsbrück to Fürstenberg and then to Neustrelitz. Here, under the watchful eyes of Benito Mussolini and Hitler from the Schmooksberg near Laage, the 1st and 3rd Panzer-Brigade, supported by Kampfgeschwader (Bomber Wings), practiced a large scale tank attack. The regiment returned to Eisenach on 30 September. Strachwitz returned home to his estate but was called back shortly before the Anschluß, the annexation of Austria into Germany, in March 1938.^[20]

Strachwitz and his Panzer-Regiment 2 were on standby alert from 21 September – 2 October 1938 at the training grounds in Grafenwöhr during the so called Sudeten Crisis, the German annexation of Czechoslovakia's northern and western border regions, known collectively as the Sudetenland. On 3 October the regiment headed for Karlsbad, via Gossengrün and Chodau, where they arrived on 5 October. The regiment was stationed at Saatz and Kaaden in the Sudentenland until 15 October before it returned to Eisenach on 16 October 1938. He was again put on standby alert in March 1939, when the remaining Czech territories became the German satellite Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. Following this alert, he along with Panzer-Regiment 2 were sent to Berlin in April 1939 to participate in the Wehrmacht parade held on behalf of Hitler's 50th birthday on 20 April 1939. In the prelude of World War II in July and August 1939, Panzer-Regiment 2 participated in the summer maneuvers in Jüterbog and Putlos, followed by exercises on the training grounds at Altengrabow. The 1st Panzer Division left their training grounds in Thuringia and Hesse on 21 August 1939 and were transported by train to Silesia between Rosenberg—present day Olesno—and Oppeln, where they arrived on the night 24/25 August 1939. Strachwitz arrived at his regiment on 26 August where he, as oldest officer of the reserve force, was assigned the critical role of organizing the military logistics of resupplying the troops on the battlefield.^[21]

World War II – der Panzergraf

The Panzer Regiment 2, under the command of Oberst (Colonel) Karl Keltsch, as part of the 1st Panzer Division, consisted of four light companies and two middle companies totaling 54 Panzer I, 62 Panzer II, 6 Panzer III, 28 Panzer IV and 6 command Panzer. The regiment located further east in a forest near Klein-Lassowitz on the eve of 28 August 1939. Fall Weiß (Case White), Hitler's directive for the invasion of Poland, became effective and forces of the Wehrmacht invaded Poland without a former declaration of war on 1 September 1939. His regiment also crossed the border that day at Grunsruh and reached the river Lisswarthe at noon. They took Klobutzko that evening without much resistance. On 2 September they proceeded on towards Jala, were they suffered the first casualties of the war. They then crossed the Warthe at Gidle and Plauno heading for Radomsko. Suffering further losses, they concurred Petrikau on 5 September. The regiment reached Góra Kalwaria at the Vistula via Wolbórz and Zawada on 8 September. Here the regiment was allowed to rest until 10 September. On this day, Keltsch informed him that Starchwitz had been nominated for the Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz) 2nd Class for his organizational achievemements, which he received on 5 October 1939.^[22] Keltsch also announced that the Panzer-Brigade 1 (1st Panzer Brigade) had requested his transfer. Generalmajor (Major General) Ferdinand Schaal, commander of Panzer-Brigade 1 at the time, welcomed him and made him responsible for organizing the replenishment of the entire brigade. Already shortly before the victory over Poland—although Poland never formally surrendered—on 6 October 1939 the 1st Panzer Division was ordered back their home bases in Germany on 3 October 1939, where they arrived on 12 October 1939. Here the equipment underwent intensive maintenance. Strachwitz had went home for a lengthy vacation to the manor at Alt Siedel. The palace in Groß Stein had been made available to the Wehrmacht and was used as a field hospital. When Strachwitz returned to his division in late 1939, the 1st Panzer Divsion had been relocated to the greater Dortmund area with the Stab (head quarter unit) located in Düsseldorf.^[23]

At the End February 1940 the commanding general of the 1st Panzer Divsion Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) Rudolf Schmidt was replaced by Generalmajor Friedrich Kirchner. Strachwitz at the time was out sick with meningitis and in a hospital from 1 March to 9 March 1940. While on sick leave, the division was relocated to the South Eifel on 3 March. The Stab established the headquarter in the hotel "Union" in Cochem. The division, along with 2nd and 10th Panzer Division, were subordinated to XIX Armeekorps under the command of Heinz Guderian.^[23]

Strachwitz next fought during Operation Marita, the campaign in the Balkans. During this campaign, Strachwitz took part in the advance on Belgrade, fighting alongside the Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland. In the early war campaigns, Strachwitz fought well and by May 1941 he had been promoted to the rank of Oberst der Reserve.

War against the Soviet Union

When several new armoured divisions were formed for the launch of Operation Barbarossa, Strachwitz was transferred with the 2nd Panzer Regiment and given command of the 1st Battalion, now part of the German 16th Panzer Division. On 22 June 1941, the German invasion of the Soviet Union was launched.

The 16th Panzer Division was ordered to reinforce a bridgehead over the Bug River held by the division's motorcycle battalion, then under heavy counter-attack. Strachwitz's battalion had been equipped with submersible tanks, designed for the abandoned invasion of England. At 0430 on 22 June, the tanks of Strachwitz's battalion, under fire from the opposite bank, drove into the river. After completely submerging, the tanks emerged on the far bank, and began engaging the enemy, soon clearing the area and consolidating the bridgehead. Strachwitz, charging his Panzer III ahead of his troops, engaged a Soviet supply convoy, destroying over three hundred soft-skinned vehicles and several Russian artillery batteries. Strachwitz was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his part in this action. The presentation was made by Hans-Valentin Hube in the field.

Through this campaign, Strachwitz showed such a talent for commanding panzers that his troops nicknamed him der Panzergraf (the Armored Count). The 16th Panzer Division next formed a part of Friedrich Paulus' German Sixth Army, which was encircled near Stalingrad in late 1942. By now, Strachwitz had been promoted to command the entire 2nd Panzer Regiment. During one engagement on the northern flank of the Kessel, his unit destroyed 105 T-34s. Soon after this, Strachwitz was severely wounded and flown out of the encirclement. For his actions, he was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross.

Großdeutschland Panzer Regiment – promotion to General

Starchwitz near Kharkov, May 1943

In January 1943, Strachwitz was given command of Panzerregiment Großdeutschland of the Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland. He led the regiment when it took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov, fighting alongside SS-Gruppenführer Paul Hausser's II SS Panzer Corps. For his actions during these battles, Strachwitz was awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross. In November 1943, Strachwitz left the Großdeutschland on grounds of ill-health, although tension between him and the division's commander Walter Papa Hörnlein is thought by many veterans to be the true reason for Strachwitz's departure.^{[Note 4]}

After a month's sick leave, Strachwitz was recalled to active duty and promoted to Generalmajor der Reserve, and was placed in command of the 1st Panzer Division, though for a short period only.

Final battles

During a visit to a division command post on 24 August 1944 Strachwitz was badly injured in automobile accident. The vehicle rolled over and his survival was in doubt, those with him were killed, while he sustained a fractured skull and broken ribs, legs, arms and hands. He was immediately taken to a field hospital before he was transferred to a hospital at Riga. He was then flown to Breslau in Junkers Ju 52 for further treatment, where he was visited by his son Harti. The doctors informed him that it would take eight month to fully recover. Not accepting his fate, showing a tremndous will power, he worked out his own therapy to recover as quickly as possible:^[25]

1. day: practice sitting up and sitting down until he could do it unassisted
2. day: hang legs over side of bed
3. day: walk on crutches to wash basin
4. day: take a bath with assistance
5. day: walk to door on crutches
6. day: extended walkin
7. day: Leave hospital

Strachwitz released himself from the hospital, officially having himself transferred to the hospital at Oppeln. On the drive back he lost consciousness in almost every turn, arriving at his manor in Alt Siedel on 28 November 1944. Here he spend his convalescence vacation until 23 December 1944.^[25]

He was promoted to Generalleutnant der Reserve in January 1945, and ordered to organise the formation of a Panzerjäger Brigade based at Bad Kudova, in Kłodzko Land. The Brigade, designated Panzerjäger-Brigade Oberschlesien was an ad-hoc formation of different units, and was, for the most part, poorly trained and equipped. As its designation suggested, the Brigade was tasked with defending Upper Silesia (Oberschlesien). Strachwitz commanded this formation in numerous desperate engagements, which destroyed hundreds of enemy tanks and vehicles.^{[citation needed]} In April 1945, Strachwitz led his men in a successful breakout from Russian encirclement in Czechoslovakia to the U.S.-held region of Bavaria, where all surrendered to U.S. Army forces.

Post-war years

Strachwitz was released as a prisoner of war in June 1947. He had lost his wife, his youngest son and his estate during the war. He quickly married again and followed the call of Husni al-Za'im, who had asked him to come to Syria as an agricultural and military advisor to the Syrian Armed Forces. The influential man behind Husni al-Za'im was Adib Shishakli, who wanted a Pan-Aarabian revolution and tried running the state from the background. His goal was to turn Syria into an Prussian Arabia and saw himself as the Otto von Bismarck of the Arabian people. He owned a Mercedes car which had once belonged to Adolf Hitler once. Under his leadership, Syria brought over 30 advisors to Syria. Strachwitz, bragging about his military success in Russia, had a very difficult time with the Syrian officers, his agricultural suggestions were ignored as well. When Adib Shishakli seized power, Strachwitz and his wife left Syria. In the meantime they had received a visa for Argentina, where they hoped to find another advisory occupation. Via Lebanon they arrived in Livorno, Italy, where they changed their plans and ran a winery. They returned to Germany in 1951 with a Red Cross passport.^[26] He settled on an estate in Winkl near Grabenstätt in Bavaria, where he lived quietly his final years. Strachwitz died on 25 April 1968 of lung cancer in the hospital of Trostberg.^[26] The Bundeswehr provided an honour guard for his coffin, as a mark of respect. Der Panzergraf was laid to rest in the village cemetery of Grabenstätt, next to his first wife.^[27] Heinz-Georg Lemm held the eulogy.^[28]

Personal life

Strachwitz married Alexandrine Freiin Saurma-Jeltsch, nicknamed "Alda", on 25 July 1919. Their first child, a son, was born on 4 May 1920. Following family tradition, he was named Hyacinth.^[15] The marriage also produced a daughter, Alexandrine Aloysia Maria Elisabeth Therese, born 30 July 1921, nicknamed "Lisalex", followed by a second son, Hubertus Arthur, nicknamed "Harti", born 11 March 1925.^[18] Alda was killed in a traffic accident on 6 January 1946 in Velden an der Vils, run over by a US military truck. Strachwitz, at the time a US prisoner of war in camp Allendorf near Marburg, was denied permission to attend the funeral.^[29] Harti was killed in action shortly berfore the end of the war on 25 March 1945. Strachwitz married again on 30 July 1947 in Holzhausen. With his new wife Nora, née von Stumm (1916–2000), he had four children, two daughters and two sons, born between 1951 and 1960.^[26]

A member of the German resistance and "Plan Lanz"?

Peter Hoffmann, a Canadian historian of German descent, published a book in 1969 with the titled "Widerstand, Staatsstreich, Attentat — Der Kampf der Opposition gegen Hitler [Resistance, Coup d'etat, Assassination — The Battle of the Opposition against Hitler]". This work lists Strachwitz among the members of the German military resistance to Nazism, along with Generals Hubert Lanz, Hans Speidel and Paul Loehning in conjunction with the "Plan Lanz". The only person to have testified that a "Plan Lanz" ever existed was General der Gebirgstruppe Hubert Lanz. According to Lanz, the plan was to arrest or kill Hitler in early February 1943 during a scheduled Hitler visit to Armeeabteilung Lanz. In his account, the role of Strachwitz was to surround Hitler and his escorts shortly after Hitler's arrival with his tanks. Lanz stated, that he would have then arrested Hitler, and in the event of opposition, Strachwitz tanks would have shot and killed the entire delegation. Hitler cancelled the visit and the plan was dropped.^[30] Author Röll casts doubt on this account. Strachwitz cousin, Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff, who had attempted to assassinate Hitler, stated that Strachwitz, in multiple conversations with him, felt that killing Hitler would have constituted as murder. Röll concludes that Strachwitz was too much a Prussian officer to consider murdering Hitler.^[31]

Summary of career

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (1914)^[32]
  • 1st Class (1914)^[32]
• Silesian Eagle 2nd and 1st Class with Oak Leaves and Swords (1921)^[32]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (5 October 1939)^[33]
  • 1st Class (7 June 1940)^[33]
• Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen (1941)^[32]
• Panzer Badge
  • in Silver (1941)^[32]
  • in Gold with engagement numeral "100" (1943/1944)^[32]
• Eastern Front Medal (August 1942)^[32]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (1941)^[32]
  • in Silver (17 March 1943)^[32]
  • in Gold (16 February 1943)^[32]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
  • Knight's Cross on 25 August 1941 as Major of the Reserves and commander of the I./Panzer-Regiment 2^[34][35][36]
  • 144th Oak Leaves on 13 November 1942 as Oberstleutnant of the Reserves and commander of the I./Panzer-Regiment 2^[34][37][38]
  • 27th Swords on 28 March 1943 as Oberst of the Reserves and commander of the Panzer-Regiment "Großdeutschland"^[34][39][40]
  • 11th Diamonds on 15 April 1944 as Oberst of the Reserves and commander of a Panzer-Gruppe with the Heeresgruppe Nord^[34][41][42]
• Units under his command have been mentioned numerous times in the Wehrmachtbericht

Strachwitz is often credited with the German Cross in Gold awarded on 29 May 1943, this however was awarded to his son, also named Hyacinth, who received this award as Oberleutnant in the 4./Panzer Regiment 15.^[43]

Promotions

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

	Biography portal
	Military of Germany portal
	World War II portal

• Media related to Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz at Wikimedia Commons
• Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz in the German National Library catalogue
• "Strachwitz, Hyazinth Graf von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz" (in German). Lexikon der Wehrmacht. http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/Strachwitz.htm. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
• "Count Hyazinth Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz". Achtung Panzer.com. http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen11.htm. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
• "Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz". Der Spiegel 8/1949. http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-44435520.html. Retrieved 10 February 2013.

v t e Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Ernst-Günther Baade Franz Bäke Hermann Balck (Diamonds) Heinrich Bär Erich Bärenfänger Gerhard Barkhorn Wilhelm Batz Otto Baum Werner Baumbach Fritz Bayerlein Hermann-Heinrich Behrend Wilhelm Bittrich Johannes Blaskowitz Georg Bochmann Alwin Boerst Georg Freiherr von Boeselager Albrecht Brandi (Diamonds) Hermann Breith Josef Bremm Kurt Bühligen Karl Decker August Dieckmann Eduard Dietl Josef Dietrich (Diamonds) Helmut Dörner Hans Dorr Alfred Druschel Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim Karl Eibl Hermann Fegelein Fritz Feßmann Walter Fries Adolf Galland (Diamonds) Waldemar von Gazen Herbert Otto Gille (Diamonds) Gordon Gollob (Diamonds) Walter Gorn Hermann Graf (Diamonds) Fritz-Hubert Gräser Robert Ritter von Greim Franz Griesbach Anton Hackl Heinz Harmel Josef Harpe Erich Hartmann (Diamonds) Walter Hartmann Paul Hausser Richard Heidrich Ludwig Heilmann Gotthard Heinrici Joachim Helbig Traugott Herr Hajo Herrmann Otto Hitzfeld Hermann Hogeback Hermann Hohn Hermann Hoth Hans Hube (Diamonds) Herbert Ihlefeld Hans Jordan Arthur Jüttner Hans Källner Albert Kesselring (Diamonds) Friedrich Kirchner Otto Kittel Ewald von Kleist Günther von Kluge Otto von Knobelsdorff Alfons König Wolfgang Kretzschmar Otto Kretschmer Hans Kreysing Hans Kroh Walter Krüger Otto Kumm Ernst Kupfer Friedrich Lang Heinz-Georg Lemm Helmut Lent (Diamonds) Wolfgang Lüth (Diamonds) Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz Günther Lützow Hellmuth Mäder Erich von Manstein Hasso von Manteuffel (Diamonds) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Diamonds) Karl Mauss (Diamonds) Johannes Mayer Egon Mayer Eugen Meindl Kurt Meyer Walter Model (Diamonds) Werner Mölders (Diamonds) Dietrich von Müller Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller Werner Mummert Joachim Müncheberg Walther Nehring Hermann Niehoff Horst Niemack Theodor Nordmann Walter Nowotny (Diamonds) Hans von Obstfelder Walter Oesau Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski Max-Hellmuth Ostermann Joachim Peiper Dietrich Peltz Hans Philipp Georg-Wilhelm Postel Hermann Prieß Josef Priller Günther Rall Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Diamonds) Hermann Recknagel Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt Georg-Hans Reinhardt Lothar Rendulic Erwin Rommel (Diamonds) Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Diamonds & Golden Oak Leaves) Erich Rudorffer Gerd von Rundstedt Max Sachsenheimer Dietrich von Saucken (Diamonds) Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Diamonds) Fritz von Scholz Edler von Rarancze Ferdinand Schörner (Diamonds) Werner Schröer Hinrich Schuldt Adelbert Schulz (Diamonds) Friedrich Schulz Karl-Lothar Schulz Gerhard Graf von Schwerin Sylvester Stadler Rainer Stahel Leopold Steinbatz Felix Steiner Johannes Steinhoff Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz (Diamonds) Werner Streib Reinhard Suhren Karl Thieme Theodor Tolsdorff (Diamonds) Erich Topp Erich Walther Wilhelm Wegener Otto Weidinger Helmuth Weidling Maximilian Wengler Wend von Wietersheim Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke Theodor Wisch Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny Michael Wittmann Josef Wurmheller Isoroku Yamamoto Werner Ziegler in alphabetical order see also: List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients

v t e Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves   Recipients of 1940 Eduard Dietl (Swords) Werner Mölders (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Galland (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Wick Günther Prien Otto Kretschmer (Swords) Joachim Schepke   Recipients of 1941 Martin Harlinghausen Walter Oesau (Swords) Erwin Rommel (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Friedrich Joppien Joachim Müncheberg (Swords) Heinrich Liebe Engelbert Endrass Herbert Schultze Herbert Ihlefeld (Swords) Wilhelm Balthasar Siegfried Schnell Rudolf Schmidt Werner Baumbach (Swords) Oskar Dinort Walter Storp Viktor Schütze Heinz Guderian Hermann Hoth (Swords) Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen Günther Lützow (Swords) Josef Priller (Swords) Günther Freiherr von Maltzahn Horst Niemack (Swords) Heinrich Bär (Swords) Hans Hahn Hans Philipp (Swords) Ludwig Crüwell Karl-Gottfried Nordmann Heinrich Hoffmann Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow Gordon Gollob (Swords & Diamonds) Erbo Graf von Kageneck Ernst-Felix Krüder Josef Dietrich (Swords & Diamonds) Heinrich Eberbach Franz Scheidies Ernst-Georg Buchterkirch Bernhard Rogge Dietrich Peltz (Swords) Adelbert Schulz (Swords & Diamonds) Josef-Franz Eckinger Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn Karl Eibl (Swords) Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock Otto Weiß Georg Freiherr von Boeselager (Swords) Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach Josef Harpe (Swords) Reinhard Suhren (Swords) Hubertus Hitschhold   Recipients of 1942 Oskar von Boddien Hans Jordan (Swords) Karl-Wilhelm Specht Hans Freiherr von Wolff Hans-Valentin Hube (Swords & Diamonds) Karl-Heinz Noak Joachim Helbig (Swords) Otto Hitzfeld (Swords) Wilhelm Wegener (Swords) Hans Traut Werner von Gilsa Hermann Breith (Swords) Rolf Kaldrack Heinrich Borgmann Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist (Swords) Georg-Hans Reinhardt (Swords) Walter Model (Swords & Diamonds) Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp Walter Wessel Walter Hagen Albert Kesselring (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard Köppen Kurt Ubben Max-Hellmuth Ostermann (Swords) Franz Eckerle Wolf-Dietrich Huy Hans Strelow Wilhelm Spies Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (Swords) Erich Topp (Swords) Theodor Eicke Reinhard Hardegen Wolfgang Späte Alfred Wünnenberg Theodor Scherer Hermann Graf (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Dickfeld Eberhard von Mackensen Leopold Steinbatz (Swords) Hans-Joachim Marseille (Swords & Diamonds) Helmut Lent (Swords & Diamonds) Robert-Georg Freiherr von Malapert Ludwig Wolff Friedrich Geißhardt Heinrich Setz Walter von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt Rolf Mützelburg Adalbert Schnee Erwin Clausen Viktor Bauer Franz-Josef Beerenbrock Anton Hackl (Swords) Traugott Herr (Swords) Werner Kempf Gerhard Kollewe Walter Gorn (Swords) Kurt Brändle Johannes Steinhoff (Swords) Walter Sigel Johann Zemsky Alfred Druschel (Swords) Ernst Bormann Gerhard Hein Werner Ziegler (Swords) Wolf-Dietrich Wilcke (Swords) Klaus Scholtz Heinz Schmidt Heinrich Bleichrodt Friedrich-Karl Müller Wilhelm Crinius Wolfgang Tonne Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild Hans Beißwenger Ernst-Wilhelm Reinert (Swords) Karl Torley Johannes Kümmel Günther Rall (Swords) Ludwig Kirschner Konrad Hupfer Max Stotz Heinrich Schweickhardt Wolfgang Schenck Hermann Seitz Josef Zwernemann Wolfgang Lüth (Swords & Diamonds) Werner Töniges Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (Swords & Diamonds) Josef Wurmheller (Swords) Karl-Friedrich Merten Friedrich Lang (Swords) Alwin Boerst (Swords) Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt Ernst Nobis Wolfgang Fischer Karl Allmendinger Heinrich Paepcke Hermann Balck (Swords & Diamonds) Walter Heitz Hermann Fegelein (Swords) Helmuth von Ruckteschell Felix Steiner (Swords) Hubert Lanz Helmuth Schlömer Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim (Swords) Hartwig von Ludwiger Harald von Hirschfeld Josef Bremm (Swords) Helmut Thumm Helmuth von Pannwitz Martin Fiebig   Recipients of 1943 Reiner Stahel (Swords) Fritz Feßmann (Swords) Friedrich Guggenberger Heinz Frank Ernst Kupfer (Swords) Bruno Dilley Gerhard Barkhorn (Swords) Wend von Wietersheim (Swords) Johann Mohr Friedrich Paulus Karl Willig Günter Goebel Günther von Kluge (Swords) Waldemar von Gazen (Swords) Hans Kreysing (Swords) Reinhard Günzel Hugo Primozic Willy Riedel Georg Michael Gustav Pressler Carl Rodenburg Reinhold Knacke Erwin Fischer Hermann Hogeback (Swords) Helmut Bruck Alfons König (Swords) Kurt Meyer (Swords) Paul Gildner Werner Streib (Swords) Ludwig Becker Werner Baumgarten-Crusius Fritz Witt Hans Mikosch Walter Scheunemann Gustav Schmidt Eberhard Zahn Johann Mickl Wilhelm von Malachowski Bruno Kohnz Georg Lassen Erich von Lewinski (Swords) Georg Rietscher Karl Langesee Josef Kult Walter Hörnlein Theodor Nordmann (Swords) Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Swords) Robert Ritter von Greim (Swords) Hans-Karl von Scheele Heinrich Schüler Helmut Hudel Hinrich Schuldt (Swords) Otto Kumm (Swords) Rudolf Schlee Karl Dönitz Albrecht Brandi (Swords & Diamonds) Gerhard von Kamptz Siegfried Wuppermann Erich Klawe Peter Frantz Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Golden Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Paul-Werner Hozzel Georg Dörffel Egon Mayer (Swords) August Dieckmann (Swords) Otto von Bülow Willibald Borowietz Hans-Günther Stotten Paul Laux Gustav Höhne Karl-Adolf Hollidt Gerhard von Schwerin (Swords) Wilhelm Niggemeyer Franz Griesbach (Swords) Erich Bärenfänger (Swords) Richard Grünert Ernst Kruse Georg Bochmann (Swords) Karl Löwrick Martin Grase Friedrich Kemnade Robert Gysae Hans von Obstfelder (Swords) Karl Göbel Friedrich Höhne Günter Klappich Gustav Rödel Carl Emmermann Werner Henke Fritz Bayerlein (Swords) Walther von Hünersdorff Bernhard Sauvant Paul Hausser (Swords) Franz Bäke (Swords) Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld Manfred Meurer Heinrich Ehrler Theodor Weissenberger Joachim Kirschner Werner Schröer (Swords) Hajo Herrmann (Swords) Bruno Kahl Lothar Rendulic (Swords) Dietrich von Müller (Swords) Georg von Küchler Ernst Busch Georg Lindemann Paul Conrath Otto Baum (Swords) Hans Freiherr von Funck Alexander Conrady Erhard Raus Dietrich von Saucken (Swords & Diamonds) Hans Gollnick Alfred Eidel Paul Schultz Hans-Detloff von Cossel Walter Krüger (Swords) Rolf Rocholl Hartmann Grasser Wolf-Udo Ettel Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (Swords) Hans Zorn Horst Großmann Walter Nowotny (Swords & Diamonds) Joachim Lemelsen Erich Jaschke Heinz Harmel (Swords) Hermann Prieß (Swords) Friedrich Hoßbach Siegfried Thomaschki Walter Lange Günther Pape Theodor Tolsdorff (Swords & Diamonds) Sylvester Stadler (Swords) Ulrich Kleemann Kurt Student Alfred-Hermann Reinhardt (Swords) Hans Fritsche Bodo Spranz Josef Schreiber Hubert-Erwin Meierdress Hans-Gotthard Pestke Julius Ringel Rudolf Freiherr von Roman Ernst Voß Herbert Otto Gille (Swords & Diamonds) Albert Graf von der Goltz Ernst Ziemer Eugen König Hermann Recknagel (Swords) Siegfried Grabert Heinrich Kiesling Otto von Knobelsdorff (Swords) Maximilian de Angelis Erich Brandenberger Otto-Ernst Remer Georg Christiansen Hans Dorr (Swords) Josef Heindl Willy Johannmeyer Karl-Friedrich Brill Johannes Block Hasso von Manteuffel (Swords & Diamonds) Gotthard Heinrici (Swords) Hans Schmidt Karl Mauss (Swords & Diamonds) Hans-Henning Freiherr von Beust Dietrich Hrabak Wilhelm Lemke Otto Schünemann Walter Hartmann (Swords) Ernst-August Fricke Ernst Wellmann Alfred Druffner Anton Grasser Kurt Walter Adolf Weitkunat Walter Elflein Willy Langkeit Andreas Thorey Sigfrid Henrici Heinrich Voigtsberger Karl Baacke Christian Tychsen Alfred Müller Hans-Joachim Kahler Ernst Kühl Kurt von der Chevallerie Wilhelm Schmalz Albert Frey Heinrich Ochs   Recipients of 1944 Bernd Klug Klaus Feldt Walter Krauß Horst Hannig Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt Helmut Kalbitz Josef-Georg Mulzer Maximilian Fretter-Pico Hans Schlemmer Heinrich Boigk August Schmidt Friedrich Wiese Walter Krüger Karl Koetz Hugo Kraas Eduard Hauser Joachim Peiper (Swords) Walter Fries (Swords) Walther Sievers Michael Wittmann (Swords) Bernhard Flachs Richard Heidrich (Swords) Walther Nehring (Swords) Botho Kollberg Erich Löwe Günther Hilt Fritz Breithaupt Robert Martinek Josef Schneider Walter Möse Friedrich Kirchner (Swords) Hans Källner (Swords) Theodor Wisch (Swords) Heinrich-Walter Bronsart von Schellendorff Karl Lorenz Meinrad von Lauchert Josef Karl Ferdinand Schörner (Swords & Diamonds) Wilhelm Stemmermann Theo-Helmut Lieb Robert Kaestner Ernst-Günther Baade (Swords) Rudolf Kolbeck Maximilian Wengler (Swords) Walter Mix Otto Benzin Werner Forst Helmuth Weidling (Swords) Friedrich Mieth Hermann Hohn (Swords) Erich Walther (Swords) Ludwig Heilmann (Swords) Kurt Bühligen (Swords) Horst Ademeit Walter Krupinski August Geiger Hans-Dieter Frank Johannes Wiese Reinhard Seiler Erich Hartmann (Swords & Diamonds) Hermann-Heinrich Behrend (Swords) Gustav Stühmer Fritz von Scholz Fritz von Scholz Edler von Rarancze (Swords) Willi Thulke Josef Rettemeier Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords) Josef Bregenzer Friedrich Schulz (Swords) Werner Mummert (Swords) Hans-Joachim Jabs Bernhard Jope Wilhelm Schmitter Maximilian Otte Hansgeorg Bätcher Georg Koßmala Georg Grüner Eduard Tratt Fritz Petersen Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin Ludwig Müller Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary Herbert Schwender Hans Kroh (Swords) Günther Radusch Johannes Frießner Alfred Grislawski Erich Rudorffer (Swords) Emil Lang Otto Kittel (Swords) Rudolf Schoenert Wilhelm Herget Anton Hafner Johannes Mayer (Swords) Heinrich Hogrebe Rudolf Geisler Heinrich von Vietinghoff Egon von Neindorff Wilhelm Drewes Karl-Lothar Schulz (Swords) Günther Schack Otto Pollmann Hans-Karl Stepp Martin Möbus Albin Wolf Heinz Vinke Karl Decker (Swords) Erich Lorenz Wilhelm Eggemann Theodor von Lücken Otto Deßloch Leopold Münster Max Sachsenheimer (Swords) Martin Hrustak Johann Schwerdfeger Emil Vogel Rudolf Freiherr von Waldenfels Fritz Müller Kilian Weimer Walter Schmidt Karl Ullrich Karl Henze Willy Marienfeld Ferdinand Wegerer Wolf Hagemann Hans Strippel Friedrich Hochbaum Ernst-Eberhard Hell Alfons Hitter Wolfgang Pickert Gottfried Weber Horst Niederländer Georg Bonk Hubert Pilarski Ernst-Wilhelm Hoffmann Konrad Zeller Joachim Domaschk Emil Kaminsky Edwin Stolz Rudolf Petersen Götz Freiherr von Mirbach Diddo Diddens Ernst Sieler Erich Marcks Albert Brux Horst Kaubisch Hendrik Stahl Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Swords & Diamonds) Adolf Glunz Eduard Skrzipek Reinhard Egger Josef-August Fitz Herbert Huppertz Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck Werner Kolb Martin Unrein Erich Abraham Fritz-Hubert Gräser (Swords) Friedrich Dollmann Gerd von Rundstedt (Swords) Hermann Wulf Erich Buschenhagen Heinz-Otto Fabian Karl Palmgreen Heinrich Hoffmann Heinz-Georg Lemm (Swords) Wilhelm Batz (Swords) Willy Kientsch Heinz Strüning Karl-Heinz Weber Otto Weßling Rudolf Frank Herbert Lamprecht Wilhelm von Salisch Gerhard Kruse Otto Carius Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (Swords) Rudolf Demme Paul Schulze Kurt von Tippelskirch Hubert Mickley Willy Wesche Carl Hilpert Heinrich Nickel Curt Schille Martin Strahammer Karl Kloskowski Gerhard Simons Max Wünsche Dietrich Kraiß Rudolf Bacherer Andreas von Aulock Hermann Siggel Gerhard Pick Heinz Macher Hinrich Warrelmann Rudolf Wulf Werner Schulze Walter Melzer Bruno Hinz Hellmuth Mäder (Swords) Rudolf Holste Kurt Pflugbeil Wilhelm Bittrich (Swords) Eugen Meindl (Swords) Hermann Flörke Martin Bieber Hermann Klein Jakob Gansmeier Walter Misera Friedrich-Wilhelm Bock Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Swords) Heinz Greiner Christian Sonntag Hellmuth Pfeifer Rudolf Flinzer Walter Neitzel Richard Seuss Otto Lasch Alois Weber Gerhard Lindemann Johannes Bölter Gustav Reimar Otto Kähler Erich Pietzonka Walter Gericke Heinrich Trettner Hans Thurner Paul Zorner Hans von der Mosel Rudolf Haen Helmut Scholz Otto Schury Werner Marcks Ehrenfried-Oskar Boege Hellmuth Becker Johannes Mühlenkamp Friedrich-August Schack Ernst König Ernst Philipp Wolfgang Kretzschmar (Swords) Otto Meyer Hermann Scharnagel Konrad Sauer Jörg Burg Gerhard Behnke Gerhard Kunert Wilhelm Kohler Heinz Reinefarth Erich Straube Georg Graf von Rittberg Mortimer von Kessel Willi Koch Friedrich Strohm Theodor Krancke Georg Jakob Walter Schuck Friedrich August Freiherr von der Heydte Herbert Bauer Franz Kieslich Diether Lukesch Wilhelm Bleckwenn Arthur Jüttner (Swords) Johann-Georg Richert Werner Gust Othmar Kreuzinger Franz Weller Karl Thieme (Swords) Hans-Christian Stock Gustav Schubert Johann Schalanda Helmut Leicht Günther Tonne Benno Reuter Paul Ecker Paul Freiherr von Hauser Fritz-Rudolf Schultz Heinrich Busse Eduard Brunner Max Simon Johannes Blaskowitz (Swords) Klaus Hilgemann Gerhard Friedrich Maximilian Felzmann Johann-Heinrich Eckhardt Werner Hartmann Walter Weiß Gustav-Adolf von Zangen Gerd Ruge Wilhelm Weidenbrück Helmut Dörner (Swords) Albrecht Krügel Emil Badorrek Klaus Mietusch Heinz Meyer Wilhelm Antrup Heinrich Höfer Gerhart Schirmer Hans Seidemann Hans Hoßfeld Werner Dörnbrack Hubert Pölz Rudolf Witzig Georg-Peter Eder Rudolf Rennecke Otto Dommeratzky Karl Kennel Gerhard Michalski Gerhard Bremer Klaus von Bismarck Artur Phleps Otto Wöhler Helmuth Reymann Curt Ehle Kurt Maier Georg Sattler Walther Hahm Christian Braun Fritz Arndt Gerhard Engel Jürgen Wagner Friedrich Jakob Harry Hoppe Eduard Crasemann Andreas Kuffner Fritz Biermeier Paul Klatt Günther-Eberhardt Wisliceny (Swords) Otto Weidinger (Swords)   Recipients of 1945 Heinrich Baron von Behr Kurt-Hermann Freiherr von Mühlen Walter Lucht Sigmund-Ulrich Freiherr von Gravenreuth Kurt Gröschke Kurt Herzog Alois Eisele Volprecht Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach Joachim Brendel Wilhelm Hasse Hans-Detlef Gollert-Hansen Claus Breger Bruno Streckenbach Max Reinwald Richard Henze Walther Risse Alexander Löhr Gerhard Schmidhuber Wilhelm Schöning Herbert Kündiger Albert Henze Erich Reuter Kurt Dahlmann Kurt Plenzat Herbert Rollwage Max Schäfer Karl Pröll Hellmuth Böhlke Walter Süß Wilhelm Spindler Karl Arndt Kurt Wahl Joachim Rumohr August Zehender Karl Pfeffer-Wildenbruch Walther Dahl Karl Roßmann Ernst Jansa Jürgen Harder Otto Vincon Joachim Sander Georg Graf von Plettenberg Maximilian von Weichs Wilhelm Osterhold Georg Jauer Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz Herbert Wittmann Herbert Schramm Anton-Otto Frank Anton Müller Eduard Zorn Willi Schülke Günther Blumentritt Josef Heichele Georg Gebhardt Ernst Knebel Fritz Klasing Edmund Blaurock Ludwig Schulz Rolf Hermichen Hans Krebs Heinz-Martin Ewert Fritz-Georg von Rappard Josef Jakwert Horst Warschnauer Hans-Babo von Rohr Ernst-August Krag Heinrich Schmelzer Traugott Kempas Arthur Kullmer Michael Pössinger Ottmar Pollmann Bern von Baer Hans Reichardt Werner Ebeling Hermann Niehoff (Swords) Heinrich Götz Rudolf von Bünau Bruno Karczewski Erich Schneider Kurt Welter Helmut Renschler Wolfgang Rust Friedrich Sixt Kurt Witschel Clemens Betzel Franz Rogalski Johannes Grimminger Ernst Kutschkau Egon Aghta Wilhelm Schröder Karl-Heinz Becker Heinz Rökker Robert Weiß Werner Pötschke Alfred Matern Fritz Vogt Karl-Heinz Jaeger Max Wandrey Hans Engelien Heinrich Ruhl Bruno Frankewitz Paul Scheuerpflug Martin Becker Gerhard Werner Ernst-Georg Kedzia Kuno von Meyer Walter Prüß Günther Konopacki Hans-Georg Herzog Rudolf Trittel Karl Wanka Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt Friedrich Jeckeln Fritz Fullriede Johannes Spielmann Heinrich Keese Lothar Berger Helmuth Hufenbach Erich Schroedter Horst von Usedom Günther Josten Alexander Gläser Wilhelm Stähler Gerhard Stüdemann Walter Girg Horst von Mellenthin Martin Steglich Rudolf Neubert Friedrich Richter Ernst Kuppinger Otto Paetsch Hans von Tettau Gerhard Thyben Theodor Burchardi August Thiele Bruno Richter Otto Skorzeny Ernst-Anton von Krosigk Helmut Borchardt Carl Becker Kurt Röpke Friedrich Rögelein Alfred Simm Gerhard Raht Hans-Arno Ostermeier Max Hansen Herbert Lütje Helmut Lipfert Josef Kraft Martin Drewes Hermann Greiner Paul Semrau Adolf Raegener Hans-Peter Knaust Franz Hack Paul-Albert Kausch Josef Brandner Eberhard Rodt Joachim Ziegler Hans-Joachim Kappis Karl Schrepfer Josef Prentl Rolf Thomsen Hans-Günther Lange Heinz-Oskar Laebe Heinrich Hax Hanns Laengenfelder Richard Daniel Wolfgang von Obstfelder Wolfgang von Bostell Gerhard Mokros Werner Ostendorff Rudolf Lehmann Karl Kreutz Heinz Werner Alfred Jodl Adalbert von Blanc Hermann Plocher Franz Graßmel Friedrich Lier Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt Matthias Kleinheisterkamp Hanns-Heinrich Lohmann Alfred Montag Hans Meier Alfons Rebane Walter Schlags-Koch Erich Schmidt Joachim von Siegroth Paul Stahl Georg Störck Franz Sensfuß Joseph von Radowitz   Foreign recipients (as individuals in the military of allies of the Third Reich) Mihail Lascăr Agustín Muñoz Grandes Isoroku Yamamoto (Swords) Corneliu Teodorini Petre Dumitrescu Mineichi Koga Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim Léon Degrelle in chronological order see also: List of Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients

v t e Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipients of the Infanterie-Regiment, Infanterie-Division (motorized) and Panzergrenadier-Division "Großdeutschland" Stab Walter Hörnlein1 (Oak Leaves) Oldwig von Natzmer Infanterie-Regiment "Großdeutschland" 1 Carl-Ludwig Blumenthal Alfred Greim Karl Hänert Hans Klemm Panzergrenadier-(Grenadier)/Regiment "Großdeutschland" Martin Bielig Max Böhrendt Wilhelm Czorny Günther Famula Kurt Gehrke Wolfgang Heesemann Gerhard Konopka Karl Lorenz2 (Oak Leaves) Otto Pfau Otto-Ernst Remer (Oak Leaves) Rudolf Schwarzrock Clemens Sommer Panzerfüsilier-(Füsilier)/Regiment "Großdeutschland" Hans-Dieter von Basse Georg Böhnk Josef Herbst Erich Kahsnitz Ludwig Kohlhaas Siegfried Leyck Horst Niemack3 (Oak Leaves & Swords) Leopold Poschusta Hans Röger Hans Sachs Panzer-Regiment "Großdeutschland" Jörg Burg (Oak Leaves) Bernhard Klemz Rudolf Larsen Hans Lex Fritz Plickat Walter Pössl Josef Rampel Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz4 (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Walter von Wietersheim Panzerartillerie-Abteilung "Großdeutschland" Hans-Friedrich Graf zu Rantzau Panzerjäger-Abteilung "Großdeutschland" Friedrich Anding Nepomuk Stützle Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung/Brigade "Großdeutschland" Diddo Diddens (Oak Leaves) Hanns Magold Peter Frantz (Oak Leaves) Hans-Hermann Sturm Wilhelm Wegner Panzeraufklärungs-Abteilung "Großdeutschland" Wilhelm Kessel Heinz Maaz Erich Schroedter (Oak Leaves) Helmuth Spaeter Rudolf Wätjen (Panzer-)Pionier-Bataillon "Großdeutschland" Ernst-Albrecht Hückel Karl Lorenz (Oak Leaves) Horst Warschnauer (Oak Leaves) Heeres-Flakartillerie-Abteilung "Großdeutschland" Hans Thiessen I./Panzer-Regiment 26 (Panther-Abteilung) (attached) Heinz Bergmann Werner Neumeyer Emil Roßmann Hans-Siegfried Graf von Rothkirch und Trach 1 Knight's Cross with Infanterie-Regiment 80 (34th Infantry Division). 2 Knight's Cross with Pionier-Battalion "Großdeutschland", Oak Leaves with Grenadier-Regiment "Großdeutschland". 3 Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 (5th light Infantry Division). 4 Knight's Cross and Oak Leaves with Panzer-Regiment 2 (16th Panzer Division), Diamonds with Army Group North.

v t e Related recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Brothers Adolf Borchers Hermann Borchers and Walter Borchers Georg von Boeselager (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Philipp von Boeselager Eckart-Wilhelm von Bonin and Hubertus von Bonin Hellmut von der Chevallerie and Kurt von der Chevallerie (Oak Leaves) Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff and Werner von Erdmannsdorff Hermann Fegelein (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Waldemar Fegelein Friedrich Foertsch and Hermann Foertsch Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Oak Leaves) and Otto Fretter-Pico Helmut Friebe and Werner Friebe Adolf Galland (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) and Wilhelm-Ferdinand Galland Rudolf Geisler (Oak Leaves) and Siegfried Geisler Helmut Haugk and Werner Haugk Otto Heger and Rudolf Heger Hartmut von Hößlin and Roland von Hößlin Alfred Jodl (Oak Leaves) and Ferdinand Jodl Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck (Oak Leaves) and Erbo Graf von Kageneck (Oak Leaves) Friedrich Kittel and Heinrich Kittel Günther von Kluge (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Wolfgang von Kluge Eckardt Köppen and Gerhard Köppen (Oak Leaves) Boris Kraas and Hugo Kraas (Oak Leaves) Friedrich-Wilhelm Krüger and Walter Krüger (Oak Leaves & Swords) Albrecht Lanz and Hubert Lanz (Oak Leaves) Erhard Milch and Werner Milch Johann Pflugbeil and Kurt Pflugbeil (Oak Leaves) Franz Schlieper and Fritz Schlieper Hans-Jürgen Stumpff and Horst Stumpff Gerd Suhren and Reinhard Suhren (Oak Leaves & Swords) Brothers-in-law Kurt von Tippelskirch (Oak Leaves) and Curt Gallenkamp Cousins Ernst Lindemann and Georg Lindemann (Oak Leaves) Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Oak Leaves & Swords), Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz (Oak Leaves, Swords & Diamonds) Franz Ruhl and Heinrich Setz (Oak Leaves) Gerd von Rundstedt (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Gotthard Heinrici (Oak Leaves & Swords) Hans Graf von Sponeck and Theodor Graf von Sponeck Siegfried Weber and Werner Winter Father and son Rudolf von Bünau (Oak Leaves) and Rudolf von Bünau Heinz Guderian (Oak Leaves) and Heinz-Günther Guderian Franz Kornprobst and Otto Kornprobst Kurt von Tippelskirch (Oak Leaves) and Adolf-Hilmar von Tippelskirch Albrecht Wüstenhagen and Albrecht Wüstenhagen Father and son-in-law Karl Dönitz (Oak Leaves) and Günther Hessler Nikolaus von Falkenhorst and Erich Dethleffsen Erich von Manstein (Oak Leaves & Swords) and Edel-Heinrich Zachariae-Lingenthal Erhard Milch and Joachim Schlichting Hans-Jürgen Stumpff and Karl-Günther von Hase