Bio of General der Artillerie Walter Hartmann (1891-1977)

Full name: Walter Hartmann  
Nickname: None commonly recorded

Date of birth: 23 July 1891 - Mülheim an der Ruhr, Rhineprovinz (German Empire)
Date of death: 11 March 1977 - Hameln, Niedersachsen (West Germany)

Religion: Protestant (evangelisch), as was typical for many Saxon officers of his generation  
Parents: Richard Hartmann (factory owner) and Bertha Hartmann, born Schumann
Siblings: Not specified
Spouse: Married to Luise Hartmann, born von Meibom (married 1922)
Children: Two daughters

Promotions:
08.04.1911: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier
30.06.1911: Fähnrich
04.05.1912: Leutnant
13.03.1916: Oberleutnant
01.12.1921: Hauptmann
01.10.1932: Major
01.04.1936: Oberstleutnant
01.06.1938: Oberst
01.10.1941: Generalmajor
01.02.1943: Generalleutnant
01.05.1944: General der Artillerie

Career:
01.10.1910: entered Army
01.10.1910: Fahnenjunker in the 12th Field-Artillery-Regiment
01.10.1913: Mounted Battalion of the 12th Field-Artillery-Regiment
26.03.1916: Replacement-Battalion of the 12th Field-Artillery-Regiment
16.04.1916: Beobachter, 7th Flying-Replacement-Battalion
14.06.1916: 232nd Artillery-Flying-Battalion
27.01.1917: 1st Adjutant of Artillery-Flying-School East
01.06.1918: Flying-Group-Commander 21, Training in General Staff Service to XXI. Reserve-Corps
15.12.1918: Adjutant of the Commander of Flying 9, Kurland
01.01.1919: Battery-Leader in the Kurland Field-Artillery-Regiment
01.06.1919: General-Staff-Officer with General-Command of VI. Reserve-Corps
05.12.1919: 12th Field-Artillery-Regiment
01.04.1920: Adjutant of Artillery-Leader 12
01.01.1921: 4th Artillery-Regiment
03.01.1921: training of Officers with Special Duties with the Staff of 4th Division, Dresden
18.05.1921: training as Subsidiary Detached Officer
01.10.1921: subsidiary-Leadership-Training with the Staff of 4th Division
01.10.1922: 4th Artillery-Regiment
01.05.1923: Staff of 4th Division
01.10.1925: 4th Artillery-Regiment
01.10.1926: Staff of the 4th Division
01.04.1928: Chief, 5th Battery, 4th Artillery-Regiment
22.10.1928: Firing-Course for Artillery Officers in Munster
01.10.1931: Staff, II. Battalion, 4th Artillery-Regiment
31.10.1932: retired
01.11.1932: instructor in China
01.03.1934: reactivated, Staff of the 4th Artillery-Regiment
01.10.1934: Commander, IV. Battalion, Artillery-Regiment Naumburg
15.10.1935: Commander, I. Battalion, 60th Artillery-Regiment
12.10.1937: Commander, 24th Artillery-Regiment
25.11.1940: Artillery-Commander 140 (Artillery-Leader of LII. Army-Corps)
15.07.1941: Severely Wounded (lost left arm and left leg) - in Hospital the Führer-Reserve
01.05.1942: Commander, Special-Purpose-Division 407
10.09.1942: Commander, 390th Field-Training-Division
01.04.1943: Commander, 87th Infantry-Division
20.11.1943: Führer-Reserve OKH
05.01.1944: course for Commanding Generals
05.02.1944: Army-Group North for Use as Representative for Leave and Sick Commanding Generals
01.02.1944-30.03.1944: delegated with the Leadership of I. Army-Corps
01.04.1944-28.04.1944: delegated with the Leadership of X. Army-Corps
02.05.1944: Army-Group South Ukraine for Use as Representative for Leave and Sick Commanding Generals
10.05.1944: commanding General, XXXXIX. Mountain-Corps
28.05.1944-13.06.1944: delegated with the Leadership of 17th Army
10.09.1944: commanding General, VIII. Army-Corps
18.04.1945: commanding General, XXIV. Panzer-Corps
08.05.1945: US POW
20.06.1947: released

Awards and Decorations:
- Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (28 September 1914)  
- Ritterkreuz des Königlich Sächsischen Militär-St.-Heinrichs-Ordens (9 March 1915)  
- Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 (30 September 1916)  
- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern  
- Königlich Preussisches Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen  
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer (1934)  
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4. bis 1. Klasse (1936)  
- Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939 (21 September 1939)  
- Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse 1939 (1 October 1939)  
- Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold (July 1941)  
- Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres (30 July 1941)  
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #409 (10 August 1941) as Oberst and Artillerie-Kommandeur 140 (Arko 140), supporting the 100. Leichte Infanterie-Division of the 17. Armee in Heeresgruppe Süd. The division was tasked with breaking through the heavily fortified Stalin Line near the village of Koserowka, on 15 July 1941. The Soviet defenses consisted of deep field fortifications, bunkers, anti-tank obstacles, and concentrated artillery and machine-gun fire. As the German infantry assault began to stall under furious enemy resistance, Hartmann moved forward to the foremost line, exposing himself directly to Soviet fire. From this advanced position, he personally directed the artillery fire with exceptional skill and calmness.
By observing the battlefield in real time, he adjusted the barrage swiftly and flexibly to match the rapidly changing needs of the attacking infantry. His precise fire support suppressed Soviet strongpoints, neutralized counter-attacking forces, and created gaps in the enemy line. This decisive artillery leadership enabled the 100. Leichte Infanterie-Division to achieve a swift and successful breakthrough. Only hours later, Hartmann himself was severely wounded in the same sector and lost his left arm and left leg.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #340 (30 November 1943) as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 87. Infanterie-Division. In September 1943, the division faced repeated heavy Soviet attacks and local penetrations. On 19 September 1943, a dangerous Soviet breakthrough occurred near Beljanskaja. Hartmann personally led two platoons of Jäger-Bataillon 1 into the breach to seal off the penetration. Moving with determination on his artificial limbs, he directed the small force in close combat and restored the line.
On 23 September 1943, Soviet forces advanced up to 15 kilometers behind the German front and threatened divisional supply units along the Janowitschi–Demidow road. Hartmann immediately assembled a small battle group consisting of about 20 men from his own divisional staff and personally led them in a counterattack. Through aggressive leadership and rapid action, they engaged the enemy and eliminated the threat to the rear areas.
The following day, on 24 September 1943, he cleared another critical situation near Tischanowo by committing reserves and coordinating localized counterthrusts. These actions, carried out under extreme personal physical hardship, demonstrated exceptional leadership and bravery. For his outstanding command of the 87. Infanterie-Division and these specific deeds, Hartmann was awarded the Eichenlaub.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #139 (18 March 1945) as General der Artillerie and Kommandierender General VIII. Armeekorps. By late January and early February 1945, the corps was engaged in desperate defensive battles along the Oder front in Silesia, holding a sector from Cosel to Oppeln (later extended toward Grotkau).
Facing overwhelming Soviet superiority in men, tanks, and artillery during the Vistula-Oder Offensive, the corps came under repeated heavy assaults. Soviet forces achieved several dangerous local break-ins. Hartmann organized a tenacious defense, rapidly shifting limited reserves and launching targeted counterthrusts even when they were numerically weak. These swift and determined counterattacks prevented the penetrations from expanding into a full breakthrough.
His leadership was particularly effective in the fighting northeast of Ratibor, in the area between Grotkau and Neiße, and east of the Zobten. Through skillful use of terrain, coordinated artillery and anti-tank fire, and personal example, the VIII. Armeekorps held its positions long enough to delay the Soviet advance toward the interior of Germany. These defensive successes in the final phase of the war, conducted under enormous pressure, earned him the Schwerter.

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Walter Hartmann was a German general of artillery in the Wehrmacht during World War II who rose to prominence through his leadership in both world wars and his extraordinary resilience after suffering devastating injuries. Born on 23 July 1891 in Mülheim an der Ruhr in the Rhine Province, he entered military service in October 1910 as a Fahnenjunker with the 1st Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment No. 12. During World War I he served primarily on the Eastern Front with Saxon artillery units, later transferring to aerial observation roles where he acted as an observer and adjutant in flying formations. He earned several decorations for bravery, including the Iron Cross First and Second Class and the Knight's Cross of the Saxon Military Order of St. Henry. After the war he continued in the Reichswehr, holding various staff and command positions within artillery regiments based in Dresden.

In the interwar years Hartmann advanced steadily through the ranks while serving in artillery units and briefly acting as an instructor in China between 1932 and 1934. He commanded the 24th Artillery Regiment from 1937 onward, leading it through the invasion of Poland in 1939 and the campaign in the West in 1940. In November 1940 he was appointed Artillerie-Kommandeur 140, a role that placed him in charge of coordinating heavy fire support for corps-level operations. Promoted to Oberst, he brought his artillery expertise to the early stages of Operation Barbarossa in 1941, supporting the 100th Light Infantry Division in Army Group South as German forces pushed deep into Soviet territory.

The action that earned Hartmann the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross occurred on 15 July 1941 near the village of Koserowka during the assault on the heavily fortified Stalin Line. Soviet defenses featured dense bunkers, anti-tank obstacles, and intense machine-gun and artillery fire that threatened to stall the German infantry attack. Ignoring personal safety, Hartmann moved forward to the foremost lines under furious enemy fire and personally directed the artillery barrage with remarkable precision and flexibility. By adjusting fire in real time to suppress strongpoints and neutralize counterattacks, he enabled the 100th Light Infantry Division to achieve a swift breakthrough. Hours after this success, however, he was severely wounded in the same sector, resulting in the amputation of his left arm and left leg. Despite this life-changing injury, he was awarded the Knight's Cross on 10 August 1941 and later promoted to Generalmajor.

After a long period of recovery, Hartmann insisted on returning to active front-line duty in May 1942. He first commanded Division z.b.V. 407 and then the 390th Field Training Division before taking charge of the 87th Infantry Division in April 1943 in the central sector of the Eastern Front near Welish. In September 1943, as Soviet forces launched strong local offensives, he demonstrated exceptional personal courage despite his disabilities. On 19 September he led two platoons of Jäger Battalion 1 into a dangerous penetration at Beljanskaja to seal the gap through close combat. Days later, on 23 September, he assembled a small battle group of about twenty men from his divisional staff and personally led them in a counterattack against Soviet troops that had advanced fifteen kilometers behind German lines to threaten supply routes along the Janowitschi–Demidow road. The following day he resolved another critical situation near Tischanowo by committing reserves and directing localized counterthrusts. These determined actions helped stabilize the division's sector during a difficult defensive battle and earned him the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 30 November 1943.

In early 1944 Hartmann briefly led the I Army Corps before assuming command of the XXXXIX Mountain Corps in May 1944, overseeing the difficult evacuation of Crimea by sea to Romania. By September 1944 he had taken command of the VIII Army Corps, which faced the full weight of the Red Army's advances in Silesia and along the Oder River. During the heavy Soviet assaults of late January and early February 1945, his corps held a critical sector from Cosel to Oppeln and later toward Grotkau. Through skillful coordination of limited reserves, rapid counterattacks, and tenacious use of terrain and artillery, Hartmann prevented several dangerous penetrations from developing into a complete breakthrough, particularly in the fighting northeast of Ratibor and east of the Zobten. For his leadership in these desperate defensive battles he received the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves on 18 March 1945. In April 1945 he assumed command of the XXIV Panzer Corps and led it until the final days of the war.

Hartmann was taken prisoner by American forces on 8 May 1945 and was released from captivity on 20 June 1947. He spent his remaining years in Hameln, Lower Saxony, where he died on 11 March 1977 at the age of 85. Throughout his career he was noted not only for his tactical competence as an artillery officer but also for his remarkable determination to continue serving despite profound physical handicaps, qualities that made him one of the few severely disabled generals to hold high command positions on the Eastern Front until the end of hostilities.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Hartmann  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34591/Hartmann-Walter-General-der-Artillerie.htm  
https://web.archive.org/web/20091028010435fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General/HARTMANN_WALTER.html
https://generals.dk/general/Hartmann/Walter/Germany.html  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HartmannWa.htm  
https://rk.balsi.de

Bio of SS-Brigadeführer Otto Kumm (1909-2004)

Full Name: Manfred Otto Kumm
Nickname: No information

Date of birth: 1 October 1909 - Hamburg (German Empire)
Date of death: 23 March 2004 - Offenburg, Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Service number: SS-Nr.: 18.727 // NSDAP-Nr.: 421.230
Religion: Gottgläubig
Parents: Father was a merchant in Hamburg (name not widely documented in general records)
Siblings: Not documented in accessible primary historical summaries
Spouse: Not documented in standard military biographies
Children: Not documented in standard military biographies

Promotions
01.10.1931: SA-Mann
01.12.1931: SS-Anwärter
19.12.1931: SS-Mann
01.12.1932: SS-Scharführer
01.05.1933: SS-Truppführer
09.11.1933: SS-Obertruppführer
15.02.1934: SS-Sturmführer
12.08.1934: SS-Obersturmführer
13.09.1936: SS-Hauptsturmführer
01.10.1940: SS-Sturmbannführer - RDA 01.09.1940 then 01.04.1940
01.01.1942: SS-Obersturmbannführer
20.04.1943: SS-Standartenführer
30.01.1944: SS-Oberführer
21.11.1944: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS - RDA 09.11.1944

Career:
01.10.1931-30.11.1931: SA-Mann, SA-Sturm 25
01.12.1931-01.04.1932: SS-Anwärter, 1. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 28
15.10.1933: SS-Truppführer, 5. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 28
00.11.1933-10.02.1934: SS-Truppführer, 1. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 28
10.02.1934: SS-Obertruppführer, 1. Sturm, SS-Standarte „Germania"
00.03.1934: SS-Sturmführer, Führer, III. Sturmbann, SS-Standarte 28
12.08.1934-01.10.1934: SS-Ostuf, 3. Sturm, Politischen Bereitschaft Hamburg
01.10.1934: SS-Ostuf, SS-Standarte 39
17.05.1935-10.12.1936: SS-Ostuf, Chef, 4.(MG) Kompanie, SS-Standarte 2
00.12.1936: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 2. Kompanie, SS-Standarte „Deutschland", SS-VT, München - campaign in Austria
00.03.1938: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 2. Kompanie, SS-Standarte „Der Führer",SS-VT, Klagenfurt - campaign in the Sudetes and in Poland
00.04.1940: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 2. Kompanie, SS-Standarte „Der Führer",SS-VT - campaign in the West
00.10.1940: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, III. Bataillon, SS-Standarte „Der Führer",SS-VT
00.03.1941: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, III. Bataillon, SS-Standarte „Der Führer", SS-Division 'Reich' - campaign in the Balkans
00.06.1941: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, III. Bataillon, SS-Standarte „Der Führer", SS-Division 'Reich' - campaign in Russia - Lublin
12.07.1941: SS-Stubaf, Kdr, SS-Regiment „Der Führer", SS-Division 'Reich'
00.01.1942: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Regiment „Der Führer", SS-Division 'Reich' - Battle for Rzhev
00.02.1943: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Regiment „Der Führer", 2. SS-Panzer-Division 'Das Reich' - Battle for Kharkov
00.07.1943: SS-Staf, Chef des Stabes, V. SS-Gebirgs-Korps
00.10.1943: campaign in Bosnia
30.01.1944-20.01.1945: SS-Brif, Kdr, 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division 'Prinz Eugen'
28.03.1944: campaign in Yugoslavia - Knin, Otok, Sinj
06.02.1945: SS-Brif, Kdr, 1. SS-Panzer-Division 'Leibstandarte-SS Adolf Hitler' - Operation 'Frühlingserwachen', Balaton, Hungary
20.04.1945: moved to Vienna, Austria
08.05.1945: surrendered to US troops near Steyr
08.05.1945: US POW, POW camp Dachau

Awards and Decorations:
Abzeichen des SA - Treffens Braunschweig 1931 (1931)
Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer (February 1934)
Julleuchter der SS (16 December 1935)
Bronzes SA-Sportabzeichen (1 December 1937)
DRL Sportabzeichen in Bronze (1 December 1937)
Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS (1 December 1937)
Totenkopfring der SS (1 December 1937)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4.Stufe (4 Jahre) (1939)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 3.Stufe (8 Jahre) (1939)
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 (1939)
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 (1939)
Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (29 May 1940)
Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse (4 June 1940)
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (8 June 1940)
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Bronze (10 October 1940, other sources give 10.12.1940)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (3 December 1941. Award 21/11. According to Patzwall / Scherzer the awarding date is 29-11-1941)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #870 (16 February 1942) as SS-Obersturmbannführer and Kommandeur SS-Regiment (motorisiert) “Der Führer” / SS-Division (motorisiert) “Reich”. Kumm’s Ritterkreuz recommendation reads as follows:
“SS-Obersturmbannführer (Oberstleutnant) Kumm was awarded the Iron Cross Second and First Class as well as the Infantry Assault Badge during the Western campaign. During the campaign against Russia Kumm has particularly distinguished himself in his new role as commander of the SS-Regiment ‘Der Führer’. He has done so through having a major share in both the swift forward advance of the SS-Division ‘Reich’ as well as in the destruction of strong Russian forces in the pocket northeast of Kiev.
a) At 06:00 on the 04.09.1941 the reinforced Regiment ‘DF’ attacked from Awdejewka towards the southwest. By pushing forward the lead Bataillon in an unflinching advance the regimental commander was able to capture the important bridge at 13:30 near Rudnja already at 13:30, and also the heights southwest of Rudnja a short time later. This was in spite of strong enemy activity on the flanks, which Kumm swiftly dealt with by deploying other forces as a shield. Through a swiftly brought-up exploitation unit it was possible to smash a strong enemy march column in Tschernotitschi as it was getting dark. 320 prisoners were captured as well as 15 guns and a large number of vehicles, horse-drawn wagons and equipment.
b) On the 15.09.1941 the Regiment ‘Der Führer’ had the mission of advancing from itschnja to Priluki, and capturing Priluki itself. The Regiment had to conduct 3 attacks against a toughly defending enemy, and by dusk it had reached the southern edge of Kolessniki.
As a result of deploying strong reconnaissance during the following night it was possible to recognize the disengagement of the enemy at 01:00, and capture the northern part of Priluki in the early morning hours with a swift pursuit thrust. In the process an endless column with all sorts of weaponry was smashed. 1400 prisoners were captured. 18 artillery pieces, 4 anti-tank guns, 30 mortars along with uncounted numbers of vehicles, horse-drawn wagons, horses and equipment was captured or destroyed.
This success is thanks to the actions of SS-Obersturmbannführer Kumm, who decided to conduct his nighttime reconnaissance even though his troops were totally exhausted.
The attack of a Russian column of about 200 men (from the west flank) against the Regimental command post was repulsed with bloody losses by SS-Obersturmbannführer Kumm and his handful of hastily assembled messengers and ordnance officers. It did not interfere with the Regiment’s abilities to command.
c) On the 22.09.1941 the Regiment received a new mission while it was taking part in a counterattack against a Russian relief thrust east of Romny. It was to encircle the Russian 5th Cavalry Division (reinforced by tanks) by launching a thrust from Korowinzy to the south.
In just two hours the regimental commander was able to reorient his regiment (which had previously been fighting along a front to the east with all heavy weapons and artillery) 90 degrees and commence the attack towards the south. Following a hard village battle in Ssakunowo the Regiment crushed major elements of the 5th Cavalry Division. Over 1000 enemy dead were counted after the engagement was concluded. The quantities of weapons and equipment captured can no longer be counted, as the Regiment immediately had to reassemble after the battle and begin marching to be employed for new tasks by the Division. (see sketch)
In the intervening days the Regiment ‘Der Führer’ has been constantly either on the march or engaged in combat. In this time it has mostly marched on foot due to the often completely muddied roads, sometimes during the night, so as to continue the pressure on the enemy. In this regard it has succeeded in staying on the enemy’s heels, and during the time period 04.09.-23.09.1941 the Regiment captured or destroyed:
9466 prisoners
123 guns
17 anti-tank guns
40 mortars
24 tanks (including several 52 ton tanks)
Unquantifiable numbers of vehicles, horse-drawn wagons and equipment
This success is thanks to the personal bravery and tireless energy of the young regimental commander. During this time the Division was subordinated to the XXXXVI. Panzer-Korps.”
Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille) (30 August 1942)
SS-Dienstauszeichnung 2.Stufe (12 Jahre) (1942)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #221 (6 April 1943) as SS-Obersturmbannführer and Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Der Führer" / SS-Panergrenadier-Division "Das Reich". Kumm’s Eichenlaub recommendation reads as follows:
“On the 11.02.1943 the SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Der Führer’ received the mission to attack an enemy force located south of Merefa that was firmly positioned among the hill and ravine covered terrain. The enemy had brought numerous heavy weapons into position, including powerful anti-tank guns. In the sector the Regiment was attacking the enemy infantry strength was determined to be about 7 battalions strong. The Regiment would however enjoy support from the Panzer-Regiment of the SS-Pz.Gren.Div. ‘Adolf Hitler’.
The orders were: ‘Eject the enemy along the railway and in Borki with Panzer support.’
As such after the first attack objective was reached (the high ground along the line Hills 172.3, 161.8 and 160.3) the Panzer-Regiment was to conducting a wide-reaching thrust into the left flank of the enemy in order to lay the foundation for throwing back the much superior enemy.
The Regiment reached the first attack objective and held up in jump-off positions for the continued attack against the railway line and Borki. The enemy put up heavy defensive fire with all available weapons, making a forward advance impossible for the time being. Thus the Panzer thrust had to bring about a decisive result. However this did not come to pass, as the Panzer-Abteilungen could not dislodge the enemy that had dug-in near Dahgun, and the attack had to be broken off.
The regimental commander, observing from the foremost line, realized that action now had to be taken in order to not let victory slip away. Through a thrust towards Borki it would be possible to cut off and destroy strong enemy units.
Therefore the regimental commander decided to attack without Panzer support. Through the particularly skillful deployment of the Bataillone by the commander, the Regiment succeeded in ejecting, pursuing and destroying the enemy. The railway line was reached, and with it the enemy’s retreat and supply route was captured. The enemy elements cut-off by this maneuver were destroyed in the course of the subsequent operations.
As a result of his independent decisive to attack the overwhelming enemy without Panzer support, in addition to his personal intervention, SS-Obersturmbannführer Kumm succeeded in laying the groundwork for the destruction of the cut-off enemy.
On the 16.02.1943 the SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Der Führer’ had the following order: ‘Regiment must reach Jefronowka and make contact with Kampfgruppe Meier’. By this the elusive enemy could be caught in a pincer movement and destroyed. The III.(SPW)/SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. ‘Der Führer’ commenced its movement and noticed that only weak enemy units were moving to Jefronowka, with the bulk of their forces instead retreating towards the southeast.
Thus the regimental commander decided to deviate from his mission. Instead of only attacking Jefronowka, he would instead pursue and destroy the larger enemy forces as well.
The regimental commander gave the following order: ‘Follow the clearly recognizable enemy tracks, then fix and destroy them.’
Success made itself known a day later, when the offensive group (consisting of the SPW Bataillon and a Panzer-Kompanie) eliminated one enemy Regiment. 20 guns, numerous mortars and heavy machine guns, 30 anti-tank guns, flamethrowers and numerous dead were the confirmation that this deviation from the original orders was justified. The pursuit of this enemy had brought success.
Over the course of these two decisive actions, and during the entire thrust as far as Bereka, a constant battle was fought not only against the enemy but also against snow and the terrain.
This success by the Division can be credited to Kumm’s iron will to advance and his continual presence among the foremost attack spearheads. Equally important was his correct analysis of unexpected situations and the corresponding decisions concerning the employment of available units. The achievements brought about by the leadership and the troops themselves were extraordinary.”
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (6 June 1944)
Red Krune Kralja Zvonimira I.Stupnja Cross with Swords and Star (30 June 1944)
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (10 October 1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #138 (17 March 1945) as SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS and Kommandeur 7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division "Prinz Eugen". Kumm’s Schwerter recommendation reads as follows:
“During the course of the Balkan withdrawal the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division ‘Prinz Eugen’ managed to withdraw to the Nisch bridgehead as planned following heavy combat with strong enemy forces in the area around Leskovac—Bela-Palanka (against 6 Bulgarian infantry divisions and 1 tank brigade) and Zajecar (against 3 Soviet divisions). The swift evacuation of the wounded (700), supply equipment, and ground facilities (headquarters, airbases and Flak) was necessary. The evacuation route Brigadeführer Kumm intended to use leading northwards via Aleksinac was already blocked by strong Russian forces north of Aleksinac. The only available weak forces (1 Bataillon) were unable to reopen the route on the 12.10.1944. Connection to the Korps no longer existed. Consequently the divisional commander decided to allow these motorized column to escape towards the west via Mramor—Prokuplje.
The Nisch bridgehead had to be held until the 14.10.1944 against hotly pursuing enemy forces, as the destroyed Morava bridge only completed repairs at midday on the 13.10.1944 and the approx. 1000 vehicles could only be fully led through at 09:00 on the 14.10.1944 due to the bad weather. The horse-drawn units were placed behind the motorized columns.
At around 10:45 a Bulgarian division (reinforced by a tank brigade) attacked the retreat route here from the south with their main effort along the left wing in the Merosina area (they started at 08:00 according to the Divisional command post). Gruppe Gabelmann, positioned as security to the south with 3 Luftwaffe-Kompanien, was totally dispersed.
Brigadeführer Kumm immediately assembled all available troops (some 40 men with 3 light MGs), and with them held the southern edge of Merosina. An ordered relief attack by elements of the II./13 from the southern edge of Nisch into the flank of the enemy did not come to fruition, as the Bataillon itself was attacked by strong enemy forces with tank support. The vehicle column was fully shot up by anti-tank guns, tanks and artillery, its drivers and supply troops being totally scattered. However the brave resistance by the divisional commander and his handful of men held off the enemy long enough for the vehicles carrying the wounded as well as other elements of the motorized columns to pull out to the west and later to Pristina.
At around 13:00 the enemy had blocked the road along both sides of Merosina with tanks, and had penetrated into the village itself with infantry. After running out of ammunition the Brigadeführer decided to get out of there. Along with his troops he broke out of the village and reached the command post of the Regiment 13. From here he ordered the Bataillone to pull out of the Nisch bridgehead, and for the assembly of all available elements of the Division at Dudulajce. The retreat and the reassembly went according to plan, with the artillery also being taken along.
Due to a lack of ammunition and heavy weapons the divisional decided to avoid major engagements and instead cross over the ridge of the Jastrebac mountain. He intended to break through the partisan forces along the way and once again make contact with friendly forces in the Ibar valley. After an extremely difficult mountain march with about 4000 men and 1100 horses (in which sufficient food and fodder was unavailable) the Ibar valley was reached on the night of the 20./21.10.1944, and friendly contact was established in the Usce—Bare area. Through this bold undertaking Brigadeführer Kumm managed to extract his troops from the jaws of a far superior enemy, and remain in control of a combat-capable formation.
From the 24.10.-27.11.1944 the Division (along with additional combat elements of the General-Kommando F.W. Müller) held the bridgehead at Karljevo, and in doing so enabled the withdrawal of several divisions as well as large quantities of supplies.
Retreating via Cacak, Brigadeführer Kumm took over the Ljubovija bridgehead on the 05.12.1944. Thereafter he held the bridgehead (and with it the road to Rogacica) open until the 15.12.1944. Starting on the 10.12.1944 the Division found itself all alone on the eastern bank of the river after the destruction of the Drina bridge. On the 22.12.1944 the Division reached Bijeljina following hard combat with partisans, and in doing so made contact with the divisions of the XXXIV. Armee-Korps.
Already in the days afterwards the divisional commander began an operation to clear the Drina—Save triangle. With swift thrusts the partisan forces located there (4-5 of Tito’s divisions, some of which were already there and some of which were in the process of crossing the Drina from the eastern bank) were scattered. They were pushed back either across the Drina or into the mountains towards the west.
During an attack on the 03.01.1945, launched from the Otok area under the command of Brigadeführer Kumm, the 21st Tito Division was engaged in the Komletinci—Nijemci area. With only minimal friendly losses, the enemy division was destroyed following a series of powerful strikes. High losses were inflicted, and numerous light and heavy weapons fell into our hands (see enclosure 1).
During a further attack on the 17.-18.01.1945, following a breakthrough of enemy positions at Sotin, Brigadeführer Kumm and his men succeeded in capturing Opatovac, Lovac, Tovarnik and Sid in a swift advance. Once again heavy losses in men and material were inflicted on the enemy (see enclosure 2).”

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Otto Kumm was a German military officer who served in the Waffen-SS during World War II, rising to the rank of SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS. Born on 1 October 1909 in Hamburg, German Empire, he was the youngest of five children in a merchant family. After completing secondary school, Kumm trained as a typesetter and worked in the printing industry for several years before joining the Nazi Party in 1931 and the SS shortly thereafter. He entered the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1934, beginning a rapid military career that would see him participate in nearly every major German campaign of the war.

Kumm's early service included assignments with SS-Standarte Germania and later with the SS-Standarte Der Führer. He commanded companies during the invasions of Poland in 1939 and the Netherlands in 1940, earning the Iron Cross Second and First Class for his actions. Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, he served on the Eastern Front with the SS Division Das Reich. In July 1941, he was appointed commander of the SS-Regiment Der Führer, leading the unit through intense fighting around Rzhev and other sectors. For his leadership and bravery in defensive operations against Soviet forces in early 1942, he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in February 1942.

In the following years, Kumm continued to advance through the ranks. He briefly served as chief of staff for the V SS Mountain Corps before taking command of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen in January 1944. This division, composed largely of ethnic German and other volunteers, was heavily engaged in anti-partisan operations and conventional fighting in the Balkans and later in Hungary. Kumm led the division during the German withdrawal from the region amid mounting Allied pressure. He was promoted to SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS in November 1944 and received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross in 1943 for earlier actions.

In the final months of the war, Kumm was transferred to command the elite 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler in February 1945, replacing the wounded Wilhelm Mohnke. He led the division during the failed Operation Spring Awakening in Hungary and the subsequent retreat toward Austria and Vienna. For his overall service, particularly with the Prinz Eugen Division, he was awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves in March 1945. Kumm and his unit eventually surrendered to American forces in May 1945 near Steyr, Austria, after which he was held as a prisoner of war.

After his release from captivity in the late 1940s, Kumm underwent denazification and returned to civilian life in the printing industry, working as a production leader for a firm associated with Hubert Burda Media in Offenburg. He became one of the founding members and the first chairman of HIAG, the mutual aid association for former Waffen-SS members established in 1951. The organization sought to provide support for veterans facing social and legal challenges while advocating for a revised historical view of the Waffen-SS as a purely military force separate from other SS branches. Kumm remained active in veteran circles for many years.

Otto Kumm died on 23 March 2004 in Offenburg, Germany, at the age of 94. At the time of his death, he was the last surviving SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS, as well as one of the final recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He was buried in the Weingarten cemetery in Offenburg. His long postwar life and involvement with HIAG made him a notable figure among former Waffen-SS personnel seeking recognition for their wartime service.

Source:
Berger, Florian. Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 1999.
Kumm, Otto. Vorwärts Prinz Eugen! Geschichte der 7. SS-Freiwilligen Gebirgs Division Prinz Eugen. Munin-Verlag, 1978.
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, 2007.
Stockert, Peter. Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 3. Friedrichshaller Rundblick, 1997.
Thomas, Franz. Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K. Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/K/KummOtto.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Kumm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34614/Kumm-Otto.htm
https://rk.balsi.de/
https://www.unithistories.com/
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://nuremberg.law.harvard.edu/documents/authors/3415-otto-kumm

Bio of Oberst Heinz-Georg Lemm (1919-1994)

Full name: Heinz-Georg Lemm
Nickname: Hein lemm

Date of birth: 1 June 1919 - Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Germany)
Date of death: 17 November 1994 - Ruppichteroth, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)

Religion: Publicly available biographies do not name his specific confession, but he was born and raised in a mainstream German Protestant milieu; his personal religious practice is not documented in detail.
Family background: His father was a financial‑administrative lawyer (Militärintendanturrat, later Oberregierungsrat in the Reichsfinanzverwaltung); his mother’s name and background are not clearly specified in standard reference works. Comprehensive genealogical sites such as Geni and other online trees do not list Lemm’s parents, siblings, spouse, or children with clear, sourced entries, so on the basis of current open‑source material the names of his siblings, spouse, and children can only be offered as “not robustly documented” rather than as established facts. Available mainstream secondary sources therefore focus on his career and decorations, not on his private family constellation.

Promotions:
1935: Fahnenjunker
Circa 1938-39: Leutnant
Circa 1941: Oberleutnant
Circa early 1943: Hauptmann
1 april 1943: Major (one of the youngest majors in the wehrmacht)
1944: Oberstleutnant
1945: Oberst (at age 25, noted as one of the youngest colonels in the heer)
1963: Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
1970: Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
1974: Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)

Career:
- 1935: Entered the German Army as Fahnenjunker at Infanterie‑Regiment 27 in Schwerin.  
- 1936: Abitur at a humanistic Gymnasium in Schwerin.  
- 1937: Promoted to Fähnrich.  
- 1938: After attendance at the Kriegsakademie in Munich, promoted to Leutnant and employed as Rekrutenoffizier and later as Reiterzugführer in Infanterie‑Regiment 27.  
- 1940: Promoted to Oberleutnant.  
- 1941: Awarded the German Cross in Gold on 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and company commander in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27 of the 12. Infanterie‑Division.  
- 1942: Promoted to Hauptmann and later assigned to the 27er Füsilier battalion.  
- 14 April 1943: Awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Hauptmann and commander of I./Füsilier‑Regiment 27.  
- 1 April 1943: Promoted to Major.  
- 11 July 1944: Awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz (Oak Leaves) as Major and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; at the time one of the youngest Heer officers to receive this grade.  
- 1 November 1944: Promoted to Oberstleutnant.  
- 15 March 1945: Awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz (Swords) to the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves as Oberstleutnant and commander of Füsilier‑Regiment 27; also promoted to Oberst in March 1945 at the age of 25.
- 1957: Re‑entered service in the Bundeswehr, initially with the rank of Oberst.  
- 1957–1965: Commanded Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 of the 3. Panzerdivision in Hamburg.  
- 1963: Promoted to Brigadegeneral in the Bundeswehr.  
- 1969: Became stellvertretender Kommandeur of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez under General Hans joachim von Hopffgarten.  
- 1970: Promoted to Generalmajor and commander of the 5. Panzerdivision in Diez.  
- 1970–1974: Commanded the 5. Panzerdivision.  
- 1974: Promoted to Generalleutnant and appointed Amtschef des Heeresamts (Chief of the Army Office) in Köln.  
- 1974–1979: Served as Chief of the Army Office of the Bundeswehr.  
- 1979: Retired from the Bundeswehr.  
- 1980s–1994: Served as Ehrenpräsident der Ordensgemeinschaft der Ritterkreuzträger (Honorary President of the Association of Knight’s Cross Recipients); also Präsident of the Ring Deutscher Soldatenverbände until 1985, then Ehrenpräsident until 1988.

Awards and Decorations:
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, II. Klasse (6 October 1939)  
- Eisernes Kreuz 1939, I. Klasse (31 December 1940)  
- Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber  
-  Medaille „Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942“  
- Infanterie‑Sturmabzeichen in Silber  
- Nahkampfspange in Bronze und Silber  
- Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber  
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold - 19 December 1941 as Oberleutnant in 2./I./Infanterie‑Regiment 27
- Demjankschild
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (14 April 1943) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. The award recognized his determined leadership and tactical skill during heavy defensive fighting near Penna south of Staraya Russa on the northern sector of the eastern front.
In early 1943 the sector around Staraya Russa witnessed repeated fierce soviet armored assaults against German positions. Over three intense days Lemm's füsiliers fought in close coordination with the sturmgeschütze assault guns commanded by Hauptmann Hegele. Together they engaged and destroyed 46 soviet tanks. The battles involved stubborn infantry defense under heavy artillery and tank fire while the assault guns provided crucial direct fire support from concealed positions. Waves of soviet armor advanced across open ground or through wooded terrain only to be met by accurate anti-tank fire and determined close-range infantry attacks.
When a fresh soviet force succeeded in penetrating the german lines creating a dangerous breach lemm reacted swiftly. He organized an immediate counter-thrust. Once more supported by Hegele's sturmgeschütze his battalion closed the gap and eliminated the penetrating enemy units destroying another five tanks in the process. These actions prevented a larger breakthrough stabilized the divisional front and inflicted significant losses on the attacker. Lemm's personal presence among his men his calm decision-making under fire and his ability to coordinate combined arms defense were key factors cited in the award recommendation.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (11 July 1944) as Major and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 / 12.Infanterie-Division. This high decoration came for his exceptional performance during the catastrophic opening days of the soviet summer offensive operation bagration.
On 22 june 1944 Lemm's battalion held positions in the Pronja bridgehead near Tschaussy in the Mogilev sector under the 4. armee. When the Red Army unleashed its massive assault army group center began to collapse under overwhelming pressure. Over the next 72 hours the 12. Infanterie-Division faced the threat of complete encirclement. Lemm took command of a kampfgruppe and formed the rearguard covering the division's fighting withdrawal.
Under constant attack from superior soviet forces advancing from multiple directions his unit conducted a disciplined and aggressive delaying action. Amid burning villages destroyed equipment and chaotic retreats lemm maintained control of his mixed force of infantry assault guns and scattered support elements. He skillfully organized a breakout from the collapsing mogilev pocket directing his men toward the berezina river. Fighting through soviet blocking positions and ambushes the kampfgruppe managed to slip through the tightening encirclement and reestablish contact with the remnants of the 12. infanterie-division. While thousands of german soldiers were killed or captured in the bagration disaster lemm's leadership enabled a significant portion of his formation to escape destruction. The Eichenlaub recognized this remarkable feat of survival and command under the most desperate conditions.
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (15 March 1945) as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier‑Regiment 27 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Füsilier-Regiment 27 / 12.Volksgrenadier-Division. The award honored his regimental command during the final heavy battles on the Western Front in late 1944 and early 1945.
After transfer from the Eastern Front the division first engaged in bitter defensive and counterattack operations in the Aachen sector. Under Lemm's leadership the regiment achieved local successes including the capture of Eschweiler and parts of Stolberg. These actions involved intense house-to-house fighting amid ruined industrial buildings and rubble-strewn streets where small groups of german infantry contested every block against advancing american forces supported by tanks and artillery.
During the Ardennes Offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945 Lemm's regiment operated in the northern sector. One of its most notable achievements was the breakthrough at the Losheim Gap a critical corridor of open rolling terrain between the Elsenborn Ridge and the Schnee Eifel. In bitter cold and deep snow Lemm directed aggressive assaults that exploited weaknesses in the allied lines. His fusiliers pushed forward rapidly seizing key roads and villages despite fuel shortages dwindling ammunition and growing american resistance from infantry and armored units. Although the broader German offensive ultimately stalled Lemm's regiment contributed to temporary tactical gains and helped delay the allied counteradvance in the final months of the war. His ability to maintain unit cohesion and execute bold maneuvers under increasingly hopeless strategic conditions stood out in the award citation.
- Ehrenzeichen der Bundeswehr (in unspecified grade, cited as a high federal honour)
- Dutch Commandeur in de Orde van Oranje Nassau met zwaarden (ON.3x)  - 1972
- U.S. Legion of Merit - Officer (LoM - O) - 1979
- Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland - 1979

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Heinz-Georg Lemm was a German army officer who served with distinction in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War and later rose to the rank of Generalleutnant in the Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany. Born on 1 June 1919 in Schwerin, he entered military service in 1935 as a young recruit and progressed through the ranks amid the expanding conflicts of the era. Lemm spent much of his wartime career with the 12th Infantry Division, initially as part of an infantry regiment that was later reorganized into a fusilier unit. His leadership in both offensive and defensive operations on the Eastern and Western Fronts earned him recognition as one of the highly decorated junior officers in the German army, culminating in his promotion to Oberst by the final months of the war.

Lemm's early combat experiences included service with Infanterie-Regiment 27, where he demonstrated tactical skill and resilience in prolonged engagements against Soviet forces. By 1943 he had advanced to Hauptmann and assumed command of the first battalion of Füsilier-Regiment 27. In defensive actions near Staraya Russa, his unit was credited with destroying numerous enemy tanks while holding critical positions under heavy pressure. His performance in these battles led to the award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross in April 1943. Lemm was noted for his hands-on leadership style, often participating directly in close-quarters fighting, which also resulted in him receiving the Close Combat Clasp in Silver and the Tank Destruction Badge in Silver.

During the intense Soviet summer offensive of 1944 known as Operation Bagration, Lemm and his battalion played a key role in covering the withdrawal of the 12th Infantry Division near the Pronja bridgehead in the Mogilev sector. Over several days of rearguard actions, his men held off superior enemy forces, allowing the division to disengage with relatively fewer losses than many other units in the collapsing Army Group Centre. For this and related actions he received the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross in July 1944 while serving as a Major. By early 1945, now an Oberstleutnant commanding the entire Füsilier-Regiment 27 within the 12th Volksgrenadier Division, Lemm led operations on the Western Front, including the capture of Eschweiler and parts of Stolberg during fighting around Aachen, as well as breakthroughs in the Losheim Gap as part of the Ardennes Offensive. These efforts brought him the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves in March 1945.

Following the end of the war in Europe, Lemm faced the challenges of demobilization and the reconstruction of German society under occupation. Like many former Wehrmacht officers, he initially lived in the post-war environment before opportunities arose for renewed military service. In 1957 he joined the newly established Bundeswehr, bringing with him extensive infantry experience that proved valuable in the formation and training of West German forces integrated into NATO. His transition reflected the broader reintegration of professional soldiers into the democratic framework of the Federal Republic, where emphasis was placed on defensive capabilities and alliance cooperation rather than the expansive campaigns of the previous era.

In the Bundeswehr, Lemm advanced steadily through command positions. He served as commander of the 7th Panzergrenadier Brigade within the 3rd Panzer Division in Hamburg until 1963, after which he was promoted to Brigadegeneral. Further promotions followed, including to Generalmajor in 1970 when he took command of the 5th Panzer Division based in Diez. By 1974 he had reached the rank of Generalleutnant and was appointed Chief of the Troop Office, also known as the Army Office, a central staff position responsible for significant aspects of army organization, training, and personnel matters. His contributions in these roles were recognized with the Great Cross of Merit with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany, as well as the United States Legion of Merit in the degree of Officer.

Lemm retired from active duty on 30 September 1979 after more than two decades of service in the Bundeswehr. In his later years he maintained connections to military traditions, serving for a time as honorary president of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients. He lived quietly in Ruppichteroth, North Rhine-Westphalia, until his death on 17 November 1994 at the age of 75. His career spanned the dramatic shifts of twentieth-century German military history, from the intense combat of the Eastern Front to the professional rebuilding of West German armed forces during the Cold War, illustrating a continuity of disciplined leadership across vastly different political and strategic contexts.

Source :
Lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de (detailed career entry).
En.wikipedia.org/wiki/heinz-georg_lemm.
Tracesofwar.com/persons/34590/lemm-heinz-georg-hein-lemm.htm.
Rk.balsi.de and related ritterkreuz databases.
Grokipedia.com/page/heinz_georg_lemm.
Forum.axishistory.com and wehrmacht-awards.com discussions.
Unithistories.com and archived geocities/orion47 materials.
Geni.com family records where available.

Bio of General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (1897-1976)

Full name: Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Schulz
Nickname: Fritz

Date of birth: 15 October 1897 - Nettkow, Landkreis Grünberg, Silesia (German Empire)
Date of death: 30 November 1976 - Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Religion: Protestant  
Parents: His father was a goods manager in the Nettkow area of Silesia. Information on his mother is not widely documented in public sources.  
Siblings: No confirmed information on siblings is available in standard biographical records.  
Spouse: Schulz married Margarete Teichmann on 10 June 1922. She died in 1945. He remarried Luitgard Kohlrausch on 16 October 1948. She died in 2015 at age 96 and is buried with him.  
Children: Two daughters from his first marriage, born in 1923 and 1930 respectively. No further public details on their lives are available.

Promotions:
26th June 1916: Leutnant (promoted on 9th August 1916);
1st October 1919: Leutnant (effective from 1st October 1915);
1st August 1925: Oberleutnant (effective from 1st April 1925);
1st November 1931: Hauptmann;
1st January 1936: Major;
1st February 1939 Oberstleutnant (effective from 1st February 1938);
1st April 1941: Oberst;
1st July 1942: Generalmajor;
1st July 1943: Generalleutnant;
1st April 1944: General der Infanterie;

Career:
19th September 1914: Entered service as Kriegsfreiwilliger and was assigned to IR von der Goltz (7. Pommersches) Nr. 54 as Fahnenjunker;
26th June 1916: Leutnant in (3. Posensches) IR Nr. 58;
Grenzschutz Schlesien in 6. / Infanterie-Regiment 8, Glogau and later with the Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 8;
11th March - 16th March 1919: Wehrkreisprüfung;
1st October 1920: Infanterie-Regiment 8;
1st October 1926: Adjutant III. / Infanterie-Regiment 8, Görlitz;
1st October 1930: Führergehilfenausbildung;
1932: Stab 4.Division, Dresden;
1st September 1933: Generalstab, RWM;
1st October 1934: Kompanie-Chef Infanterie-Reigment 30;
15th October 1935: Ia 23.Infanterie-Division;
1st October 1937 - 20th April 1940: Stab Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, Gruppenleiter II (Organisation) / Abteilung L / Wehrmachtführungsamt;
20th April 1940 - 24th April 1942: Chef des Generalstabes, XXXXIII.Armee-Korps;
12th May 1942 - 21th November 1942: Chef des Generalstabes, 11.Armee;
21sh November 1942 - 12th February 1943: Chef des Generalstabes, Heeresgruppe Don;
12th february 1943 - 1st March 1943: Chef des Generalstabs der Heeresgruppe Süd;
1st May 1943 - 1st December 1943: Kommandeur 28.Jäger-Division;
28th November 1943 - 1st January 1944: Kommandierender General (m.d.F.b.) III.Panzer-Korps;
8th February 1944 - 21nd March 1944: Kommandierender General LIX.Armee-Korps;
22nd March 1944 - 3rd July 1944: Kommandierender General (m.d.F.b. until 31st March 1944, then permanent from 1st April 1944) XXXXVI.Panzer-Korps;
25th July 1944 - 25th March 1945: Oberbefehlshaber 17.Armee;
5th April 1945 - 29th April 1945: Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgrupe G;
29th April 1945: send to Italy bu Generalfeldmarschall Kesselring;
30th April 1945: Oberbefehlshaber Südwest;
3rd May 1945 - 5th May 1945: Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe G;
6th May 1945 - 1946: Prisoner of War U.S. Army.

Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 1914 2. Klasse (2 June 1916)  
Eisernes Kreuz 1914 1. Klasse (27 January 1918)  
Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz  
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918 mit Schwertern (1934)  
Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnungen 4. Bis 1. Klasse  
Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939 (6 April 1940)  
Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse 1939 (14 June 1940)  
Ostmedaille  
Krimschild  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (29 March 1942) as Oberst im Generalstab and Chef des Generalstabes XXXXIII. Armeekorps, for defensive actions near Kaluga. In the harsh winter of 1941–1942, during the Soviet winter offensive near Kaluga southwest of Moscow, the XXXXIII. Armeekorps faced repeated heavy attacks from superior Red Army forces. As chief of staff, Schulz played a central role in planning and coordinating the corps’ defensive operations. Under extreme cold, supply shortages, and constant pressure, he helped organize flexible withdrawals, counterattacks, and the holding of key positions that prevented a complete breakthrough. His clear operational planning and tireless work in stabilizing the front contributed decisively to the corps’ ability to maintain cohesion and inflict significant losses on the attacking enemy. For these achievements in defensive leadership during the critical winter battles, he received the Ritterkreuz.
Orden Michaels des Tapferen III. Klasse (6 October 1942)
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (14 March 1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #428 (20 March 1944) as Generalleutnant and Kommandierender General (mit der Führung beauftragt) III. Panzerkorps, for leadership near Cherkassy. In late 1943 and early 1944, during the intense defensive battles around Cherkassy (Korsun Pocket) on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, Schulz temporarily took acting command of the III. Panzerkorps. Soviet forces launched powerful assaults aimed at encircling and destroying German units in the pocket. Under his leadership, the corps conducted skillful mobile defense and counterattacks amid muddy terrain, limited fuel, and overwhelming enemy numbers. Schulz directed coordinated tank and infantry actions that helped relieve pressure on trapped forces, facilitated breakout attempts, and stabilized threatened sectors. His energetic personal leadership and tactical decisions enabled the corps to hold key ground longer than expected and extract valuable combat power despite the dire situation. These actions in the Cherkassy fighting earned him the Eichenlaub.  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #135 (26 February 1945 as General der Infanterie and Oberbefehlshaber 17. Armee, for defense of Upper Silesia. In February 1945, as commander-in-chief of the 17. Armee within Heeresgruppe Mitte, Schulz directed the defense of the vital Upper Silesian industrial region. Following the Soviet breakthrough near Liegnitz during the Lower Silesian Offensive, massive Red Army forces threatened to overrun the area and its critical coal mines and factories. Schulz rapidly reorganized his depleted units, personally inspiring troops through example and energetic command. He established a new defensive line where repeated Soviet attacks were repelled with heavy enemy losses. Despite severe shortages of manpower, ammunition, and fuel, his forces conducted stubborn delaying actions and successful local counterattacks that slowed the Soviet advance and preserved part of the industrial heartland longer than anticipated. His capable leadership turned a potential collapse into an orderly defense that bought precious time for German operations elsewhere. For this outstanding performance in the Upper Silesian battles, he was awarded the Schwerter.

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Karl Friedrich Wilhelm Schulz, commonly known as Fritz Schulz, was a German general of infantry in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. Born on 15 October 1897 in Nettkow in the Province of Silesia within the Kingdom of Prussia, he rose through the ranks from a young volunteer in the First World War to one of the senior field commanders on the Eastern Front in the final desperate months of the conflict. Schulz demonstrated a combination of meticulous staff work and energetic frontline leadership that earned him rapid promotions and Germany's highest military decorations. He served continuously from 1914 until the collapse of the Third Reich in 1945, surviving the war to live quietly in West Germany until his death on 30 November 1976 in Freudenstadt, Baden-Württemberg.

Schulz entered military service on 19 September 1914 as a war volunteer and officer candidate with Infanterie-Regiment von der Goltz (7. Pommersches) Nr. 54. He transferred to (3. Posensches) Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 58, where he was commissioned as Leutnant in June 1916. During the First World War he fought on both the Western and Eastern fronts, suffering wounds that earned him the Wound Badge in Black. He received the Iron Cross Second Class in 1916 and First Class in 1918 for bravery under fire. After the armistice he participated in border defense duties in Silesia with Grenzschutz units and later joined the Reichswehr, serving with Infanterie-Regiment 8. His early career in the small professional army of the Weimar Republic included adjutant duties, general staff training, and various staff positions that prepared him for higher responsibilities.

In the years leading to the Second World War, Schulz advanced steadily through the ranks while holding key organizational and planning roles. He became Hauptmann in 1931, served as company commander in Infanterie-Regiment 30, and acted as first general staff officer of the 23. Infanterie-Division. By 1937 he had risen to Gruppenleiter for organization matters in the Wehrmachtführungsamt at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht. Promoted to Major in 1936 and Oberstleutnant in 1939, he brought calm professionalism and thorough planning skills to increasingly demanding positions. When war broke out in 1939, his experience placed him in critical staff roles that shaped operations on multiple fronts.

Schulz first gained widespread recognition during the harsh winter battles of 1941-1942 on the central sector of the Eastern Front. As Oberst and chief of staff of the XXXXIII. Armeekorps, he coordinated defensive efforts near Kaluga southwest of Moscow against repeated Soviet winter offensives. Under conditions of extreme cold, frozen equipment, and severe supply shortages, the corps faced relentless attacks by superior Red Army forces attempting to shatter the German line. Schulz helped organize flexible withdrawals, timely counterattacks, and the stubborn defense of key strongpoints that prevented a decisive breakthrough. His clear operational planning and tireless coordination stabilized threatened sectors and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, actions that directly contributed to the award of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 March 1942.

Later in the war Schulz transitioned from staff duties to direct field command, facing some of the most intense fighting of the Eastern campaign. In late 1943, as Generalleutnant, he took acting command of the III. Panzerkorps during the critical battles around Cherkassy in Ukraine. Soviet forces launched powerful assaults aimed at encircling German units in the Dnieper bend area, creating muddy quagmires that hampered movement while artillery and tank attacks pounded German positions. Under Schulz's leadership the corps conducted skillful mobile defense, launching localized armored counterthrusts that disrupted Soviet advances and bought time for threatened formations. His energetic direction helped maintain cohesion amid logistical strain and overwhelming enemy pressure in the prelude to the larger Korsun-Cherkassy pocket, earning him the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 20 March 1944 as the 428th recipient.

In the final year of the war Schulz rose to army-level command during the Soviet winter offensives of 1945. As General der Infanterie and commander-in-chief of the 17. Armee from July 1944, he was responsible for defending the vital Upper Silesian industrial region with its coal mines and factories essential to the German war effort. Following a major Soviet breakthrough near Liegnitz in February 1945, massive Red Army tank and infantry columns threatened to overrun the area in a rapid advance. Schulz rapidly reorganized depleted divisions, established new defensive lines, and personally inspired his exhausted troops through visible leadership and decisive orders. His forces repelled repeated Soviet attacks with determined resistance and local counterattacks, inflicting heavy casualties and slowing the enemy momentum despite critical shortages of men, ammunition, and fuel. These actions preserved parts of the industrial heartland longer than expected and demonstrated outstanding defensive skill, leading to the award of the Swords to the Knight's Cross on 26 February 1945 as the 135th recipient.

In the chaotic last weeks of the war Schulz briefly commanded higher formations, including Heeresgruppe G and temporary oversight of operations in southern Germany and Italy under Generalfeldmarschall Albert Kesselring. Captured by American forces in May 1945, he spent time as a prisoner of war before his release in 1948. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he avoided public controversy or further military involvement in the postwar era. Schulz lived a private life in West Germany, remembered primarily by military historians for his progression from capable staff officer to resilient army commander in the most demanding defensive battles of the Eastern Front. His decorations and career reflect the heavy burdens placed on German generals in the later stages of the conflict.

Source:
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer: Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945.  
Elite of the Third Reich by W.P. Fellgiebel and related Wehrmacht command studies.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Schulz  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34588/Schulz-Karl-Friedrich-Fritz-Wilhelm.htm  
https://ww2gravestone.com/people/schulz-karl-friedrich-fritz-wilhelm/  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/  
https://rk.balsi.de/  
https://www.geni.com/  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/  
https://www.unithistories.com/  
Archived Geocities material via web.archive.org (orion47)  
https://grokipedia.com/