Ritterkreuzträger of 285. Sicherungs-Division

Established in March 1941 as part of the German military build-up prior to Operation Barbarossa, the 285. Sicherungs-Division functioned as a vital rear-security formation within the Heer of Nazi Germany, operating primarily in the occupied territories of the Soviet Union under the command structure of the Heeresgruppe Nord rear area. Tasked with pacifying captured zones, securing vital supply lines, guarding communication hubs, handling prisoners of war, and managing refugee streams around strategic locations like Luga and Pskov, the division played an integral role in the brutal security doctrine enforced across the Eastern Front. Commanded initially by Generalmajor Wolfgang Edler Herr und Freiherr von Plotho and later by Generalleutnant Gustav Adolph-Auffenberg-Komarów, the unit incorporated various sub-elements including the Infanterie-Regiment 322, later designated as Grenadier-Regiment 322, along with Sicherungs-Regiment 113, the Ost-Reiter-Abteilung 285, and supporting artillery and signal units. Throughout 1941 and 1942, the division participated extensively in anti-partisan sweeps and pacification campaigns, frequently reporting numerous casualties inflicted on partisan fighters while enduring minimal personnel losses during early security operations. As Soviet partisan resistance intensified and the front lines shifted, the division engaged in major anti-guerrilla efforts such as Operation Schnepfe-Wildente in late 1943, which resulted in widespread village destructions and civilian deportations south of Volosovo. By 1944, as the Red Army mounted severe counter-offensives and pushed westward, elements of the 285. Sicherungs-Division were thrust into frontline defensive fighting, including heavy engagements along the Narva front where components like Sicherungs-Regiment 113 suffered severe destruction during the brutal withdrawal through Estonia. Due to mounting attrition, heavy combat losses, and the collapse of the rear security sectors on the Eastern Front, the division was officially broken up, with its remaining operational elements transferred to other security divisions before the formal administrative dissolution of the headquarters was completed on November 9, 1944.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Generalmajor Georg Koßmala (1896-1945) was born on 22 October 1896 in Myslowitz, Upper Silesia, and entered military service as a Kriegsfreiwilliger in the 4. Oberschlesisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 63 of the Preußische Armee shortly after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, rising to Leutnant der Reserve by 1917 and earning both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz; after the war he transferred to the police service in 1920, serving in various capacities including in Hamburg and as an instructor before being taken over into the Wehrmacht as Hauptmann on 1 October 1935 with a patent from 1 February 1931, subsequently promoted to Major on 1 January 1936, Oberstleutnant on 1 February 1939 while commanding the III. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 38 of the 8. Infanterie-Division with which he participated in the Polish campaign, and Oberst on 1 January 1942. From March 1941 he commanded Sicherungs-Regiment 3 under the 285. Sicherungs-Division, and it was for his outstanding defensive leadership in the Demjansk pocket that he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 March 1942: beginning on 16 January 1942 he occupied and held the Molwotizy position against repeated Soviet assaults, assumed command of all German formations in the Molwotizy hedgehog on 23 February 1942, and maintained the position with bitter determination until ordered by the Korps to withdraw on 8 March 1942. On 5 July 1942 he took command of Infanterie-Regiment 6 (later Grenadier-Regiment 6) of the 30. Infanterie-Division, fighting in the Demjansk area and before Leningrad, and for his regiment’s distinguished performance in early 1944 he was awarded the Eichenlaub (435th award) to the Ritterkreuz on 26 March 1944 as Oberst: on 23 January 1944 he took over the German Schimsk bridgehead west of Lake Ilmen, where numerous Soviet tanks were destroyed on 17 February; two days later his men began the withdrawal to the Panther Line between Ostrov and Pskov, and from 29 February Grenadier-Regiment 6 distinguished itself in the heavy fighting within the forward German salient between Krasnaja Gorka and Nemojewo, success largely attributable to his personal bravery and leadership. He later led the 32. Infanterie-Division from mid-August 1944, commanded the newly forming 272. Volksgrenadier-Division from mid-September to mid-December 1944, and assumed leadership of the 344. Infanterie-Division in mid-December 1944, being promoted to Generalmajor on 1 January 1945 and confirmed as its Kommandeur; additional awards included the Spange to the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse on 6 October 1939 and 1. Klasse on 22 August 1941, the Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber, and mention in the Wehrmachtbericht on 25 August 1944. Georg Koßmala, last rank Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 344. Infanterie-Division, was reported missing and later declared dead on 18 March 1945 near Oberglogau in Upper Silesia.

Source :
https://www.balsi.de/Weltkrieg/Einheiten/Heer/Divisionen/Sicherungs-Divisionen/285-SD.htm
http://www.old.axishistory.com/axis-nations/150-germany-heer/heer-divisionen/4195-285-sicherungs-division
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/285th_Security_Division
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/SichDiv/285SichDiv-R.htm

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) "Holzhammer"

Kampfgeschwader 2 "Holzhammer" was a prominent Luftwaffe bomber wing during the Second World War, established on May 1, 1939, and initially equipped with aircraft such as the Dornier Do 17 light bomber. Throughout its operational history, the unit participated in nearly every major European campaign, beginning with the invasion of Poland in September 1939 under the command of its early officers, before shifting operations to support the German advance during the Battle of France and the Low Countries. As the war progressed, Kampfgeschwader 2 took an active part in the Kanalkampf and the Battle of Britain, conducting intensive bombing sorties across the English Channel. Elements of the wing were subsequently redeployed to support the Balkans Campaign and participated in strategic operations on the Eastern Front following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. Returning to Western Europe, the unit transitioned to flying night attacks, mining operations, and precision strikes using newer aircraft models like the Dornier Do 217 and Junkers Ju 188 medium bombers. Operating under the leadership of various commanders holding ranks such as Oberst and Oberstleutnant, the wing suffered significant personnel and equipment attrition due to intense Allied air opposition and dwindling resources as the conflict dragged on. By late 1944, mounting strategic pressures, fuel shortages, and severe aircraft losses led to the gradual dissolution and reorganization of its subordinate groups into other tactical commands, marking the end of its active service as a cohesive bomber formation.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Major Wilhelm Schmitter (1913-1943) was born on 18 December 1913 in Rheydt in the Rhineland and began his military career in the Kriegsmarine before transferring to the Luftwaffe in 1936, where he first trained as a Bordmechaniker and subsequently as a Flugzeugführer. He participated as an Aufklärer-Pilot in the Polenfeldzug and the Westfeldzug, receiving the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 16 May 1940 and the Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse on 3 January 1941. Promoted to Leutnant at the end of 1940, he was assigned in early 1941 to the II./Kampfgeschwader 40, later serving with Kampfgeschwader 2. His distinguished performance over England, particularly in maritime reconnaissance and attacks on airfields, earned him the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 18 May 1941 as Oberleutnant, the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe on 5 January 1942, and the Frontflugspange für Aufklärer in Gold. By the time of his Ritterkreuz award on 19 September 1942 as Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer in the II./Kampfgeschwader 2, he had completed at least 122 missions against England, recognized for his successes as a bomber pilot primarily in the maritime reconnaissance role and for bombing airfields. In June 1943 he became Staffelkapitän of the 15. Staffel in the V. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 2 and was promoted to Hauptmann. He accumulated a total of 193 sorties including 109 maritime reconnaissance missions, counted as nearly 300 front flights. On 8 November 1943, as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 15./Kampfgeschwader 2, he failed to return from a mission over London and was declared missing in action. Posthumously promoted to Major, he received the 432nd Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 24 March 1944 in recognition of his further successes, his last rank being Major. Additional awards included the Flugzeugführerabzeichen and the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz. Schmitter’s career exemplified the demanding role of Luftwaffe bomber and reconnaissance pilots against Britain, marked by persistent operations leading to the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_2

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 100 (KG 100) "Wiking"

Kampfgeschwader 100, widely abbreviated as KG 100, stands historically recognized as one of the most specialized and technologically advanced bomber wings of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Tracing its immediate lineage back to the elite pathfinder formation known as Kampfgruppe 100, which was originally established in the late pre-war era, the unit evolved into a formidable operational wing that spearheaded numerous complex strategic bombing campaigns across multiple European and Mediterranean theaters. Under the command of experienced officers holding leadership ranks such as Oberst and Major, the wing achieved early distinction during the Blitz over Great Britain by utilizing advanced electronic navigation systems like the Y-Verfahren and X-Verfahren to accurately mark target areas for heavier bomber streams. As the conflict progressed onto the Eastern Front and into southern Europe, elements of the Geschwader actively participated in critical aerial offensives, including support operations during the Siege of Sevastopol, anti-shipping patrols, and tactical strikes across the Mediterranean and Aegean regions under the administrative control of various regional Luftflotten and specialized Fliegerkorps. KG 100 secured its unique place in aviation history by pioneering the operational combat deployment of revolutionary precision-guided munitions, notably transitioning to aircraft like the Dornier Do 217 to deploy Henschel Hs 293 anti-ship glide missiles and Fritz X radio-controlled bombs against Allied naval forces. Operating under these high-risk combat environments, numerous aircrews and squadron leaders within its component Gruppen and Staffeln earned prestigious decorations, including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, for exceptional bravery and tactical effectiveness. Despite suffering severe attrition, shifting strategic directives, and subsequent redesignations of several subordinate components toward the final stages of the war as the aerial defense of the Reich deteriorated, Kampfgeschwader 100 firmly cemented its legacy in military history books as a pioneer of electronic pathfinding and precision standoff weaponry.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Oberstleutnant Bernhard Jope (1914-1995) was born on 10 May 1914 in Leipzig and died on 31 July 1995 in Königstein im Taunus. After studying aircraft construction at the Technische Hochschule in Danzig and receiving flight training, he entered the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1935, later serving with the Legion Condor in the Spanish Civil War. Early in the Second World War he flew with various Kampfgeschwader before joining I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 40 as Technischer Offizier in June 1940. From 24 October 1940 he piloted a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor in 2. Staffel. On 26 October 1940, west of Ireland, Jope and his crew attacked the large British troop transport Empress of Britain, scoring two bomb hits that set the vessel ablaze and so severely damaged it that it had to be taken in tow; two days later the ship was finished off by U 32. For this decisive action, which helped sink one of the largest vessels lost in the war, Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer Jope was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 December 1940 while serving in 2. Staffel, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 40. Promoted to Hauptmann on 1 February 1941, he became Staffelkapitän of 2. Staffel/KG 40 and later received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 5 February 1942. After further postings, including testing work, he joined Kampfgeschwader 100 in May 1943, first as Gruppenkommandeur of IV. and then III. Gruppe. Promoted to Major on 1 August 1943, he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 100 on 10 September 1943. Under his command the unit employed the innovative Fritz-X radio-controlled glide bomb; on 9 September 1943 Jope led eleven Dornier Do 217 bombers that struck the Italian battle fleet sailing to surrender, hitting the battleship Roma twice and sinking her while damaging her sister ship Italia. Subsequent operations scored hits on HMS Warspite, HMS Uganda and USS Savannah. For his outstanding leadership and the Geschwader’s successes in sinking or damaging some 300000 GRT of shipping, including a battleship, Major and Kommodore of Kampfgeschwader 100 was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz (431st award) on 24 March 1944. Later he briefly commanded Kampfgeschwader 30, served on higher staffs, and was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 January 1945, his final rank. After the war and captivity he flew as a Lufthansa pilot until retirement. He completed approximately 410 operational sorties and also received the Eisernes Kreuz II. and I. Klasse, Frontflugspange in Gold, and a mention in the Wehrmachtbericht.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Oberstleutnant Hansgeorg Bätcher (1914-2003) was born on 13 January 1914 in Finsterwalde and died on 23 April 2003 in Uelzen, becoming the Luftwaffe bomber pilot with the highest number of combat missions in the Second World War, completing more than 658 sorties. After initial training with Fliegergruppe Tutow from November 1935 to March 1936 and service as Leutnant in Kampfgeschwader 157 (later Kampfgeschwader 27), he took part in the Polish campaign of 1939 and the Battle of France in 1940, where he was shot down and briefly captured near Rouen on 5 June before release following the French surrender. From May 1941 he served with Kampfgruppe 100 “Wiking” flying Heinkel He 111 bombers, becoming Staffelkapitän of its 1. Staffel in July and deploying to the Eastern Front, where he conducted night raids on Moscow and earned the Frontflugspange für Kampfflieger in Bronze, Silver and Gold between August and November 1941 as well as the Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe. In early 1942 his unit specialised in maritime interdiction against Soviet shipping in the Black Sea; Bätcher proved the most successful pilot in these operations, sinking a merchant vessel of 2000 GRT on 20 February and striking a 7500 GRT tanker in Kerch harbour on 23 February, thereby denying fuel to Soviet forces for several days, while also flying 122 of his 206 Crimean sorties against the fortress of Sevastopol and scoring multiple direct hits on fortifications and supply targets. After promotion to Hauptmann in March 1942 and participation in the Stalingrad campaign, including hazardous supply flights to the encircled 6. Armee, he became the first bomber pilot to reach 400 sorties on 26 October 1942 and was recommended for the Ritterkreuz after 444 missions; the award was presented on 21 December 1942 while he was still Staffelkapitän of 1. Staffel, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 100. Continuing operations over Kursk and the Kuban bridgehead, he completed his 500th mission on 30 July 1943 as the first Kampfflieger to do so, was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 4 “General Wever” on 6 October, promoted to Major on 1 November, and flew his 600th and 650th missions later that winter. For sustained success that brought his total to approximately 655 sorties he received the Eichenlaub (434th award) to the Ritterkreuz on 24 March 1944 as Major and Kommandeur of I./Kampfgeschwader 4. Subsequent postings included staff duty with Luftflotte 4, command of III./Kampfgeschwader 76 equipped with the Arado Ar 234 jet bomber from December 1944, and finally appointment as Kommodore of KG(J) 54 with Messerschmitt Me 262 jets in February–March 1945; he ended the war as Oberstleutnant, was captured by American forces in May 1945, and had earlier received the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse (27 September 1939), Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse (15 July 1940) and Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (2 July 1942).

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_100

Ritterkreuzträger of Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40)

Kampfgeschwader 40 (KG 40) was a prominent Luftwaffe bomber wing during World War II, famous for its crucial role as the primary maritime patrol and long-range strike unit operating over the Atlantic Ocean. Formed initially in July 1940 at Bordeaux-Mérignac under the tactical control of Fliegerführer Atlantik, the wing was tasked with conducting extensive maritime reconnaissance missions, hunting down Allied shipping convoys, and guiding Kriegsmarine U-boat wolfpacks to their targets. During its operational history, the unit was equipped with notable aircraft types, most famously the multi-engine Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor, alongside heavy bombers like the Heinkel He 177 Greif and various other sub-units utilizing aircraft such as the Junkers Ju 88 for long-range fighter and maritime defense roles. Commanded by notable officers such as Major Edgar Petersen and later Oberst Hanns Heise, KG 40 achieved significant early anti-shipping successes, inflicting heavy tonnage losses on Allied supply lines heading toward Great Britain. However, as the war progressed, intensified Allied air defenses, the introduction of catapult-launched aircraft (CAM ships), and heavily armed long-range maritime patrol fighters severely increased the attrition rate of the wing. In late 1943 and 1944, elements of the unit transitioned toward heavy bomber and transport duties, including participation in supply efforts and operations along various fronts. Following the Allied advance and the loss of its French bases, the wing was transferred back to Germany in late 1944 with intentions to convert into jet fighter operations utilizing the Messerschmitt Me 262, though these plans ultimately failed to materialize. The unit was officially disbanded on 2 February 1945, leaving a legacy as one of the most specialized and heavily engaged long-range maritime aviation formations of the German armed forces.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Oberstleutnant Bernhard Jope (1914-1995) was born on 10 May 1914 in Leipzig and died on 31 July 1995 in Königstein im Taunus. After studying aircraft construction at the Technische Hochschule in Danzig and receiving flight training, he entered the Luftwaffe on 1 April 1935, later serving with the Legion Condor in the Spanish Civil War. Early in the Second World War he flew with various Kampfgeschwader before joining I. Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 40 as Technischer Offizier in June 1940. From 24 October 1940 he piloted a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor in 2. Staffel. On 26 October 1940, west of Ireland, Jope and his crew attacked the large British troop transport Empress of Britain, scoring two bomb hits that set the vessel ablaze and so severely damaged it that it had to be taken in tow; two days later the ship was finished off by U 32. For this decisive action, which helped sink one of the largest vessels lost in the war, Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer Jope was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 December 1940 while serving in 2. Staffel, I. Gruppe, Kampfgeschwader 40. Promoted to Hauptmann on 1 February 1941, he became Staffelkapitän of 2. Staffel/KG 40 and later received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 5 February 1942. After further postings, including testing work, he joined Kampfgeschwader 100 in May 1943, first as Gruppenkommandeur of IV. and then III. Gruppe. Promoted to Major on 1 August 1943, he was appointed Geschwaderkommodore of Kampfgeschwader 100 on 10 September 1943. Under his command the unit employed the innovative Fritz-X radio-controlled glide bomb; on 9 September 1943 Jope led eleven Dornier Do 217 bombers that struck the Italian battle fleet sailing to surrender, hitting the battleship Roma twice and sinking her while damaging her sister ship Italia. Subsequent operations scored hits on HMS Warspite, HMS Uganda and USS Savannah. For his outstanding leadership and the Geschwader’s successes in sinking or damaging some 300000 GRT of shipping, including a battleship, Major and Kommodore of Kampfgeschwader 100 was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz (431st award) on 24 March 1944. Later he briefly commanded Kampfgeschwader 30, served on higher staffs, and was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 January 1945, his final rank. After the war and captivity he flew as a Lufthansa pilot until retirement. He completed approximately 410 operational sorties and also received the Eisernes Kreuz II. and I. Klasse, Frontflugspange in Gold, and a mention in the Wehrmachtbericht.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampfgeschwader_40

Ritterkreuzträger of 256. Infanterie-Division

The 256. Infanterie-Division was formed on 26 August 1939 as a unit of the 4. Welle from Ergänzungseinheiten of Wehrkreis IV (Dresden) and roughly one-third from Wehrkreis XIII (Nürnberg), initially consisting of Infanterie-Regiment 456, Infanterie-Regiment 476, Infanterie-Regiment 481, Artillerie-Regiment 256 and supporting elements such as Pionier-Bataillon 256, Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 256, Aufklärungs-Abteilung 256 and Nachrichten-Abteilung 256. After occupation duty in the Protektorat Böhmen-Mähren it moved to the Lippstadt area as OKH-Reserve before taking part in the Westfeldzug from 10 May 1940 under XXVI. Armeekorps of 18. Armee, advancing from Kleve across the Maas at Gennep, fighting at Mill and the Peel-Raam Line, then proceeding via ’s-Hertogenbosch, Tilburg, Breda, Antwerpen and the Nieuwpoort-Dunkirk sector to seal the pocket around evacuating Allied forces; thereafter it performed occupation duties in Brittany until February 1941. Transferred to northern Poland and the Suwałki area, the division crossed into the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 with Heeresgruppe Mitte, advancing through Polozk, Newel and Welikije Luki toward the Kalinin sector during the drive on Moscow, later conducting heavy defensive and withdrawal battles in the Rshew salient and the Smolensk region under successive commands of Generalleutnant Josef Folttmann, Generalleutnant Gerhard Kauffmann, Generalleutnant Friedrich Weber, Generalleutnant Paul Dannhauser and finally Generalleutnant Albrecht Wüstenhagen. In April 1943 Grenadier-Regiment 476 was dissolved and the division reorganized as a two-regiment formation; transferred to the Vitebsk sector under 3. Panzerarmee, it was overwhelmed on the first day of Operation Bagration in June 1944 and formally dissolved on 21 July 1944, its remnants forming Divisions-Gruppe 256 within Korps-Abteilung H. A new 256. Volksgrenadier-Division was raised in September 1944 at Königsbrück by redesignation of the 568. Volksgrenadier-Division and later saw action in the West before surrendering to American forces in Württemberg in May 1945.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Generalmajor der Reserve Werner Mummert (1897-1950) was born on 31 March 1897 in Lüttewitz, Saxony, and volunteered for the Sächsisch-Karabiner-Regiment in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War, rising to Leutnant by 1916 and earning the Eisernes Kreuz in both classes along with the Ritterkreuz des Militär-St.-Heinrichs-Ordens for capturing a vital crossroads near Janakkala in Finland with the Ostsee-Division in April 1918. Discharged in December 1918, he was reactivated in 1936 as Oberleutnant der Reserve and promoted to Rittmeister der Reserve in 1938 while serving with Reiter-Regiment 10. At the start of the Second World War he commanded Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 during the Polish and Western campaigns before taking charge of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 256, which he led into Russia from June 1941. Promoted to Major der Reserve on 1 December 1941 and awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 11 January 1942, Mummert received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 August 1942 as Kommandeur of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 256 for launching an independent counterattack out of Polunino just north of Rzhev that halted an overwhelming Soviet assault and prevented the capture of the vital supply node of Rohow, decisive for the entire 9. Armee. Advanced to Oberstleutnant der Reserve on 18 September 1942, he later commanded Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 14 before assuming leadership of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 103 of the 14. Panzer-Division on 28 January 1944 and receiving promotion to Oberst der Reserve on 1 February 1944. The Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz, the 429th award, followed on 20 March 1944 for his regiment’s outstanding leadership during the defensive battles southwest of Cherkassy near Kirovograd in early 1944, where his forces contributed decisively to operations around Kirowograd and the Cherkassy pocket. Continuing the retreat into Kurland, Mummert earned the Schwerter, the 107th award, on 23 October 1944 as Oberst der Reserve for masterful command of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 103 in the northern sector during summer 1944, notably launching an attack from the Baldone area toward Arstes on 18 September that stabilized the German front and earned mention in the Wehrmachtbericht. After recovery from severe wounds he briefly led Panzerbrigade 103 before taking command of the newly formed Panzer-Division Müncheberg in January 1945, being promoted to Generalmajor der Reserve on 1 February 1945. His understrength division fought at the Oder, Seelow Heights and in the final defense of Berlin until he surrendered to Soviet forces in early May 1945; he died in the prisoner-of-war camp at Šuja on 28 January 1950.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/256th_Infantry_Division

Ritterkreuzträger of 88. Infanterie-Division

The 88. Infanterie-Division was formed on 1 December 1939 as a unit of the 6th wave of mobilization in Wehrkreis XIII at the Truppenübungsplatz Grafenwöhr, drawing personnel from Wehrkreise VII, XIII and XVII and initially equipped with captured Czechoslovak weapons and equipment due to shortages of German matériel. Its original organization included Infanterie-Regiment 245, Infanterie-Regiment 246 and Infanterie-Regiment 248, supported by Artillerie-Regiment 188, Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 188, Radfahr-Schwadron 188, Pionier-Bataillon 188 and Nachrichten-Abteilung 188. Under its first commander Generalmajor Georg Lang the division completed training and was transferred to the western front in May 1940, taking part in the Battle of France under the 9. Armee, advancing through Luxembourg and Belgium toward Sedan and participating in operations along the Oise-Aisne Canal and the Marne before the armistice. After the campaign it returned to southern Germany for further training and was temporarily demobilized in August 1940, with many personnel released to industry and agriculture, before being recalled in early 1941 for coastal security duties in France under the 7. Armee. In December 1941 the division, now under General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer, was reinforced with elements from the 205. Infanterie-Division and transferred to the southern sector of the Eastern Front, where it conducted defensive operations between Belgorod and Kursk during the winter fighting of 1941–42. In May 1942 a Kampfgruppe drawn from two of its regiments joined counterattacks that helped defeat the Soviet offensive toward Kharkov. The division then participated in the early stages of Case Blue before shifting to static defensive positions on the northern flank. During the winter of 1942–43 it fought in the battles around Voronezh, suffered heavy losses while breaking out of encirclement, and later supported Unternehmen Zitadelle from positions near Sumy under the 4. Panzerarmee. After the failure of the Kursk offensive the division withdrew across the Dnieper as part of the general retreat, becoming involved in the fighting along the river and eventually being trapped in the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket in early 1944 as the northernmost German formation in the cauldron. Although remnants managed to break out, the division was virtually destroyed. Reconstituted in the spring of 1944 on the Truppenübungsplatz Demba with the incorporation of survivors and elements of other dissolved units, including Grenadier-Regiment 110, it returned to the front under Generalleutnant Georg Graf von Rittberg as part of the 4. Panzerarmee of Heeresgruppe Nordukraine. Throughout the summer and autumn of 1944 the division conducted a continuous fighting withdrawal through southern Poland during the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, reduced to Kampfgruppe strength by mid-August yet managing to avoid further encirclement. By 1 January 1945 it still mustered approximately 10,662 men under the 4. Panzerarmee of Heeresgruppe A. In the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive of January 1945 the division was overwhelmed and destroyed in the Baranow bridgehead area; its remnants were last reported fighting with Kampfgruppe Jauer, after which the formation was formally disbanded and its survivors absorbed into other units. Successive commanders after Gollwitzer included Generalleutnant Heinrich Roth, Generalleutnant Georg Graf von Rittberg and finally Generalmajor Carl Anders.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


Oberstleutnant Josef Bregenzer (1909-1944) was born on 30 June 1909 in Werneck, Bavaria, and entered military service in 1927 with Infanterie-Regiment 21, rising to Stabsfeldwebel by the outbreak of war. Transferred late in 1939 to Infanterie-Regiment 245 of the 88. Infanterie-Division, he was commissioned Leutnant and then Oberleutnant, becoming Chef of the 12. Kompanie in March 1940. He received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse on 12 June 1940 during the French campaign and the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse on 20 February 1942 on the Eastern Front. In December 1941 he assumed command of I. Bataillon, was promoted Major on 1 January 1943, and on 31 January 1943, while returning from a security mission west of Voronezh, led his Grenadier-Bataillon in an immediate counter-thrust against a strong Soviet attack, destroying two enemy battalions and eleven tanks; for this action he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 April 1943 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of I./Grenadier-Regiment 245. He later received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (awarded 9 or 14 September/October 1943), the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber, and the Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42”. In November 1943 he became Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 245 and was promoted Oberstleutnant on 1 January 1944. On 10 March 1944, southwest of Uman in a Bug river bridgehead, he took charge of a small Kampfgruppe consisting of his regimental staff, roughly sixty infantry under Major Schäfer with four machine-guns, and about one hundred men from bakery and butcher companies, later reinforced by a Panther and a Sturmgeschütz, with the task of blocking the road from Teotilowka to Dschulinka. After a sixteen-hour battle the Soviets broke into the rear at 05:00 on 12 March; Bregenzer led the breakout from the village school, directed the fight from the Sturmgeschütz deck, destroyed a Katyusha battery and twenty-four T-34 tanks on the eastern edge of Dschulinka, and, with the main bridge destroyed, guided the survivors across an emergency footbridge to the western bank. For this defensive leadership he was awarded the Eichenlaub (427th) to the Ritterkreuz on 17 March 1944 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 245 and was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 13 March 1944. Severely wounded in heavy defensive fighting in Poland, he died of his wounds on 16 July 1944 near Swinjuchi; his last rank was Oberstleutnant.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/88th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)

Ritterkreuzträger of 26. Panzer-Division

The 26. Panzer-Division was formed on 14 September 1942 in the Mons area of Belgium and later around Amiens in occupied France by order of the Oberbefehlshaber West, primarily from elements of the 23. Infanterie-Division that had been withdrawn from the Eastern Front, incorporating veterans of that theatre together with young recruits of the 1923 class and drawing its core from the Potsdam and Spandau garrisons of Wehrkreis III. Its principal subordinate units included Panzer-Regiment 26, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 67, Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 93, the later redesignated Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 26 (originally Kradschützen-Bataillon 26), Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 93, Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 93, and Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 304, with the division adopting a modified Grenadierkopf insignia after a dispute resolved by Führerentscheid. Under initial command of Generalleutnant Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz the formation trained and performed coastal defence duties with the 15. Armee of Heeresgruppe D in northern France until July 1943, when it was transferred by rail to southern Italy and assigned to the LXXVI. Panzerkorps under Oberbefehlshaber Süd. After the Italian armistice of 8 September 1943 the division participated in Operation Achse, securing the Messina Strait and disarming Italian forces, then counter-attacked the Allied landings of Operation Avalanche at Salerno from the Eboli–Persano sector between 12 and 14 September in support of the 29. Panzergrenadier-Division, before withdrawing to the Volturno and Sangro lines. Throughout 1944 it fought as a mobile reserve and “Feuerwehr” formation of the 10. Armee and 14. Armee of Heeresgruppe C, engaging at Anzio–Nettuno after Operation Shingle, on the Gustav Line near Cassino, in the Heinrich Line west of Florence, and later along the Adriatic coast and Gothic Line in the Rimini–Cesena–Ravenna sector; on 11 June 1944 it absorbed elements of Grenadier-Brigade (mot.) 1027 and in November was further reinforced by remnants of the 20. Feld-Division (L). Under successive commanders including Oberst Eduard Crasemann (later Generalmajor) the division was implicated in the Padule di Fucecchio massacre of 23 August 1944, in which soldiers of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 26 under Rittmeister Josef Strauch and attached elements killed approximately 174 Italian civilians. In early 1945, after refitting near Bologna with additional Panther tanks and Hetzers, the depleted formation conducted final defensive battles south of the Po around Ferrara and Imola under the LXXVI. Panzerkorps and I. Fallschirmkorps before the remnants, reduced to Kampfgruppe strength, surrendered to Allied forces near Bozen on 2 May 1945 and were interned as “Gruppe 26” at Ghedi.

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SCHWERTERTRÄGER


General der Panzertruppe Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1895-1975) was born on 23 December 1895 in Straßburg into a distinguished military family as the son of Walther von Lüttwitz and entered service on 3 August 1914 as Fahnenjunker in the Leib-Dragoner-Regiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24 at Darmstadt, seeing combat on the Eastern Front at Tannenberg, Courland and the Düna where he was twice severely wounded in 1915, commissioned Leutnant that year and awarded both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz along with the Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber. Remaining in the Reichswehr after the First World War he served in cavalry units at Breslau and Pasewalk, transferred to the Panzertruppe in 1934, and by 1939 held the rank of Oberstleutnant as Adjutant of the XV. Armeekorps. During the Second World War he commanded Schützen-Regiment 12 of the 4. Panzer-Division on the Eastern Front, receiving the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 27 October 1941 and the Ehrenblattspange on 8 December 1941. For outstanding defensive success in the bitter winter fighting between Tula and Orel after the retreat order of 6 December 1941, when as Oberst he took over the Belew sector on 28 December, launched a successful attack from Anina southeastward that by 1 January 1942 reached the mouth of the Nugrj river far beyond its original objective, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 January 1942. Promoted Generalmajor on 1 September 1942 he assumed command of the 26. Panzer-Division, which he led with distinction in Italy and was promoted Generalleutnant on 1 October 1943. The Eichenlaub (426th award) followed on 16 March 1944 for the division’s successful defence against a surprise New Zealand attack on 7 December 1943 across a broad front between Orsogna and Poggiofiorito on the eastern sector of the southern Italian front. The Schwerter (76th award) were conferred on 4 July 1944 for his outstanding leadership of the 26. Panzer-Division north of Rome around Lake Bolsena and in the subsequent fighting that reached the Orcia sector in June 1944, culminating in a personal counter-attack on 1 July that recaptured Saline on the Cecina river. Promoted General der Panzertruppe on 1 September 1944 (seniority from 1 April), he briefly commanded the XXXXVI. Panzerkorps, then led the 9. Armee from September 1944 until January 1945, and finally the LXXXV. Armeekorps until the end of the war. After release from captivity in 1947 he rejoined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1957 as Generalleutnant and first Kommandierender General of the III. Korps at Koblenz, retiring on 31 December 1960; his last rank in the Wehrmacht was therefore General der Panzertruppe and in the Bundeswehr Generalleutnant. Further decorations included the Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz, Ostmedaille, Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold, Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern and the Legion of Merit.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23rd_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)

Ritterkreuzträger in M44 Uniform

The German M44 uniform, officially introduced for the Wehrmacht on 25 September 1944 following decisions taken in July of that year, represented a radical simplification of the traditional Feldbluse driven by severe material shortages and the urgent need to reduce production time and fabric consumption in the final phase of the Second World War. Unlike earlier patterns such as the M36, M40, M41, M42 or M43, the Model 1944 Feldbluse abandoned the long skirted jacket design in favour of a short, waist-length cut closely resembling the British Battledress or the American Ike jacket, featuring a deep 12 cm waistband that incorporated an internal belt and allowed the garment to sit neatly at the hips. Only two unpleated patch breast pockets with simple straight-edged flaps remained, the lower skirt pockets having been eliminated, while the back was cut from a single unseamed piece of cloth; the complicated internal suspension system of earlier tunics was finally discarded and belt-support hooks reduced to a single pair of positions. The fabric was typically a coarser wool-rayon blend dyed in the new “Feldgrau 44,” a drab greenish-brown or slate-grey shade that varied widely according to available stocks, and the collar, now made of the same material as the body rather than a contrasting dark-green facing, could be worn open or closed. Standard insignia continued to be applied, including the breast eagle (frequently the late triangular BeVo version), collar Litzen that for Mannschaften often lacked Waffenfarbe piping, and Schulterklappen indicating rank and branch. The M44 was authorised for issue to all ranks of the Heer and the Waffen-SS once stocks of earlier tunics were exhausted, with the notable exception of Panzer crews who retained their specialised black or camouflage wraps; the elite Panzer-Lehr-Division field-tested the new pattern during the summer of 1944 before general approval. In practice the uniform reached the front only in the closing months of the war and was most commonly seen on newly arriving Ersatztruppen, teenage Flakhelfer, members of the Hitlerjugend and the hastily raised Volkssturm, although surviving photographs also document its use by veteran formations. Matching M44 trousers were likewise simplified, often featuring a drawstring waist and fewer pockets, completing a practical if aesthetically austere ensemble that symbolised the Wehrmacht’s desperate logistical situation in 1944–45.

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HEER

General der Artillerie Walther Lucht (1882-1949) cleaning his shoes outside his bunkhouse in a POW camp, 24 November 1945. Ritterkreuzträger Walther Lucht (26 February 1882 – 18 March 1949), a General der Artillerie of the Wehrmacht, spent the final years of his life as a prisoner of war following Germany’s defeat in the Second World War. After serving as commander of LXVI. Armeekorps and later briefly leading the 11. Armee during the desperate final campaigns of 1945, Lucht surrendered to American forces in May 1945. As one of Germany’s senior generals and a holder of both the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and Eichenlaub, he was placed in Allied captivity during the occupation period. Unlike many German officers captured by the Soviet Union, Lucht remained in Western Allied hands, where conditions were generally less severe and where he was subjected primarily to interrogation and administrative detention rather than long-term punitive imprisonment. During his captivity he witnessed the collapse of the military system to which he had devoted more than four decades of service, beginning in the Imperial German Army and continuing through the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. Released from American captivity in 1948, he returned to civilian life in post-war Germany, but his freedom was short-lived. On 18 March 1949, less than a year after his release, Lucht was killed in a motor vehicle accident near Heilbronn.

A rare shot of Field Marshal Walter Model with other generals in March 1945, taken from the book "Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (1891 - 1945). Dokumentation eines Soldatenlenbens" by Hansgeorg Model and Dermot Bradley. First row from left to right: Generalleutnant Hanskurt Höcker (Kommandeur 167. Volksgrenadier-Division), Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B), General der Artillerie Walther Lucht (Kommandierender General LXVI. Armeekorps), General der Infanterie Otto Hitzfeld (Kommandierender General LXVII. Armeekorps), and Generalmajor Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur 340. Volksgrenadier-Division). Second row from left to right: Oberstleutnant im Generalstab Elmar Warning (Chef des Generalstabes LXVII. Armeekorps) and Oberst Theodor Pilling (IIa Heeresgruppe B).



Generalmajor Hans Kissel (1897-1975) was born on 19 February 1897 in Mannheim and died on 30 November 1975 in Aglasterhausen. He entered military service on 23 September 1915 as Fahnenjunker in the 7. Badische Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 142, reaching the front in February 1916 where he served as Gruppenführer, Zugführer and Kompanieführer, later as Brigade-Adjutant, and was promoted to Leutnant on 5 January 1917. He took part in the fighting on the Somme, Aisne and before Verdun, receiving the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse on 28 February 1917 and 1. Klasse on 6 December 1917 along with the Ritterkreuz des Militär Karl-Friedrich-Verdienstorden and the Komtur II. Klasse des Ordens vom Zähringer Löwen. Discharged on 30 April 1919, he rejoined the army on 1 January 1935 as Hauptmann and was assigned to Ergänzungs-Bataillon 269. Promoted to Major on 1 April 1938, he became Kompaniechef in Infanterie-Regiment 34. At the outbreak of the Second World War he commanded the III. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 109, later the III. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 228, and temporarily led Infanterie-Regiment 229. Advanced to Oberstleutnant on 1 June 1941, he assumed leadership of Jäger-Regiment 229 in March 1942 but was severely injured on 2 June 1942. While recovering he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 18 June 1942 as Führer of the III. Bataillon of Jäger-Regiment 228 in the 101. Jäger-Division. Promoted to Oberst on 1 January 1943, he returned to the front on 15 March 1943 as Führer of a Kampfgruppe of the 376. Infanterie-Division and then commanded Infanterie-Regiment 672. From 1 September 1943 he led Grenadier-Regiment 683 of the 335. Infanterie-Division. During the critical period from early March to mid-April 1944 the regiment conducted prolonged and costly withdrawal battles from the Dnieper bridgeheads through the Ingulets south of Krivoi Rog, Mikhailovka, the Ingul at the Peresadovka bridgehead and across the Bug north of Nikolaev to the lower Dniester. Under Kissel’s determined command the regiment repeatedly delayed superior Soviet forces, held successive defensive positions under heavy pressure, and preserved its combat effectiveness long enough to allow the larger formation to reorganize further west. For these sustained leadership achievements and the regiment’s successful defensive performance throughout the retreat he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 March 1944 while serving as Oberst and Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 683. He subsequently commanded Grenadier-Regiment 178 until another severe wound led to his transfer to the Führerreserve on 10 November 1944 and assignment as Chef des Führungsstabes des Volkssturms in Berlin, where he was promoted to Generalmajor on 30 January 1945. Captured on 8 May 1945, he was released on 26 June 1947. His decorations also included the 1939 Spangen to both classes of the Iron Cross, the Wound Badge and the Eastern Front Medal.

Unteroffizier Otto Peschke (1916-2007) was born on 1 February 1916 in Vienna in Lower Austria, Austria, and served as a soldier in the German Heer during the Second World War, rising to the rank of Unteroffizier by early 1945 while assigned as Kompanietruppführer in the 2. Kompanie of the I. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 132, which formed part of the 44. Reichsgrenadier-Division “Hoch und Deutschmeister”. This Austrian-recruited formation, rebuilt after the original 44. Infanterie-Division’s destruction at Stalingrad and granted its traditional honorary title in 1943, had fought extensively in Italy before transferring to Hungary in late 1944. There, amid the desperate defensive and counter-offensive battles against the advancing Red Army in the Lake Balaton and Gran bridgehead sectors during the winter and early spring of 1945, including operations connected with the failed German offensive Frühlingserwachen, Peschke distinguished himself through exceptional personal bravery and leadership of his company troop under intense combat conditions. For these actions he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 5 March 1945, having previously received the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse for earlier wartime service. No further promotions beyond Unteroffizier are recorded, and this remained his last rank. After the division’s remnants withdrew into Austria and largely surrendered to American forces in May 1945, Peschke survived the war and lived until 12 June 2007, when he died in Vienna in Lower Austria at the age of ninety-one.

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LUFTWAFFE

Officers of Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1 "Hermann Göring". From left to right: unknown, Major Karl Roßmann (Kommandeur Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment "Hermann Göring"), Oberleutnant Rupert Kraus (Führer 2.Kompanie / I.Abteilung / Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment "Hermann Göring"), and Oberst Max Lemke (Führer Fallschirm-Panzer-Division 1 "Hermann Göring"). The picture was taken between February 1945 and April 1945.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2012/01/album-foto-seragam-m-44.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Walther_Lucht_cleaning_his_shoes_outside_his_bunkhouse_in_POW_camp_(cropped).jpg
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=18435&hilit=theodor+tolsdorff
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/photos-and-paper-items-forum/567570-m-44-tunics-in-wear/page5?t=567953&page=5

Ritterkreuzträger with Abschussringe (Victory Rings) and Abschussbalken (Victory Bars)

During the Second World War German crews of Panzerkampfwagen, Sturmgeschütze, Panzerjäger, Pak guns and Flak weapons frequently applied unofficial Abschussringe, known in English as victory or kill rings, to the barrels of their main armament as visible records of confirmed successes against enemy armour or aircraft. These white or alternating black-and-white rings, each normally representing one verified destruction of a tank, self-propelled gun or comparable target, were painted after the kill had been reported by the vehicle commander and confirmed by the Kompanie-, Bataillons- or Regimentsführer; damaged vehicles or soft-skinned targets did not usually qualify for a ring. On highly successful barrels the thin muzzle rings were later replaced by broader Abschussbalken or numbered bands, often carrying a tank silhouette or a numeral such as ten, twenty or higher to keep the marking clear once the count exceeded a dozen. The practice, which originated as a spontaneous ritual among Heer and Waffen-SS crews and later spread to some Luftwaffe Flak units, served primarily to raise morale and foster competition between crews rather than as an official decoration. It was especially widespread on the Eastern Front, where Sturmgeschütz-Abteilungen and Panzer-Divisionen faced large numbers of Soviet tanks, and photographs of vehicles such as the StuG III of Leutnant Walther Oberloskamp of Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 667 show long rows of white rings commemorating forty or more Abschüsse. Although never regulated by the Oberkommando des Heeres, the markings became a recognised feature of German armoured and anti-tank units and were occasionally copied by Axis allies, remaining one of the most distinctive visual expressions of combat achievement on German guns throughout the conflict.

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ARMORED VEHICLE


Oberleutnant der Reserve Walther Oberloskamp (1920-1944) was born on 27 January 1920 in Friedeberg/Löwenberg in Silesia, Germany, and served as an officer in the German Heer during the Second World War. As a Leutnant der Reserve he became Zugführer of the 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 667, a unit later redesignated Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 667, operating on the Eastern Front. In March 1943, while attached to the sector of the 98. Infanterie-Division near Djuki, Oberloskamp distinguished himself through both personal bravery and effective leadership of his assault gun platoon. Over the course of only a few days of intense fighting he personally accounted for the destruction of forty enemy tanks, an achievement that demonstrated exceptional skill in the employment of Sturmgeschütze against superior Soviet armoured forces. For these successes he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 10 May 1943. Contemporary photographs show him seated on the barrel of his StuG III, which bore forty white kill rings commemorating the feat. He continued to serve with the same formation and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant. Oberloskamp was killed in action on 26 June 1944 near Minsk in the USSR during the heavy defensive battles that followed the opening of the Soviet summer offensive, ending a brief but highly distinguished career as a tank-destroyer ace whose most celebrated action remained the rapid elimination of forty armoured vehicles that earned him the Knight’s Cross.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/03/foto-baris-kemenangan_25.html

Ritterkreuzträger of 11. SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland"

The 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland was a Waffen-SS combat formation established in the spring of 1943. Built around the cadre of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment Nordland previously taken from the 5. SS-Panzer-Division Wiking, the division drew volunteers and conscripts from various European countries, notably Scandinavia, with regiments designated as SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 Norge and SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 24 Danmark. Following initial deployment and anti-partisan operations in Croatia under the command of officers such as SS-Gruppenführer Fritz von Scholz, the unit was transferred to the Eastern Front. Operating as part of the III. (germanische) SS-Panzerkorps, the division fought extensively during the bitter defensive battles of Army Group North around Leningrad, Narva, and the Tannenberg Line. As the war progressed, the formation retreated through the Courland Pocket and participated in the defense of Pomerania before being redeployed to take part in the catastrophic Battle of Berlin in April 1945. Operating under severely understrength conditions during the final defense of the capital, remnants of the unit fought in city sectors under commanders including SS-Brigadeführer Joachim Ziegler and SS-Brigadeführer Gustav Krukenberg, with most surviving personnel either killed or captured by Soviet forces following the end of hostilities in May 1945.

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SCHWERTERTRÄGER


SS-Gruppenführer Fritz von Scholz (1896-1944), born Friedrich Max Karl Scholz Edler von Rarancze on 9 December 1896 in Pilsen, Austria-Hungary, served in the Austro-Hungarian Army during the First World War from 1914, rising to Oberleutnant before discharge in 1919, after which he joined Freikorps units and the Austrian NSDAP in 1932 before fleeing to Germany and entering the SS in 1933. Beginning the Second World War as a battalion commander in the SS-Regiment Der Führer, he participated in the 1940 Western campaign, earning the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 17 May and I. Klasse shortly thereafter. He then commanded the SS-Regiment Nordland within the SS-Division Wiking from late 1940, fighting on the Eastern Front from 1941; for defensive actions at the Dnepropetrovsk bridgehead he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 22 November 1941 as SS-Standartenführer, and on 18 January 1942 the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as SS-Oberführer for leading his Gefechtsgruppe in heavy defensive battles north of Rostov from 17 to 20 November 1941, where it covered the critical flank of the 1. Panzerarmee against attacks by five Soviet divisions supported by a panzer brigade, artillery, rocket launchers and aircraft along a 24-kilometre front, with von Scholz personally intervening day and night at the most threatened points, directing a counterattack with weapon in hand against tanks that had broken into the Dobropolje area on 18 November, standing with his men when the III. Bataillon clashed with Caucasian divisions in Tuslow, and exploiting an opportunity on 21 November by personally leading weak elements in a riposte near Balabanow that captured some 400 prisoners, thereby enabling the group to hold and influence the wider battle. Promoted to SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS on 21 December 1942, he briefly commanded SS infantry brigades before assuming command of the newly formed 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland on 1 May 1943, which after operations in Croatia transferred to the Leningrad sector in January 1944 under the III. SS-Panzerkorps; for his continuous exemplary leadership from 16 January 1944 in the northern sector, driving the still-young division forward along the Kipen-Narwa track against superior forces, conducting a decisive counterattack on 28 January that relieved the surrounded Kampfgruppe Lohmann, reopened a vital runway and threw the enemy back, and repeatedly breaking up tank-supported assaults to secure the orderly occupation of the Narva bridgehead while gaining time for reinforcements, he was awarded the Eichenlaub (423rd) to the Ritterkreuz on 12 March 1944 as SS-Brigadeführer. Advanced to SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS on 20 April 1944, his final rank, he continued commanding the division during the defence of the Narva bridgehead and subsequent withdrawal to the Tannenberg Line at the Sinimäed Hills; on 24 July 1944, after a two-hour drumfire, Soviet forces with tanks achieved a one-kilometre-wide and deep breakthrough in the sector of Grenadier-Regiment 45 along the Lipsu road and seized vital high ground, whereupon von Scholz personally rallied the retreating soldiers in the foremost line, established a new defensive position to prevent further penetration, and then led a counterattack with the 4./SS-Panzer-Abteilung 11 and 2. Pionier-Kompanie that recaptured the high ground and restored the old front line. Wounded in the head by shell splinters during an artillery barrage while visiting the front on Lastekodumägi on 27 July 1944, he died the following day near Sinimäe; he was posthumously awarded the Schwerter (85th) to the Ritterkreuz on 8 August 1944.

Source :
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/11._SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division_%E2%80%9ENordland%E2%80%9C

Ritterkreuzträger of 490. Infanterie-Division / Division Nr. 490

The Division Nr. 490 was established on 1 November 1944 in Neumünster within Wehrkreis X as a replacement and training formation to succeed the Division Nr. 190, which had been transferred to the Netherlands the previous September. Functioning primarily as an Ersatz- und Ausbildungsdivision, it oversaw the training and replacement of personnel drawn from various units in northern Germany and Denmark. Its initial commander was Generalmajor Ernst Wißelinck, who held the post from formation until early April 1945, after which Generalmajor Hermann-Heinrich Behrend assumed command. By 10 March 1945 the division’s structure included the Grenadier-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Regiment 30 based in Lübeck with Bataillone 6, 46, 469, 490 and Landesschützen-Bataillon 666; the Grenadier-Ersatz-Regiment 520 located at Tingleff in Denmark comprising Bataillone 26, 333, Landesschützen-Bataillon II./10 and 655; the Artillerie-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Regiment 225 in Neumünster with Abteilungen 20, 30 and 58; the Pionier-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Bataillon 20 at Hamburg-Harburg; the Fahr-Ersatz- und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 10 in Neumünster; and the Kraftfahr-Ausbildungs-Abteilung 10 at Wentorf together with related Ersatz elements in Hamburg-Alsterdorf. On 27 March 1945, within the framework of the Westgoten-Bewegung, the division was advanced to the Weser River line and subordinated to the LXXXVI. Armeekorps of the 1. Fallschirmarmee under Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest. Feldpost numbers were issued at this time to the Grenadier-Ersatz-Regimenter 30 and 480 as well as Artillerie-Ersatz-Abteilungen 20 and 30, while the regiment remaining in Denmark did not receive them. The newly mentioned Grenadier-Regiment 480 appears to have been formed from mobilised personnel of the Heeres-Unteroffizier-Schule für Infanterie 10 at Eutin and the ROB-Lehrgang Lübeck. In the closing weeks of the war the division engaged in defensive fighting in north-western Germany. On 18 April 1945 the Wehrmachtbericht specifically praised the 490. Infanterie-Division under Oberst Behrend for its exemplary steadfastness in heavy combat, noting also the personal bravery of Oberstleutnant Knaust as a regimental commander. Behrend, already a recipient of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with Eichenlaub, was awarded the Schwerter on 26 April 1945 for the division’s performance, which included a successful counter-attack that recaptured the airfield at Sage and extricated the formation from near-encirclement by American forces. The division continued operations in the Teutoburger Wald and the Sage area until the final German surrender in May 1945, after which its personnel entered captivity. Throughout its brief existence the Division Nr. 490 exemplified the improvised nature of late-war German reserve formations, converting training cadres into front-line combat units amid the collapse of the western front.
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SCHWERTERTRÄGER


Generalmajor Hermann-Heinrich Behrend (1898-1987) was born on 25 August 1898 in Perleberg and entered military service on 1 June 1915 as a Kriegsfreiwilliger in the Füsilier-Regiment „Kaiser Wilhelm“ Nr. 90, later transferring to the Infanterie-Regiment „Herzog Karl von Mecklenburg-Strelitz“ (6. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 43 where he fought on the Eastern Front of the First World War, earning promotion to Unteroffizier on 29 March 1916, Fähnrich in 1917 for bravery, and Leutnant the same year along with the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 9 June 1917 and I. Klasse on 4 November 1918. After leaving service in 1920 he rejoined the Reichswehr in 1924, advancing through the ranks as Oberleutnant in 1926, Hauptmann in 1933 and Major in 1939 before taking command of the I. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 489 at the start of the Second World War. During the campaign in the West he received the Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz, and on the Eastern Front on 22 June 1941, as Major and Kommandeur of I./Infanterie-Regiment 489 in the 269. Infanterie-Division, he decided to attack ahead of schedule under cover of morning fog and artillery dust, thrusting deep into the fortified Soviet lines southeast and east of Tauroggen, thereby enabling Kampfgruppe Badinski of the 1. Panzer-Division to break through and seize the eastern part of the town, an action that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941. Promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 September 1941 and later to Oberst on 1 March 1943, he commanded Grenadier-Regiment 154 of the 58. Infanterie-Division; in early February 1944 west of Luga the regiment was isolated by a full Soviet division and partisans, yet Behrend held out for three days, led a counter-thrust that took most of the village of Potschap, then guided his force under cover of darkness across the Pljussa River to rejoin German lines on 13 February, for which he received the Eichenlaub (421st award) on 6 March 1944. In April 1945, after promotion to Generalmajor on 17 April, he assumed command of the 490. Infanterie-Division in northwestern Germany; during the defence of the Fladder Canal he personally destroyed an Allied tank with a Panzerfaust, and when the division was encircled he led a successful breakout in which fourteen Sherman tanks were destroyed, mostly by Panzerfaust, actions that brought him the Schwerter on 26 April 1945 (148th award). His last rank was Generalmajor; he was captured by British forces on 8 May 1945, released in 1947, and died in Soltau on 19 June 1987.

Source :
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2018/05/foto-490-infanterie-division.html
https://www.feldgrau.com/ww2-german-490th-infantry-division/
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/DivisionNr/DivisionNr490-R.htm

Ritterkreuzträger of 269. Infanterie-Division

The 269. Infanterie-Division was a prominent military formation of the German Wehrmacht, established on 26 August 1939 as part of the fourth wave of mobilization from replacement troops in Wehrkreis X. Initially under the command of General der Artillerie Ernst-Eberhard Hell, the division first saw active combat during the Western Campaign of 1940, participating in operations across France. Following the campaign in the west, the division was reassigned to the Eastern Front in 1941 to participate in Operation Barbarossa, advancing through the Baltic states and playing a major role in the prolonged northern sector operations, including the fierce battles and static front-line engagements along the Volkhov river front during the siege of Leningrad. Throughout these grueling campaigns, the division experienced several leadership transitions, with officers such as Generalleutnant Wolfgang Edler Herr und Freiherr von Plotho, General der Infanterie Ernst von Leyser, and Generalleutnant Kurt Badinski taking command before Generalleutnant Hans Wagner assumed leadership in November 1943. Between 1942 and 1943, the division was deployed to Norway for garrison and defensive duties before returning south. In late 1944, the unit was transferred to the Western Front to participate in Operation Nordwind in Alsace, facing heavy engagements against United States forces. Severely depleted by continuous combat attrition, the remnants of the division were eventually redeployed back to the Eastern Front as a Kampfgruppe, where they ultimately surrendered to Soviet forces in May 1945, bringing the long operational history of the division to an end.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER


Generalmajor Hermann-Heinrich Behrend (1898-1987) was born on 25 August 1898 in Perleberg and entered military service on 1 June 1915 as a Kriegsfreiwilliger in the Füsilier-Regiment „Kaiser Wilhelm“ Nr. 90, later transferring to the Infanterie-Regiment „Herzog Karl von Mecklenburg-Strelitz“ (6. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 43 where he fought on the Eastern Front of the First World War, earning promotion to Unteroffizier on 29 March 1916, Fähnrich in 1917 for bravery, and Leutnant the same year along with the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse on 9 June 1917 and I. Klasse on 4 November 1918. After leaving service in 1920 he rejoined the Reichswehr in 1924, advancing through the ranks as Oberleutnant in 1926, Hauptmann in 1933 and Major in 1939 before taking command of the I. Bataillon of Infanterie-Regiment 489 at the start of the Second World War. During the campaign in the West he received the Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz, and on the Eastern Front on 22 June 1941, as Major and Kommandeur of I./Infanterie-Regiment 489 in the 269. Infanterie-Division, he decided to attack ahead of schedule under cover of morning fog and artillery dust, thrusting deep into the fortified Soviet lines southeast and east of Tauroggen, thereby enabling Kampfgruppe Badinski of the 1. Panzer-Division to break through and seize the eastern part of the town, an action that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941. Promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 September 1941 and later to Oberst on 1 March 1943, he commanded Grenadier-Regiment 154 of the 58. Infanterie-Division; in early February 1944 west of Luga the regiment was isolated by a full Soviet division and partisans, yet Behrend held out for three days, led a counter-thrust that took most of the village of Potschap, then guided his force under cover of darkness across the Pljussa River to rejoin German lines on 13 February, for which he received the Eichenlaub (421st award) on 6 March 1944. In April 1945, after promotion to Generalmajor on 17 April, he assumed command of the 490. Infanterie-Division in northwestern Germany; during the defence of the Fladder Canal he personally destroyed an Allied tank with a Panzerfaust, and when the division was encircled he led a successful breakout in which fourteen Sherman tanks were destroyed, mostly by Panzerfaust, actions that brought him the Schwerter on 26 April 1945 (148th award). His last rank was Generalmajor; he was captured by British forces on 8 May 1945, released in 1947, and died in Soltau on 19 June 1987.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/269th_Infantry_Division