General der Infanterie Ferdinand Neuling

General der Infanterie Ferdinand Neuling (22 August 1885 - 20 February 1960) joined the Kaiser's army as ensign in 139th Infantry Regiment in 1905. A year later he was promoted to Leutnant. He served in World War I and, after 1918, continued his service in the Reichswehr. In 1929, he was promoted to major, in 1933 to colonel. In the same year, he took command of Infanterie-Regiment 23. On 1 January 1939 he became Generalmajor and three months later took command of Landwehr in Oppeln. On the eve of World War II he was ordered to create the 239. Infanterie-Division, basing on Landwehr soldiers. The Division's battle value was considered very low and the unit was scheduled to be used as reserve. On 2 September 1939, his division crossed German-Polish border in Gierałtowice. The troops marched towards Ornontowice, then Mikołów. On 3 September, following the retreat of Polish Army from Upper Silesia, Neuling entered Mikołów. A day later, he seized Katowice, where was warmly greeted by German citizens and fiercely attacked by Poles. Three days later, his soldiers burned down the synagoge in Katowice. After capturing Upper Silesia Neuling's division headed east. In October 1939 they guarded the German-Soviet border on Bug River, which was created after the fall of Poland. In 1940 Neuling's men took part in the offensive against France, stormed the Maginot Line, and captured Colmar and Strasbourg. After that, he was put into army's reserve. Since 1942 he commanded LXII ArmeeKorps in France. On 18 August 1944, his corps was crushed by advancing units of the US Army. Neuling was taken prisoner and transferred to the POW camp in Clinton, Mississippi. He returned to Germany in 1947 and died in Hildesheim in 1960. He never faced any charges concerning crimes committed during the war. Neuling received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 28 February 1942 as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 239.Infanterie-Division. Other medals and ceorations that he receives: Ritterkreuz I. Klasse des Königlich Sächsischen Albrechts-Ordens mit Schwertern (14 October 1917); Ritterkreuz des Königlich Sächsischen Militär St. Heinrichs-Ordens (9 September 1918); 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse und I.Klasse; Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918; 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (17 November 1939) und I.Klasse (15 June 1940); Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I.Klasse; Rumanian Ordinul Mihai Viteazul 3rd Class (19 September 1941); and Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (19 December 1941).

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Neuling
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=210856