Smilo
Walther Hinko Oskar Constantin Wilhelm Freiherr von Lüttwitz (23
December 1895 – 19 May 1975) was a German general during World War II
and son of Walther von Lüttwitz. After World War II he joined the
Bundeswehr on 1 June 1957 and retired on 31 December 1960.
Lütwitz was born on 23 December 1895 in Straßburg (now Strasbourg) into a family with a long history of military service. He joined the military service during the mobilisation on 3 August 1914 as an officer cadet in the 25th Division in Darmstadt. Lüttwitz was posted to the Eastern Front and saw combat at Tannenberg, Courland and Düna. He was severely wounded twice in 1915 and received the Iron Cross 1st class. He was commissioned as an officer in 1915.
In 1916 Lüttwitz was transferred to a staff position with the X Corps in the Heeresgruppe Kronprintz for two years. The corps was under the command of his father General Walther von Lüttwitz. His father, a recipient of the Pour le Mérite, was one of the most highly decorated generals of the German Empire. He returned to front line duty in 1918 as an adjutant with the Darmstädter Dragoner in the temporary occupation of the Ukraine and southern Russia. By the end of World War I he had received both classes of the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge in Silver. He remained in the Weimar Republic's Army, serving in various cavalry units. After the beginning of the Nazi leadership he joined the Panzer (armor) branch.
In 1939 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as adjutant in the XV Army Corps. He was later commanding an infantry regiment and the 4th Rifle Brigade. He served on the Eastern Front. Later, he commanded the 26th Panzer Division in Italy, the LXXXV Army Corps and the 9th Army. During this time, he learned of the government issued orders for summary justice. He opposed it and faced a trial but was allowed to retain command of his unit.
He was released from internment in 1947. He then went to the Evangelical Academy in Friedewald. During the period from 1954-1957 he was the head business manager for the relief organization Order of St. John in Rolandseck. Later he returned to the Evangelical Academy as Head of Administration.
In 1957, he joined the new West German army (Bundeswehr) as a lieutenant general. He was appointed commanding general of the III Corps in Koblenz. He retired in 1960. In 1963, he became chairman of the board for a defense industry. In 1955, Lüttwitz was made a knight in the Order of St. John. In 1963, he took over as president of that organization. At the end of his military service, Lüttwitz received the American Legion of Merit in recognition of his service.
Lütwitz was born on 23 December 1895 in Straßburg (now Strasbourg) into a family with a long history of military service. He joined the military service during the mobilisation on 3 August 1914 as an officer cadet in the 25th Division in Darmstadt. Lüttwitz was posted to the Eastern Front and saw combat at Tannenberg, Courland and Düna. He was severely wounded twice in 1915 and received the Iron Cross 1st class. He was commissioned as an officer in 1915.
In 1916 Lüttwitz was transferred to a staff position with the X Corps in the Heeresgruppe Kronprintz for two years. The corps was under the command of his father General Walther von Lüttwitz. His father, a recipient of the Pour le Mérite, was one of the most highly decorated generals of the German Empire. He returned to front line duty in 1918 as an adjutant with the Darmstädter Dragoner in the temporary occupation of the Ukraine and southern Russia. By the end of World War I he had received both classes of the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge in Silver. He remained in the Weimar Republic's Army, serving in various cavalry units. After the beginning of the Nazi leadership he joined the Panzer (armor) branch.
In 1939 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as adjutant in the XV Army Corps. He was later commanding an infantry regiment and the 4th Rifle Brigade. He served on the Eastern Front. Later, he commanded the 26th Panzer Division in Italy, the LXXXV Army Corps and the 9th Army. During this time, he learned of the government issued orders for summary justice. He opposed it and faced a trial but was allowed to retain command of his unit.
He was released from internment in 1947. He then went to the Evangelical Academy in Friedewald. During the period from 1954-1957 he was the head business manager for the relief organization Order of St. John in Rolandseck. Later he returned to the Evangelical Academy as Head of Administration.
In 1957, he joined the new West German army (Bundeswehr) as a lieutenant general. He was appointed commanding general of the III Corps in Koblenz. He retired in 1960. In 1963, he became chairman of the board for a defense industry. In 1955, Lüttwitz was made a knight in the Order of St. John. In 1963, he took over as president of that organization. At the end of his military service, Lüttwitz received the American Legion of Merit in recognition of his service.
Promotions:
August 4th, 1914: Fahnenjunker;
June 16th, 1915: Leutnant (entering August 10th, 1914);
April 1st, 1925: Oberleutnant;
May 1st, 1930: Rittmeister;
?: Major;
January 1st, 1939: Oberstleutnant;
November 1st, 1941: Oberst;
September 1st, 1942: Generalmajor;
October 1st, 1943: Generalleutnant;
September 1st, 1944: General der Panzertruppe (entering April 1st, 1944);
1958: Generalleutnant Bundeswehr.
Career:
August 3rd, 1914: Leib-Dragoner-Regiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24, Darmstadt;
1916: Ordonnanzoffizier Korpskommandos / Stab der "Heeresgruppe Kronprinz";
1918: Regimentsadjutant Leib-Dragonerregiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24;
?: Reiterregiment 7, Breslau;
?: Reiterregiment 6, Pasewalk;
?: 1. Eskadron / 6. (Preußischen) Reiterregiments, Pasewalk;
?: 2. Adjutant (II b) "Kommando der Kraftfahrkampftruppen";
1935: Kommandeur Panzeraufklärungsabteilung 5, Kornwestheim;
1938: IIa-Offizier Heeresgruppe 4, Leipzig
1939: Adjutant XV. Armeekorps, Jena;
July 24th, 1940: Kommandeur Schützenregiment 12;
March 1st, 1942 - April 1st, 1942: Kommandeur 4. Schützenbrigade;
April 1st, 1942: m.F.b. 23 Infanterie-Division;
July 24th, 1942 - July 10th, 1944: Kommandeur 26. Panzer-Division;
July 24th, 1944: Kommandierender General LXXXV. Armeekorps;
September 1st, 1944 - January 19th, 1945: m.F.b. 9. Armee;
March 29th, 1945 - May 7th, 1945: Kommandierender General LXXXV. Armeekorps;
May 7th, 1945 - 1947: American POW;
?: Evangelischen Akademie, Friedewald;
1954 - 1957: Hauptgeschäftsführer Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe, Rolandseck;
June 1st, 1957 - December 31st, 1960: Kommandierender General III. Korps, Bundeswehr;
December 31st, 1960: Retirement;
1963: Vorsitzender der Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde;
1963: Präsidentschaft der Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.
August 4th, 1914: Fahnenjunker;
June 16th, 1915: Leutnant (entering August 10th, 1914);
April 1st, 1925: Oberleutnant;
May 1st, 1930: Rittmeister;
?: Major;
January 1st, 1939: Oberstleutnant;
November 1st, 1941: Oberst;
September 1st, 1942: Generalmajor;
October 1st, 1943: Generalleutnant;
September 1st, 1944: General der Panzertruppe (entering April 1st, 1944);
1958: Generalleutnant Bundeswehr.
Career:
August 3rd, 1914: Leib-Dragoner-Regiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24, Darmstadt;
1916: Ordonnanzoffizier Korpskommandos / Stab der "Heeresgruppe Kronprinz";
1918: Regimentsadjutant Leib-Dragonerregiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24;
?: Reiterregiment 7, Breslau;
?: Reiterregiment 6, Pasewalk;
?: 1. Eskadron / 6. (Preußischen) Reiterregiments, Pasewalk;
?: 2. Adjutant (II b) "Kommando der Kraftfahrkampftruppen";
1935: Kommandeur Panzeraufklärungsabteilung 5, Kornwestheim;
1938: IIa-Offizier Heeresgruppe 4, Leipzig
1939: Adjutant XV. Armeekorps, Jena;
July 24th, 1940: Kommandeur Schützenregiment 12;
March 1st, 1942 - April 1st, 1942: Kommandeur 4. Schützenbrigade;
April 1st, 1942: m.F.b. 23 Infanterie-Division;
July 24th, 1942 - July 10th, 1944: Kommandeur 26. Panzer-Division;
July 24th, 1944: Kommandierender General LXXXV. Armeekorps;
September 1st, 1944 - January 19th, 1945: m.F.b. 9. Armee;
March 29th, 1945 - May 7th, 1945: Kommandierender General LXXXV. Armeekorps;
May 7th, 1945 - 1947: American POW;
?: Evangelischen Akademie, Friedewald;
1954 - 1957: Hauptgeschäftsführer Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe, Rolandseck;
June 1st, 1957 - December 31st, 1960: Kommandierender General III. Korps, Bundeswehr;
December 31st, 1960: Retirement;
1963: Vorsitzender der Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde;
1963: Präsidentschaft der Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.
Awards:
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (6 October 1939) & 1st Class (27 May 1940)
German Cross in Gold on 27 October 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12
Knight's Cross on 14 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12
426th Oak Leaves on 16 March 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division
76th Swords on 4 July 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division
Rechtsritter (Knight of Justice) of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)
German Cross in Gold on 27 October 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12
Knight's Cross on 14 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12
426th Oak Leaves on 16 March 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division
76th Swords on 4 July 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division
Rechtsritter (Knight of Justice) of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)
Great Cross of Merit with star
Legion of Merit
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smilo_Freiherr_von_L%C3%BCttwitz
http://www.historicalwarmilitariaforum.com/topic/6937-ritterkreuztr%C3%A4ger-photos-in-color-thread/?page=5&tab=comments#comment-36744
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/11491/L%C3%BCttwitz-Freiherr-von-Smilo.htm
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