Kurt Oppenländer (11 February 1892 – 17 March 1947) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 25 July 1942 as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 305. Infanterie-Division. Apart from his brilliant military career, it seems that this general always have a problem with drugs and alcohol! An exciting online-version of a dissertation for a Dr. phil. with a richness of background informations and sources:
Steinkamp, Peter “Zur Devianz-Problematik in der Wehrmacht: Alkohol- und Rauschmittelmissbrauch bei der Truppe“, Inaugural-Dissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg i. Br., Wintersemester 2007/2008; dort Seiten 52 - 60,
Online under http://www.freidok.uni-freiburg.de/voll ... mpDiss.pdf
Pages 52 - 60
24.10.1942 Oppenländer was removed from his duties by Walther von Seydlitz (Kommandierender General of the LI. Armeekorps) because of complete intoxication, when Seydlitz was visiting his commanding post. He was replaced immediately by Bernhard Steinmetz, Chief of Staff of the VIII. Armeekorps. Oppenländer’s personal file contains a confidential note of the Heerespersonalamt from 24.10.1942 indicating that he was removed into the Führerreserve in his homeland, his duty had to be arranged by Wehrkreis V Stuttgart.
Oppenländer’s Division was under the command of von Seydlitz since 10.10.1942
01.11.1942 severely diseased, Führerreserve Wehrkreis V. Oppenländer returns to his homeland barracks in Ludwigsburg/Württemberg, where he was welcomed ceremonially festooned with addresses and flowers as a great hero.
Seydlitz-Kurzbach didn’t bring Oppenländer to court martial, in fact he brought Oberfeldarzt Dr. Maaß, the Divisionsarzt of the 305. ID, to certificate disability for service. This has to be based on a painful wounding still from the Great War forcing the Generalmajor to betake constantly heavy narcotics and alcohol.
These events were witnessed by Otto Rühle at that time Zahlmeister within the medical service of the 305. ID at the Hauptverbandsplatz Goroditsche. Captured in Stalingrad, later member of the”Nationalkomitee Freies Deutschland”, he was appointed to a professorship in the GDR.
23.02.1943 Wehrkreis V notifies the HPA of the current treatment (among other things with massages) in the Reservelazarett Badenweiler, Teillazarett Haus Baden; duration for another three months required
05.05.1943 the Wehrkreis-command V was reported by the surgical department of the Reservelazarett II Freiburg, subsection Loretto-hospital [Teillazarett Lorettokrankenhaus], of a digital acampsia, meanwhile corrected as far as availability for duty should be restored in about four weeks; allegedly the acampsia was caused already on 12.09.1941, when he was severely wounded by a shell splinter as Oberst and commander of the IR 420
30.09.1943 (with effect from) commandant of the Cracow headquarters [Kommandant der Standortkommandantur Krakau]
01.06.1944 temporarily charged with leadership of the 198. Infanterie-Division
05.08.1944 Führerreserve
16.08.1944 in the Reservelazarett Badenweiler due to a general psycho-physical state of exhaustion
13.11.1944 boozed in front of officers and NCOs of the Reservelazarett Badenweiler he is violating an event of the NS-Frauenschaft. Subsequently initiation of a preliminary investigation by the Reichskriegsgericht [Supreme Court Martial of the Reich] because of activities affecting armed forces during war [Wehrkraftzersetzung]
00.00.1945 issue of a psychiatric expertise in the Reservelazarett II Tübingen, Teillazarett Nervenklinik; this report has survived intact: BA-MA, RH 12-23/621 (HSanIn, Beratender Psychiater und Psychiatrisch-wehr-psychologisches Institut Militärärztliche Akademie, Wehrmachtfachärztliche Gutachten, hier: Res. Laz. II Tübingen, Teillaz. Nervenklinik, Wehrmachtfachärztliches Gutachten Generalleutnant Kurt Oppenländer, 1945).
In the discussions with the psychiatrist he’s insistent that his replacement in the Stalingrad-area in October 1942 was based for health reasons, however because of a dysentery-like gastro-intestinal disease thitherto still nowhere mentioned. In addition Oppenländer acknowledged a frequent intake of hypnotics since his wounding 1941.
19.02.1945 the court proceedings of the Reichskriegsgericht were abandoned, in his decision the Kriegsgericht subscribed to the view of the psychiatrist holding that Oppenländer’s complete intoxication with retrograde loss of memory [Volltrunkenheit mit glaubwürdiger retrograder Amnesie] after cosumption of four bottles of whine was plausible, in future teetotalisme was indispensable
09.03.1945 disciplined by Generalfeldmarschall Keitel with confinement to his room for a week [7 Tage Stubenarrest], due to a demand for cheers [Hurrarufe] from NCOs and men of a Reservelazarett on 13.11.1944, when he drunken dropped improper hints damaging his credit and the manhood extensively. His behaviour doesn’t allow to continue his position in the officer corps.
28.3.1945 The Army Personnel Office [das Heerespersonalamt] informs of Oppenländer’s planned dismissal according § 24 (2) b of the Wehrgesetz (Armed Forces Law, due to drinking of alcoholic beverages) for the 30.06.1945 without the right to be in uniform
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=161387
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