Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller was born in Deutsch Krone, in extreme eastern Germany, on March 28, 1896. He entered the Imperial Army as a Fahnenjunker in August 1914, when World War I broke out. He was commissioned second lieutenant in the 3rd Ulan Regiment, a cavalry unit, in 1915. Initially, he served on the Russian Front. After the Russian surrendered, however, Steinkeller’s regiment gave up its horses and was transferred to the Western Front, where it formed part of the 6th Cavalry Division (Dismounted). For all practical purposes, it was an infantry unit. It fought in the Alsace (April–June 1918), at Ypres (July–August), at Cambrai (August–September), and at Ypres again (October–November). Steinkeller was not selected for the Reichswehr and was discharged from the service in 1919, but he returned to active duty on July 1, 1934, as a Rittmeister (captain of cavalry).
Steinkeller transferred to the panzer branch in 1938 when he became adjutant of Hermann Hoth’s XV Motorized (later Panzer) Corps. He was a major when World War II broke out. After the successful invasion of Poland, Steinkeller was given command of the 7th Motorcycle Battalion of the 2nd Light (soon to be 7th Panzer) Division on October 17, 1939.
Steinkeller commanded the motorcycle battalion in Belgium, France, and Russia, where it took heavy casualties in the drives on Leningrad and Moscow and in the battles of the Rzhev salient. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on September 1, 1941, and assumed command of the 7th Rifle Regiment of the Ghost Division on May 1, 1942.
Shortly after Colonel Steinkeller assumed command of the 7th, it was shipped back to France, where it was rebuilt and redesignated 7th Panzer Grenadier Regiment. In November 1942, it took part in the occupation of Vichy France, and then was hurriedly sent to the Eastern Front after the fall of Stalingrad. Steinkeller led his regiment with considerable success in the Donetz battles in the winter and spring of 1943. He was promoted to colonel on April 1, 1943, and in May took part in the heavy fighting around Kharkov. He also fought in the subsequent major battles of Belgorod, Kiev, and Zhitomir. By this time, OKH was convinced that Steinkeller was general officer material. He was recalled to Germany in January 1944, where he underwent a twoweek Division Commanders’ Course. After an extended leave, he returned to Russia and assumed command of the 60th Panzer Grenadier Division ‘‘Feldherrnhalle’’ (or FHH), which had recently transferred from Italy to the Eastern Front.
The 60th fought on the northern sector of the Eastern Front in the spring of 1944, successfully covering Army Group North’s retreat from Leningrad. It performed very well, despite a lack of training. With their confidence in him justified, the High Command promoted Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller to major general on June 1, 1944. Later that month, however, FHH was rushed to the aid of Army Group Center, which had been crushed by Stalin’s summer offensive, Operation Bagration. On the order of Fuehrer Headquarters and Army Group Center, the FHH Panzer Grenadier Division was committed too far forward and too quickly. It was unable to prevent a disaster of mammoth proportions and was itself soon cut off and surrounded, along with most of the 4th Army, which lost 130,000 of its 165,000 men. General Steinkeller tried to break out, but the situation was hopeless. He surrendered the remnants of his division on July 8, 1944.
Friedrich von Steinkeller spent the next 11 years in Soviet prisons. Finally released on October 9, 1955, he retired to Hanover. He died on October 19, 1981, at the age of 85.
Promotions:
August 19th, 1914: Eingetreten als Fahnenjunker;
May 18th, 1915: Leutnant mit Pat. 22-5-1914;
November 24th, 1919: als char. Oberleutnant verabsch.;
July 15th, 1934: wieder eingestellt RDA 1-1-1934 (30);
October 15th, 1935: Hauptmann;
October 1st, 1938: Major (40);
September 1st, 1941: Oberstleutnant (68);
January 1st, 1943: Oberst (46a);
June 1st, 1944: Generalmajor (17).
Career:
September 1st, 1939: Stab XV. A.K.;
November 15th, 1939: Kdr. Kradschtz.Btl. 7;
May 1st, 1942: Kdr. Schtz.Rgt. 7;
January 10th, 1944: Führer-Reserve OKH;
April 3rd, 1944: mdFb Pz.Gren.Div. "FHH";
June 1st, 1944: Kdr. Pz.Gren.Div. "FHH".
Awards:
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 March 1943 as Oberstleutnant and commander Panzergrenadier-Regiment 7
Source :
"Rommel's Lieutenants: The Men Who Served the Desert Fox" by Samuel W. Mitcham
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/friedrich-carl-von-steinkeller_EEC4EE2A4A
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/19089/Steinkeller-von-Friedrich-Carl.htm
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