Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division) at his command post on the Eastern Front in 1944. In his neck hangs the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz which he won on January 30, 1944. This photo is one of the few that shows a Wehrmacht general wearing black panzer uniform!
Choir of 5. Gebirgs-Division soldiers to celebrate the 46th birthday of their Divisionskommandeur, Generalleutnant Max-Günther Schrank. The picture was taken in the Italian Front on 19 November 1944.
Helmut Schmischke (30 September 1915 - 18 June 1999) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 July 1943 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur Pionier-Bataillon 36 (motorisiert) / 36.Infanterie-Division. During the battle for the Orel salient in July 1943, Hauptmann Schmischke, his Bataillon and an attached Abteilung of Sturmgeschütze were sent to counterattack a group of Soviet tanks and infantry that had broken through the German lines to a depth of 5 kilometres. Their effort was successful, and the Germans not only succeeded in destroying 30 Soviet tanks but also managed to take back the high ground at Shelyabug and the old main line of defense. This position was held until the Soviet was finally able to overrun it through overwhelming employment of artillery and tanks. Schmischke, already wounded several times, and his weak Bataillon eventually became encircled by the Soviets. However their resistance had tied down significant Soviet forces, which in turn permitted friendly forces to construct a new main line of defense. With great effort, Schmischke was able to lead his Bataillon through the hostile ring and reach friendly lines. For his Bataillon’s outstanding performance during this battle, Schmischke would receive the Ritterkreuz shortly afterwards.
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2426080#p2426080
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/17817/Schmischke-Helmut.htm
Albrecht Kuntze (25 December 1912 - 5 July 1943) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 16 May 1940 as Oberleutnant and Flugzeugführer in 6.Staffel / II.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 26 (KG 26). The medal was awarded for his actions during the Norwegian campaign. Flying from Bergen, he inflicted severe damage on a British cruiser and successfully attacked important British strongpoints around Namsos.
Source :
https://aukro.cz/army-albrecht-kuntze-reprint-kopie-foto-13x18-cm-7001528354
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/85042/Kuntze-Albrecht.htm
General der Nachrichtentruppe Albert Eduard Praun
Born: 11.12.1894 in Staffelstein.
Died: 03.03.1975 in Würzburg.
Vater: Theodor Praun, Justizrat und Notar
Mutter: Marie Praun, geb. Haubs
03.06.1922 Heirat mit Helene-Anna Röhrs
2 Söhne (*1929/1939), 3 Töchter (*1925/1934/1935)
Promotions:
01.10.1913 Fahnenjunker
27.09.1914 Leutnant mit Patent vom 07.01.1913 (110)
06.04.1918 Oberleutnant (94)
01.07.1922 neues RDA vom 18.04.1918 (27) erhalten
01.12.1926 Hauptmann (1)
01.10.1931 umernannt zum Rittmeister
xx.xx.193x umernannt zum Hauptmann
01.09.1934 Major (10)
01.03.1937 Oberstleutnant (34)
xx.xx.193x neues RDA vom 01.10.1936 (47a) erhalten
01.08.1939 Oberst (17)
31.03.1942 neues RDA vom 01.01.1939 (2a) erhalten
01.08.1942 Generalmajor (2)
20.04.1943 Generalleutnant mit RDA vom 01.02.1943 (5a)
01.10.1944 General der Nachrichtentruppe (3)
Career:
01.10.1913 eingetreten als Fahnenjunker
04.08.1914 Halbzugführer in der Korpsfernsprechabteilung 3
15.01.1915 Zugführer
01.10.1916 Führer des Fernsprech-Doppelzuges 6
01.09.1917 Kommandeur der Divisions-Fernsprechabteilung 14
20.01.1918 Divisionsnachrichtenkommandeur 501
11.12.1918 Gerichtsoffizier im Nachrichtenbataillon 3
01.02.1920 stellvertretender Führer der Fernsprechabteilung 124
15.09.1922 im Reiterregiment 16
01.07.1923 im Artillerieregiment 6
01.04.1924 in der 11. (r) / Artillerieregiment 6 (Verden) [laut Stellenbesetzung]
01.10.1924 in der 1. / Nachrichtenabteilung 7 (München)
01.05.1927 in der 2. / Nachrichtenabteilung 7 (München) [laut Stellenbesetzung]
26.08.1927 Adjutant der Nachrichtenabteilung 7 (München)
01.02.1928 Chef der 2. / Nachrichtenabteilung 7 (München)
01.10.1931 im Stab des Reiterregiments 2 (Osterode / Ostpreußen)
01.05.1933 im Stab der 1. Division (Königsberg) [laut Stellenbesetzung]
01.10.1933 zur Verfügung des Chefs der Heeresleitung / Lehrer bei den Offizierlehrgängen
01.10.1934 Lehrer an der Kriegsakademie (Berlin) [laut Stellenbesetzung]
15.10.1935 Kommandeur der Nachrichtenabteilung 38 (Würzburg)
26.08.1939 Kommandeur des Armeenachrichtenregiments 596
10.02.1940 Armeenachrichtenführer der 7. Armee
10.05.1940 Nachrichtenführer der Panzergruppe Hoth
01.06.1940 Nachrichtenführer der Panzergruppe Guderian
01.07.1940 Nachrichtenführer C im Stab des Militärbefehlshabers in Frankreich
10.12.1940 Nachrichtenführer der Panzergruppe 2
25.04.1942 mit der Führung des Infanterieregiments 482 beauftragt
xx.xx.1942 mit der Führung des Infanterieregiments 486 beauftragt
xx.xx.1942 mit der Führung der 4. Panzerbrigade beauftragt
xx.xx.1942 mit der Führung der 262. Infanteriedivision beauftragt
xx.xx.1942 mit der Führung der 18. Panzerdivision beauftragt
25.08.1942 Kommandeur der 129. Infanteriedivision
01.10.1943 Höherer Nachrichtenführer im Stab der Heeresgruppe Mitte
01.04.1944 Führerreserve OKH (XVII)
05.04.1944 Kommandeur der 277. Infanteriedivision
10.08.1944 Sonderverwendung im Oberkommando des Heeres
15.08.1944 Chef der Wehrmachtnachrichtenverbindungen im OKW und Chef des Heeresnachrichtenwesens im OKH
Awards & Decorations:
27.10.1943 -- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Generalleutnant and Kdr. 129.Infanterie-Division
07.02.1943 -- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as Generalmajor and Kdr. 129.Infanterie-Division
00.00.19__ -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.19__ -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.191_ -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.191_ -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
00.00.191_ -- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
ca. 1918 -- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz
ca. 1942 -- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”
00.00.19__ -- Spange "Prager Burg" zur Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01. Oktober 1938
00.00.19__ -- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01. Oktober 1938
00.00.19__ -- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
ca. 1934 -- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
00.00.193_ -- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albert Praun (11 December 1894, Bad Staffelstein – 3 March 1975) served during World War I. He was retained in the Reichswehr and then served in the Wehrmacht; between 1935 and 1940 he commanded signals units. In 1940 he was then appointed Chief Signals Officer of Panzer Group Hoth and Panzer Group Guderian in France. He was then posted to the Eastern Front where he served as Chief Signals Officer of the 2nd Panzer Group. He later was the commanding officer of the 4th Panzer Grenadier Brigade and then of the 18th Panzer Division, and the 129th and the 277th Divisions.
When General Erich Fellgiebel and then his deputy Fritz Thiele were arrested and subsequently executed for their roles in the 20 July plot, Praun was appointed to succeed them on 1 November 1944 as Chief Signals Officer at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and Oberkommando des Heeres and was promoted to General der Nachrichtentruppe.
At the end of the war in May 1945 Praun was taken into captivity by the western allies and interrogated in France about his activities when serving there. At the end of August 1945 he was moved to prison camps at Neustadt, Hesse and Bad Hersfeld and he was released from captivity in June 1947. In 1950 France requested Praun's extradition for war crimes committed when he served there, but the request was refused by the Americans on grounds of lack of evidence. He lived in Munich until his death aged 80.
Praun was the author of a lengthy report on German SIGINT in WW2, prepared for the USA, which was only released to the public in 2014.
Source :
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/albert-praun_F924105A14
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Praun
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=191549&hilit=albert+praun
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General2/PRAUN_ALBERT.html
In July 1941 4./JG 27 was moved to North Africa to support a German contingent, the Deutsche Afrika Korps under the command of Erwin Rommel. The Italian invasion of Egypt had created another theatre of war, the North African Campaign. Gustav Rödel's Staffel was operational by late summer 1941. On 3 October Rödel claimed a Desert Air Force Curtiss P-40 Warhawk of No. 112 Squadron RAF shot down. The pilot may have been Sergeant Stirrat. On 10 October he claimed a pair of P-40s. One of the claims may have been from 2 Squadron SAAF which lost two P-40s. Rödel claimed his 25th and 26th victory over a Bristol Blenheim near Gazala, perhaps belonging to No. 11 Squadron RAF, and a P-40 near Bir Hacheim. The British Eighth Army began Operation Crusader on 18 November and a week later, on 25 November, Rödel claimed a Hurricane and P-40 in a large air battle over Tobruk. As the German and Italian armies laid siege to the city. Rödel claimed single victories on 1st, 4th, 5 and 6 December—a Hurricane, two P-40s and a Bristol Beaufighter. The 4 December victory was the P-40 flown by Second Lieutenant Meek of 2 Squadron SAAF over Al Adm. The 6 December claim was probably a No. 274 Squadron RAF Beaufighter flown by Pilot Officer William G. Snow which crashed near Tobruk. Snow and his navigator Sergeant John K. Dutton were captured.
On a mission in January 1942 Rödel was accidentally rammed by Unteroffizier Heidel and was forced to carry out a force-landing. On 27 March 1942 1. and 4. Staffel formed 10 Bf 109s to escort 15 Ju 87s from I.Sturzkampfgeschwader 3. P-40s from 2 SAAF and 80 Squadron RAF were scrambled to intercept. Ludwig Franzisket from 1. Staffel claimed a victory and Rödel claimed two of the three by his own unit. From 2 SAAF Lieutenants Lipawski and E. Smith were shot down and survived crash-landings—the former's aircraft was strafed and burnt out on the ground. Lieutenant Bryant's P-40 was also damaged, lightly. Flight Sergeant Comfort from 80 Squadron was also hit and his Hurricane badly damaged.
On 6 April Rödel claimed one of the four claims made by JG 27. Gerhard Homuth was among the other claimants. Desert Air Force records show that No. 94 Squadron RAF and Flight Lieutenant D. F. O. Shelford was killed. 2 and 40 Squadron SAAF lost one P-40 and a Hurricane respectively—Lieutenants R. D. B. Morton and Egner survived. The next day II./JG 27 engaged 94 Sqn, 260 Sqn, 450 Sqn RAAF and 4 Squadron SAAF. 450 Sqn lost one in combat. 260 Sqn lost one P-40 and another badly damaged and one of 4 Sqn SAAF's P-40s was damaged. Rödel shot down the 260 Squadron P-40 piloted by Flying Officer E. T. Thompson. Willi Kientsch appears to have fired at and claimed the same aircraft but both were credited with victories while JG 27 claimed four victories. On 7 April, 4. Staffel intercepted 40 Squadron SAAF and Rödel made the only claim—although three P-40s were brought down. Lieutenants Gouws, J. P. Blaauw and D. N. Stott all survived. The claim was Rödel's 38th victory. On 25 April JG 27 fought a large air battle over Gazala. The Germans claimed 10. 2, 4 SAAF and 260 Squadron RAF lost 8 destroyed between then and another 5 damaged. Rödel claimed one, while Günter Steinhausen claimed one and Hans-Joachim Marseille claimed two. JG 27 lost four Bf 109s in aerial combat.
Rödel was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) on 1 May 1942. On 20 May 1942, Rödel was appointed Gruppenkommandeur (Group Commander) of II./JG 27, replacing Major Erich Gerlitz who took over III. Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 53. In the last week of May the desert fighting escalated in the Battle of Gazala and Battle of Bir Hakeim. On 23 May Rödel led the formation in an attack on 33 Squadron Hurricanes. He shot down its leader Flight Lieutenant P. D. Wade (not to be confused Lance Wade in the same squadron). Wade survived the ditching into the sea but died, presumably of drowning or wounds. Rödel's combat report stated that he observed the enemy pilot swimming away from his sinking fighter. Rödel claimed one other victory that day. 5. Staffel lost one Bf 109 with a wounded pilot and Lehrgeschwader 1 lost one Junkers Ju 88 in air combat and two on the ground. Italian units suffered no losses. Four Hurricanes were lost and two badly damaged. Two Martin Baltimore bombers were destroyed and two badly damaged. Two pilots from 33 and another two from 80 Squadron were killed as well as six men from the Boston-equipped No. 233 Squadron RAF. Marseille and Homuth claimed the bombers—two by the former and one by the latter. Rödel now had 41.
Over Bir Hacheim on 4 June I./JG 27 escorted Ju 87s from I./StG 3 over the front. 2 SAAF, 3 Squadron SAAF and 5 Squadron SAAF led by Major John Frost. The P-40s attacked and claimed eight of the Ju 87s before the Bf 109s could act. Rödel's Gruppe arrived as the last Ju 87s were going down and attacked the South Africans. 4 SAAF lost three P-40s and two pilots captured. The third, Lieutenant Lane was picked up by Pilot Officer George Keefer who had been seconded from 274 Squadron. Lieutenant Horne, seconded from 260 Squadron, also picked up Major Meaker from 5 SAAF when hit by a Ju 87 gunner. Rödel made one of only two claims by JG 27 in the fight. The Italian Macchi C.202-equipped 10 Gruppo claimed 13 destroyed and two damaged in the day's fighting. Rödel claimed one P-40 destroyed.
The First Battle of El Alamein began on 1 July. Rödel had his most successful day in Africa, claiming three shot down on 10 July. The three P-40s raised his total to 45. Rödel accounted for his 46th and 47th victories on 19 July. The identity of the Allied formation was probably 238 Squadron. Two days later Rödel claimed four Hurricanes from seven submitted by German pilots in combat over the El Alamein area. They were probably from 238 Squadron. July was particularly successful for Rödel and Homuth's pilots.
On 31 August he claimed a solitary victory as the Battle of Alam el Halfa began. The 1 September 1942 is remembered for Marseille's 17 claims, but for the Axis ground forces it was not such a success, their armour failing to gain success. Six Kittyhawks of 450 Squadron RAAF provided top cover to 18 Boston bombers at 07:38. Rödel led four Bf 109s shooting down one of the three claimed by his flight. On 5 September he claimed a triple victory. Rödel repeated this feat on 9 October, after 70 P-40s of 112 Sqn RAF, 250 Sqn RAF, 450 Sqn RAAF, 3 Sqn RAAF, 2 Sqn SAAF, 4 Sqn SAAF and 5 Sqn SAAF, with support from the US 66th Fighter Squadron, attacked German and Italian airfields: directly over their own airfield, the pilots of six Bf 109s of II Gruppe fought elements of this large Allied formation. against approximately. On 22 October Rödel claimed a B-25 Mitchell from the US 12th Bombardment Group. The bomber was hit by anti-aircraft artillery, fell out of formation and was then shot down by Rödel. it was the 12th Group's only loss.
On the night of the 23 October 1942 the British began the Second battle of El Alamein. The following morning JG 27 flew an all-out operation to support German and Italian forces. Rödel led II./JG 27 and they met 18 bombers and 30 P-40s. Rödel claimed three of the latter between 11:43 and 11:50. On the morning of the 26 October German and Italian forces counter-attacked Outpost Snipe and the Desert Air Force supported the defence of the position by attacking Axis armour. Rödel and eight other Bf 109s from his Gruppe took off on a frei jagd (free hunt—or combat air patrol in modern parlance). They engaged a large formation of P-40s and Rödel probably shot down the P-40 flown by Sergeant Rattle from 260 Squadron. Rödel claimed another trio of RAF fighters on 27 October—a P-39 Airacobra, P-40 and Spitfire. The Spitfire fell at 10:23 and a Curtiss at 10:42. Rödel's fought to cover the 15th and 21st Panzer Division in another assault on Outpost Snipe. Rödel claimed two more just before 11:00 on 31 October as JG 27 sought to provide determined German-Italian counter-attacks with air support. The following morning Rödel filed his last claim for a victory over Egypt. At approximately 07:00 he claimed a Spitfire south of Sidi Abdel Rahman.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_R%C3%B6del
Rudolf Lippert (29 October 1900 - 1 April 1945) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 June 1944 as Oberst and Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 31 / 5.Panzer-Division. On 12 April 1944 Oberst Lippert was subordinated to the LVI. Panzerkorps, and received the following mission:
“You are to fix and destroy the Russians Guards cavalry forces that have penetrated into the deep flank of the LVI. Panzerkorps along with the well-organized partisan forces in the area Sztun-Binduga-Kladniow (Bug) — Rude (Turja) —Turyczany area. You are to furthermore reestablish contact with Heeresgruppe Nordukraine.”
For this mission Lippert was given a Kampfgruppe consisting of the following elements: Stab Pz.Rgt. 31, 7./Pz.Rgt. 31, 2./Art.Rgt. 116, 2./Art.Rgt. 637 (Mörser), 3./StuG.Brig. 600, 53rd Hungarian infantry regiment and 26th Hungarian reconnaissance squadron.
Lippert split his Kampfgruppe into two groups and moved out. Already on 15 April 1944 the right Kampfgruppe was able to capture Binduga (on the Bug) and the left Kampfgruppe Wladynopol. This achievement was all the more remarkable due to the difficult terrain and destroyed infrastructure in the area.
On the next day Mosur was taken as well as Stawki (the latter with the Ski-Jäg.Brig. 1). Terrain difficulties and Soviet obstacles continued to hinder the Kampfgruppe on this day and the next, and much bitter fighting ensued. By the evening of 17 April 1944 a total of 350-400 Soviet dead were counted, while the German losses were 46 dead and 97 wounded on this day. An alarm Bataillon of the II./I.R. 698 and a reinforced Batterie of the Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 185 was attached to the Kampfgruppe on the following day.
On 20 April 1944 contact was established with the right neighbour, namely elements of the 214. Infanterie-Division, in Zablocie. With this the gap to the 4. Panzer-Armee (Heeresgruppe Nordukraine) was finally closed. Fighting continued until 24 April 1944 with cut-off Soviet partisans and cavalry, however without enough weapons they were unable to resist in the open for long.
By the time the Kampfgruppe was disbanded on 25 April 1944 it had captured or destroyed the following enemy men/materiel in the time period 12-24 April 1944:
466 prisoners
26 artillery pieces
12 anti-tank guns
16 anti-tank rifles
19 mortars
69 MGs
17 machine-pistols
54 rifles
202 horse-drawn wagons
Several hundred horses
Large quantities of ammunition
A field hospital.
Oberst Lippert would subsequently receive the Ritterkreuz for this important operational achievement.
Source :
https://ca.super-hobby.com/zdjecia/5/3/1/27389_2_AMM-EURO-0026_13.jpg
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/69485/Lippert-Rolf.htm
%20relaxes%20with%20other%20aircrew.jpg)
Oberfeldwebel Karl Müller (at rear, standing with arm raised high) relaxes with other aircrew of 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2 (KG 2) during a stopover at Bucharest during the Balkan Campaign in the spring of 1941. Müller was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15th October 1942.
From
left to right: Generalstabsarzt Dr.med. Kurt Bingler (Armeearzt 20. Gebirgsarmee), Generalleutnant Ferdinand Jodl (Chef des
Generalstabes 20. Gebirgsarmee), Generalmajor Erich Wüerst
(Armee-Pionierführer 20. Gebirgsarmee), and Generalveterinär Dr.med.vet.
Franz Werner (Armeeveterinär 20. Gebirgsarmee). There is no information
about when and where this picture was taken, but possibly in Norway
between September 1943 to April 1944.
.jpg)
Oberfeldwebel Karl Müller (centre), a bomber pilot with 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2, relaxes with comrades on a French Airfield (probably Epinoy) during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Müller would be awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15th October 1942.
From left to right: Oberleutnant Heinrich Meyer (Beobachter in 1.Staffel / I.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2), Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle (Chef Luftflotte 3) and Oberfeldwebel Karl Müller (Flugzeugführer in 12.Staffel / IV.Gruppe / Kampfgeschwader 2). They were posed together on the occasion of Sperrle presenting the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes to Heinrich Meyer and Karl Müller on 15th October 1942. The medal was awarded after both were flying 280 sorties as a bomber pilot. Interesting enough that Field Marshal Sperrle himself is not wearing the Ritterkreuz that he received two years before!
Generalfeldmarschall Hugo Sperrle (left) looks on as a colleague aligns the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for Oberleutnant Heinrich Meyer (second from left). Oberfeldwebel Karl Müller (right) has already received his award and stands to attention.