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Wednesday, March 22, 2023

German Officers at the Blaue Division Award Ceremony

From left to right: Oberst i.G. Wilhelm Knüppel (Leiter des deutschen Verbindungsstabes bei der spanischen Blauen Division), Generaloberst Georg Lindemann (in the background, Oberbefehlshaber 18. Armee), and General der Kavallerie Philipp Kleffel (Kommandierender General L. Armeekorps). The picture was taken on 18 July 1943 at the headquarter of 250. Infanterie-Division (spanische) a.k.a. Blaue Division, when some German commanders and 14 Spaniards received the Spanish Cruz de Guerra (War Cross) medal, on the occasion of the 7th anniversary of the "glorious national uprising". After a speech by Divisionskommandeur Esteban infantes, around two in the afternoon they all went to the dining room. Just before serving the second course, when Esteban infantes had just spoken thanking the attendance of the high-ranking German officers, led by General Lindemann, and when the latter was going to speak to answer him, a volley from Russian artillery fell on the building, resulting in 20 deaths and 19 wounded (Chaplain Pater Victoriano, a officer, 3 guard soldiers, 3 drivers, 4 orderlies, 3 clerks, and 1 cook). Among the wounded was Comandante (Major) Jose Alemany Vich, the Blaue Division's Intelligence Officer.



Spanish military Attaché in Berlin, Teniente Coronel Moyano, chats with Oberst i.G. Wilhelm Knüppel (Leiter des deutschen Verbindungsstabes bei der spanischen Blauen Division). Knüppel would later receive the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 15 December 1943. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Hans Sönnke.


Source :
https://bibliotecavirtual.defensa.gob.es/BVMDefensa/fotosmusej/es/consulta/resultados_ocr.do
https://www.elgrancapitan.org/foro/viewtopic.php?p=897837

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