GENERALFELDMARSCHALL
Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock (1880-1945), born Moritz Albrecht Franz Friedrich Fedor von Bock on 3 December 1880 in Cüstrin into a traditional Prussian military family, rose through the ranks of the Imperial German Army, Reichswehr, and Wehrmacht to become one of the most prominent commanders of the Second World War, distinguished by his strict professionalism, monarchist leanings, and tactical successes in major campaigns despite frequent clashes with Adolf Hitler over strategy. A veteran of the First World War who earned the Pour le Mérite for his staff work during the 1918 Spring Offensive, Bock advanced steadily in the interwar period, commanding forces in the Anschluss and the annexation of the Sudetenland before taking charge of Heeresgruppe Nord for the Invasion of Poland in 1939. It was his leadership of Heeresgruppe Nord during this Blitzkrieg operation, coordinating the 3. Armee striking southward from East Prussia and the 4. Armee advancing eastward across the Polish Corridor to link up, rapidly overrunning Polish forces north of the Vistula, securing the corridor, and contributing decisively to the swift conquest of Poland in just over a month, that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 September 1939 as Generaloberst und Oberbefehlshaber der Heeresgruppe Nord, recognizing the effective encirclement battles and operational speed that exemplified early German armored and combined-arms warfare. Later commanding Heeresgruppe B in the 1940 campaign in the West, Heeresgruppe Mitte during the spectacular early victories of Operation Barbarossa including the battles of Białystok-Minsk and Smolensk, and briefly Heeresgruppe Süd in 1942, Bock was promoted to Generalfeldmarschall in July 1940 but was relieved of command multiple times due to strategic disagreements before his death in an Allied air attack on 4 May 1945 while traveling near Oldenburg in Holstein.
Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (1891-1945) was born on 24 January 1891 in Genthin and entered military service in 1909 as Fahnenjunker in Infanterie-Regiment „von Alvensleben“ (6. Brandenburgisches) Nr. 52, rising through the ranks during the First World War with awards including the Eisernes Kreuz and the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern before continuing in the Reichswehr and later the Wehrmacht. In the Second World War he first commanded the 3. Panzer-Division during the opening phase of Operation Barbarossa, where his energetic leadership enabled rapid advances from the Bug near Brest-Litovsk to the Beresina at Bobruisk despite difficult terrain and Soviet resistance, earning him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 July 1941 as Generalleutnant. Subsequently as Kommandeur of the XXXXI. Panzerkorps and then Oberbefehlshaber of the 9. Armee he distinguished himself in the defensive battles around Rzhev during the winter of 1941/42, cementing his reputation as a master of defence and receiving the Eichenlaub on 17 February 1942 as General der Panzertruppen. Further successes with the 9. Armee in the summer and winter fighting of 1942/43, culminating in the skilful execution of Unternehmen Büffel that successfully shortened the front and evacuated the Rzhev salient, brought him the Schwerter on 2 April 1943 as Generaloberst. Promoted to Generalfeldmarschall on 1 March 1944, he successively commanded Heeresgruppe Nord, Heeresgruppe Nordukraine and Heeresgruppe Mitte; after the collapse of Heeresgruppe Mitte in the summer of 1944 his determined leadership stabilised the Eastern Front and halted the Soviet advance near the Vistula, for which he was awarded the Brillanten on 17 August 1944. Known for his loyalty, aggressive energy and skill in desperate defensive situations, Model later took command of Heeresgruppe B on the Western Front and, following the encirclement of his forces in the Ruhr Pocket, took his own life on 21 April 1945 near Ratingen.
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) was born on 15 November 1891 in Heidenheim, Württemberg, and joined the Infanterie-Regiment 124 as a Fahnenjunker in 1910, rising to Leutnant by 1912 before distinguishing himself in the First World War on the Western and Italian fronts, where as Oberleutnant he led elements of the Württembergisches Gebirgsbataillon in the Battle of Caporetto, capturing Monte Matajur and thousands of prisoners to earn the Pour le Mérite. Remaining in the Reichswehr after 1918, he taught infantry tactics, published Infanterie greift an, and by 1939 as Generalmajor commanded Hitler’s escort battalion during the Polish campaign. In February 1940 he took command of the 7. Panzer-Division, whose rapid advances through the Ardennes, across the Meuse, and deep into France earned it the nickname Gespensterdivision; for personally leading a Panzer-Regiment in the breakthrough of the extended Maginot Line near Maubeuge on 18 May 1940, smashing two enemy divisions and taking thousands of prisoners, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 May 1940 as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 7. Panzer-Division. Continued successes of the division culminating in the capture of Cherbourg brought him the Eichenlaub on 20 March 1941 as Generalleutnant. Sent to North Africa in February 1941 to command the Deutsches Afrikakorps, he rapidly restored Axis fortunes, advancing across Cyrenaica; for masterful leadership against superior forces, particularly the tank battle around Sidi Rezegh on 23 November 1941, he was awarded the Schwerter on 20 January 1942 as General der Panzertruppen and Befehlshaber der Panzer-Gruppe Afrika. After further victories including the fall of Tobruk on 21 June 1942, which earned him promotion to Generalfeldmarschall, he continued operations until the retreat into Tunisia, where advances during the battle for the Kasserine Pass in February 1943 led to the Brillanten on 11 March 1943 as Generalfeldmarschall and Oberbefehlshaber der Heeresgruppe Afrika. Recalled later that year, he commanded Heeresgruppe B in Normandy, was severely wounded on 17 July 1944, and, implicated in the 20 July plot, was forced to take his own life with cyanide on 14 October 1944 in Herrlingen.
Generalfeldmarschall Ferdinand Schörner (12 June 1892 - 2 July 1973).
Generalfeldmarschall Maximilian von Weichs (12 November 1881 – 27 September 1954).
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GENERALOBERST
Generaloberst Johannes Blaskowitz (1883-1948), born on 10 July 1883 in Paterswalde, East Prussia, was a professional soldier who rose through the ranks of the Imperial German Army, Reichswehr, and Wehrmacht, serving with distinction on both the Eastern and Western Fronts in World War I where he earned the Iron Cross among other decorations. During the 1939 Invasion of Poland, as General der Infanterie and Oberbefehlshaber of the 8. Armee under Army Group South, he led his forces through heavy fighting in the Battle of the Bzura and the subsequent Siege of Warsaw, where he personally accepted the surrender of Polish General Tadeusz Kutrzeba on 28 September 1939; for these command achievements, particularly in the battles near Kutno and along the Bzura river, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 30 September 1939 and was promoted to Generaloberst. Later appointed Oberbefehlshaber of Heeresgruppe G in southern France in 1944, he conducted a skillful fighting withdrawal against overwhelming Allied forces during Operation Dragoon in August 1944, preserving much of his command while retreating northward into Alsace and preventing a total collapse of the German southern front. This leadership earned him the 640th Eichenlaub on 29 October 1944 as Generaloberst. In early 1945, commanding Heeresgruppe H (later redesignated as Oberbefehlshaber Niederlande and 25. Armee) during the final desperate phase, he oversaw defensive operations in the Netherlands and participated in Operation Nordwind, the last major German offensive on the Western Front in Alsace-Lorraine; for his skillful combat leadership amid these late-war efforts to stabilize the collapsing front in the Netherlands, he was awarded the Schwerter on 25 April 1945 as the 146th recipient. A traditional Prussian officer known for protesting SS atrocities in occupied Poland, Blaskowitz surrendered his forces to Canadian troops on 5 May 1945 in Wageningen and died by suicide in 1948 while awaiting trial at Nuremberg.
Generaloberst Heinz Guderian (1888-1954) was a German army general and military theorist who pioneered the blitzkrieg approach and the panzer division concept, becoming one of the most influential commanders of the Second World War through his advocacy for concentrated armored forces supported by motorized infantry, artillery, and air power. As General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General of the XIX. Armee-Korps he demonstrated outstanding leadership during the Invasion of Poland in September 1939, spearheading the northern advance from Pomerania through former West Prussian territory, linking up with forces from East Prussia by 5 September, shifting to attack Warsaw, and capturing Brest-Litovsk on 17 September after issuing an ultimatum amid the Soviet invasion, with his corps advancing some 330 kilometers in ten days while suffering minimal tank losses of only eight out of 350 destroyed, actions that earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 October 1939. Later, as Generaloberst and Befehlshaber of Panzergruppe 2, Guderian commanded this formation from the start of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, leading the crossing of the Bug River, closing the Minsk pocket with approximately 300,000 Soviet prisoners, and playing a pivotal role in the Battle of Smolensk that culminated in the encirclement and destruction of the Soviet 16th, 19th, and 20th Armies, successes for which he was awarded the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 July 1941 as the 24th recipient, further validating his theories of mobile warfare before strategic disagreements with higher command resulted in his temporary dismissal.
Generaloberst Hermann Hoth (1885-1971) rose through the ranks of the German army to become one of the Wehrmacht’s most capable panzer leaders during the Second World War, earning the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, Eichenlaub and the Schwerter for successive feats of bold command and decisive operational success. As Kommandierender General of the XV. Armeekorps attached to the 10. Armee in the 1939 Polish campaign, Hoth displayed skillful and energetic leadership by spearheading a rapid breakthrough south of Tschenstochau on the right wing of the advancing German forces, pushing swiftly to the Lysa Gora heights while contributing decisively to the encirclement and destruction of Polish units in the Radom pocket between 9 and 12 September, actions that secured him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 27 October 1939. Promoted to Generaloberst and given command of the 3. Panzergruppe under Heeresgruppe Mitte for Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, Hoth orchestrated the massive encirclement near Minsk that trapped more than 300,000 Soviet soldiers and destroyed thousands of tanks before his spearheads captured Vitebsk and drove onward to reach the highway to Moscow west of Jarzewo on 15 July, thereby completing the vast Smolensk pocket and earning the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz on 17 July 1941 in recognition of his Panzergruppe’s pivotal role in the early triumphs of the invasion of the Soviet Union. Later, as Oberbefehlshaber of the 4. Panzerarmee in 1943, Hoth conducted tenacious defensive operations on the southern face of the Kursk salient during Operation Citadel, then executed a skillful fighting withdrawal of his army to the Dnieper line on both sides of Kiev amid fierce Soviet counteroffensives, maintaining cohesion, inflicting heavy enemy losses, and avoiding encirclement despite intense pressure, achievements for which he was awarded the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub on 15 September 1943.
Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube (29 October 1890 – 21 April 1944).
Generaloberst Hans von Salmuth (11 November 1888 – 1 January 1962).
Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert (13 March 1883 – 12 September 1941).
Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff (6 December 1887 - 23 February 1952).
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GENERAL DER ARTILLERIE
General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (6 February 1892 - 4 April 1986).
General der Artillerie Erich Marcks (6 June 1891 – 12 June 1944).
General der Artillerie Max Pfeffer (7 June 1883 – 31 December 1955).
General der Artillerie Johann Sinnhuber (27 March 1887 – 23 October 1979).
General der Artillerie Albert Wodrig (16 July 1883 - 31 October 1972).
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GENERAL DER GEBIRGSTRUPPE
General der Gebirgstruppe Julius Ringel (16 November 1889 – 11 February 1967).
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GENERAL DER INFANTERIE
General der Infanterie Erich Abraham (1895-1971) rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht after serving as a Leutnant der Reserve in the First World War and later in the police before rejoining the army in 1935, eventually commanding Infanterie-Regiment 230 of the 76. Infanterie-Division where he earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 November 1942 as Oberst for his outstanding leadership during heavy defensive combat at the blocking position north of Stalingrad from 24 August to 1 October 1942; facing relentless Soviet reserves and tank assaults aimed at relieving the encircled forces, Abraham distinguished himself particularly on 18 and 23 September when enemy attacks overran forward garrisons, personally fighting alongside his staff at the command post to hold off superior numbers until reserves arrived, then directing decisive counterthrusts that destroyed multiple enemy tanks and restored the frontline despite severe losses, actions that had also been previously recommended following the encirclement battle at Kalatsch and which inspired his troops amid the chaos of the Stalingrad operations. Later appointed commander of the rebuilt 76. Infanterie-Division on 17 February 1943 after its destruction at Stalingrad, he led the formation through Italy and back to the Eastern Front with Army Group South, advancing to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1944 and directing it through intense defensive battles and the withdrawal during the Red Army’s Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive until October 1944, culminating in the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 26 June 1944 as the 516th recipient for his reinforced division’s establishment of a critical bridgehead on the eastern bank of the Latka river northwest of Odessa in early April 1944 and its tenacious defense against retreating Soviet forces to keep the route open. Abraham subsequently took command of the LXIII. Armeekorps on the Western Front, was promoted to General der Infanterie in March 1945, and was captured at the war’s end before his release in 1947, his career embodying resolute command under extreme pressure on multiple fronts.
General der Infanterie Karl Allmendinger (1891-1965) was a highly
experienced Wehrmacht officer who rose through the ranks from his entry
into the Royal Württemberg Army in 1910, serving with distinction in
World War I as a Zugführer, Regimentsadjutant, and Kompanieführer on
both the Western and Eastern Fronts before continuing his career in the
Reichswehr and later the German Army. As a Generalmajor commanding the
5. Infanterie-Division (later redesignated 5. Jäger-Division), he played
a pivotal role during Operation Barbarossa in June 1941; on 22 June, he
personally led his division in a difficult attack near Lazdijai,
reenergizing the assault to capture the town and a commanding hill, then
directed the Vorausabteilung to exploit the success and establish a
critical bridgehead over the Niemen river at Seirijai, an achievement of
great operational importance for the 9. Armee that earned him the
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 July 1941 as the 365th recipient.
Promoted to Generalleutnant in August 1942 while still leading the
division with II. Armeekorps under Heeresgruppe Nord, Allmendinger
demonstrated outstanding leadership during the German offensive
operation “Michael” (27 September to 9 October 1942) aimed at widening
the corridor to the Demyansk pocket; his division was heavily engaged in
fierce fighting southeast of Lake Ilmen, contributing decisively to the
encirclement and destruction of strong Soviet forces, successes
highlighted in the Wehrmachtbericht of 9 October 1942 that led to the
award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 13 December 1942 as the
153rd recipient. Later commanding the V. Armeekorps in the Crimea and
briefly the 17. Armee in 1944, where he oversaw the challenging
evacuation of Sevastopol, Allmendinger ended the war in the
Führerreserve before his capture by U.S. forces in May 1945 and release
in 1947, embodying the professional soldier whose battlefield initiative
and command under pressure on the Eastern Front secured his place among
the decorated leaders of the Wehrmacht.
General der Infanterie Johannes Block (1894-1945) was a highly decorated German officer who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht during World War II, ultimately commanding corps-level formations after beginning his career as a war volunteer in 1914 with the Mansfelder Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 75 and seeing extensive service in both world wars, including combat in Flanders, Verdun, the Middle East with Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 146 as part of the Asia Corps, and later Freikorps and Reichswehr duty before rejoining as a Hauptmann in 1934. By March 1940 he commanded Infanterie-Regiment 202 of the 75. Infanterie-Division, leading it through the Battle of France and into Operation Barbarossa, where his regiment distinguished itself in fierce fighting around Sumy and other sectors of the Eastern Front; for his outstanding leadership, tactical skill, and the regiment’s decisive breakthroughs against strong Soviet defenses during the 1941 summer and autumn offensives, Oberst Block was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 December 1941. Promoted to Generalleutnant and given command of the 294. Infanterie-Division in 1942, he earned the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 22 November 1943 for the division’s determined and successful defensive operations around Krivoy Rog (Kryvyi Rih) amid the intense Soviet Lower Dnieper Offensive, where Block’s troops maintained cohesion, conducted effective counterattacks, and inflicted heavy losses on superior enemy forces despite overwhelming pressure, actions that were also noted in the Wehrmachtbericht. Later commanding the VIII. Armeekorps, XIII. Armeekorps, and finally the LVI. Panzerkorps as General der Infanterie from mid-1944, Block was killed in action near Kielce, Poland, on 26 January 1945 during the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive, leaving behind a record of steadfast frontline leadership from battalion to corps level across multiple major campaigns.
General der Infanterie Günther Blumentritt (1892-1967) was a highly capable German staff officer and later field commander who served with distinction in both World Wars, rising to prominence through meticulous operational planning and resilient leadership on the Western Front during the final stages of World War II. Born in Munich, Bavaria, he joined the Imperial German Army in 1911, saw action primarily on the Eastern Front in World War I with the 3. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 71, and ended that conflict as an Oberleutnant before continuing his career in the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. A close and trusted collaborator of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt, Blumentritt played key roles in drafting Fall Weiss for the 1939 invasion of Poland as part of the working staff with von Rundstedt and Erich von Manstein, served as Ia (Chief of Operations) for Heeresgruppe Süd, and contributed significantly to the Sichelschnitt plan for the 1940 campaign in the West; he later served as Chief of Staff of the 4. Armee during Operation Barbarossa and as Chief Quartermaster at OKH, where his expertise in logistics and defensive operations proved invaluable despite his initial reservations about the Soviet campaign. As Chief of the General Staff of Heeresgruppe D / Oberbefehlshaber West under von Rundstedt, he was instrumental in planning the defense of the Atlantic Wall and coordinating responses to the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944, often stepping in during his commander's absences amid intense pressure and resource shortages; for these outstanding planning and leadership achievements in the first four months of the invasion under extremely difficult circumstances, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 September 1944 as General der Infanterie. Transferred to combat command in late 1944, he led Corps Group Blumentritt (including XII SS-Armeekorps with the 176. Infanterie-Division and 183. Volksgrenadier-Division) in holding the Roermond Triangle area against Allied advances, notably during Operation Blackcock in January 1945, before assuming command of the 25. Armee in the Netherlands on 29 January 1945; tasked with holding Holland as a fortress, he managed a depleted force under severe constraints while predicting and mitigating Allied maneuvers following Operation Market Garden. His steadfast direction of the 25. Armee earned him the Eichenlaub (741st recipient) to the Ritterkreuz on 18 February 1945. Later commanding the 1. Fallschirm-Armee briefly and then the ad-hoc Heeresgruppe Blumentritt in northern Germany, he focused on delaying the Anglo-Canadian advance to allow refugee evacuations until the final surrender in May 1945; post-war, he provided affidavits for the Nuremberg Trials, advised on the Bundeswehr's formation, and contributed to historical accounts, embodying the archetype of a professional German staff officer whose strategic acumen and composure under fire defined his decorated service.
General der Infanterie Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt (1887-1943), born on 13 July 1887 in Perleberg in the German Empire and a descendant of Danish-Holsteiner nobility, served as a distinguished officer in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, having previously fought in the First World War including at the Battle of Verdun; he commanded the 23. Infanterie-Division before rising to lead the II. Armeekorps under 16. Armee of Heeresgruppe Nord. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941 as Kommandierender General of the II. Armeekorps for his decisive actions in the opening phases of Operation Barbarossa, where on 24 June 1941 he resolved to capture the Russian fortress of Kowno under any circumstances due to its critical importance for continuing operations in the sector, subsequently smashing several Soviet divisions northeast of Kowno over 27 and 28 June amid uninterrupted heavy combat in exceptionally difficult terrain. Later, as the pocket battle of Demyansk raged from early 1942, Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt's steadfast leadership of the encircled II. Armeekorps—comprising six divisions totaling around 100,000 men including elements such as the SS-Totenkopf-Division—proved instrumental in holding the position against repeated Soviet assaults in harsh swampy conditions, sustained only by Luftwaffe airlifts, with the general personally exemplifying resolve by flying over forward positions in his Fieseler-Storch despite suffering severe rheumatic pain that he concealed from his troops to embody unyielding devotion to duty; this heroic defense and the eventual establishment of the narrow Ramushevo corridor earned him the Eichenlaub as the 103rd recipient on 27 June 1942, recognizing both the brave steadfastness of his Grenadiere, Pioniere, and Kanoniere as well as his own firm command that served as a model amid all crisis situations. Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt fell ill in November 1942, returned to Germany, and died on 9 May 1943 in a Berlin hospital at the age of 55.
General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf (15 February 1895 - 1 May 1945).
General der Infanterie Johannes Block (1894-1945) was a highly decorated German officer who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht during World War II, ultimately commanding corps-level formations after beginning his career as a war volunteer in 1914 with the Mansfelder Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 75 and seeing extensive service in both world wars, including combat in Flanders, Verdun, the Middle East with Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 146 as part of the Asia Corps, and later Freikorps and Reichswehr duty before rejoining as a Hauptmann in 1934. By March 1940 he commanded Infanterie-Regiment 202 of the 75. Infanterie-Division, leading it through the Battle of France and into Operation Barbarossa, where his regiment distinguished itself in fierce fighting around Sumy and other sectors of the Eastern Front; for his outstanding leadership, tactical skill, and the regiment’s decisive breakthroughs against strong Soviet defenses during the 1941 summer and autumn offensives, Oberst Block was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 22 December 1941. Promoted to Generalleutnant and given command of the 294. Infanterie-Division in 1942, he earned the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 22 November 1943 for the division’s determined and successful defensive operations around Krivoy Rog (Kryvyi Rih) amid the intense Soviet Lower Dnieper Offensive, where Block’s troops maintained cohesion, conducted effective counterattacks, and inflicted heavy losses on superior enemy forces despite overwhelming pressure, actions that were also noted in the Wehrmachtbericht. Later commanding the VIII. Armeekorps, XIII. Armeekorps, and finally the LVI. Panzerkorps as General der Infanterie from mid-1944, Block was killed in action near Kielce, Poland, on 26 January 1945 during the Soviet Vistula–Oder Offensive, leaving behind a record of steadfast frontline leadership from battalion to corps level across multiple major campaigns.
General der Infanterie Günther Blumentritt (1892-1967) was a highly capable German staff officer and later field commander who served with distinction in both World Wars, rising to prominence through meticulous operational planning and resilient leadership on the Western Front during the final stages of World War II. Born in Munich, Bavaria, he joined the Imperial German Army in 1911, saw action primarily on the Eastern Front in World War I with the 3. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 71, and ended that conflict as an Oberleutnant before continuing his career in the Reichswehr and Wehrmacht. A close and trusted collaborator of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt, Blumentritt played key roles in drafting Fall Weiss for the 1939 invasion of Poland as part of the working staff with von Rundstedt and Erich von Manstein, served as Ia (Chief of Operations) for Heeresgruppe Süd, and contributed significantly to the Sichelschnitt plan for the 1940 campaign in the West; he later served as Chief of Staff of the 4. Armee during Operation Barbarossa and as Chief Quartermaster at OKH, where his expertise in logistics and defensive operations proved invaluable despite his initial reservations about the Soviet campaign. As Chief of the General Staff of Heeresgruppe D / Oberbefehlshaber West under von Rundstedt, he was instrumental in planning the defense of the Atlantic Wall and coordinating responses to the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944, often stepping in during his commander's absences amid intense pressure and resource shortages; for these outstanding planning and leadership achievements in the first four months of the invasion under extremely difficult circumstances, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 13 September 1944 as General der Infanterie. Transferred to combat command in late 1944, he led Corps Group Blumentritt (including XII SS-Armeekorps with the 176. Infanterie-Division and 183. Volksgrenadier-Division) in holding the Roermond Triangle area against Allied advances, notably during Operation Blackcock in January 1945, before assuming command of the 25. Armee in the Netherlands on 29 January 1945; tasked with holding Holland as a fortress, he managed a depleted force under severe constraints while predicting and mitigating Allied maneuvers following Operation Market Garden. His steadfast direction of the 25. Armee earned him the Eichenlaub (741st recipient) to the Ritterkreuz on 18 February 1945. Later commanding the 1. Fallschirm-Armee briefly and then the ad-hoc Heeresgruppe Blumentritt in northern Germany, he focused on delaying the Anglo-Canadian advance to allow refugee evacuations until the final surrender in May 1945; post-war, he provided affidavits for the Nuremberg Trials, advised on the Bundeswehr's formation, and contributed to historical accounts, embodying the archetype of a professional German staff officer whose strategic acumen and composure under fire defined his decorated service.
General der Infanterie Walter Graf von Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt (1887-1943), born on 13 July 1887 in Perleberg in the German Empire and a descendant of Danish-Holsteiner nobility, served as a distinguished officer in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, having previously fought in the First World War including at the Battle of Verdun; he commanded the 23. Infanterie-Division before rising to lead the II. Armeekorps under 16. Armee of Heeresgruppe Nord. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941 as Kommandierender General of the II. Armeekorps for his decisive actions in the opening phases of Operation Barbarossa, where on 24 June 1941 he resolved to capture the Russian fortress of Kowno under any circumstances due to its critical importance for continuing operations in the sector, subsequently smashing several Soviet divisions northeast of Kowno over 27 and 28 June amid uninterrupted heavy combat in exceptionally difficult terrain. Later, as the pocket battle of Demyansk raged from early 1942, Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt's steadfast leadership of the encircled II. Armeekorps—comprising six divisions totaling around 100,000 men including elements such as the SS-Totenkopf-Division—proved instrumental in holding the position against repeated Soviet assaults in harsh swampy conditions, sustained only by Luftwaffe airlifts, with the general personally exemplifying resolve by flying over forward positions in his Fieseler-Storch despite suffering severe rheumatic pain that he concealed from his troops to embody unyielding devotion to duty; this heroic defense and the eventual establishment of the narrow Ramushevo corridor earned him the Eichenlaub as the 103rd recipient on 27 June 1942, recognizing both the brave steadfastness of his Grenadiere, Pioniere, and Kanoniere as well as his own firm command that served as a model amid all crisis situations. Brockdorff-Ahlefeldt fell ill in November 1942, returned to Germany, and died on 9 May 1943 in a Berlin hospital at the age of 55.
General der Infanterie Wilhelm Burgdorf (15 February 1895 - 1 May 1945).
General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz (9 November 1894 - 5 November 1966).
General der Infanterie Werner Kienitz (3 June 1885 – 31 December 1959).
General der Infanterie Friedrich Materna (21 June 1885 – 11 November 1946).
General der Infanterie Georg-Wilhelm Postel (25 April 1896 - 20 September 1953.
General der Infanterie z.V. Hans Schmidt (28 April 1877 - 5 June 1948).
General der Infanterie Albrecht Schubert (23 June 1886 – 26 November 1966).
General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (15 October 1897 - 30 November 1976).
General der Infanterie Karl Weisenberger (29 September 1890 – 28 March 1952).
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GENERAL DER KAVALLERIE
General der Kavallerie Siegfried Westphal (18 March 1902 - 2 July 1982).
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GENERAL DER PANZERTRUPPE
General der Panzertruppe Erich Brandenberger (1892-1955), born on 15 July 1892 in Augsburg, served as a German officer in World War I with the 6. Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment before rising through the ranks of the Wehrmacht to become General der Panzertruppe during World War II. He began the conflict as Chef des Generalstabes of the XXIII. Armeekorps on the Westwall, later commanding the 8. Panzer-Division from February 1941 onward on the Eastern Front. His leadership earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 July 1941 as Generalmajor and Kommandeur of the 8. Panzer-Division within LVI. Armeekorps (mot.) of Panzergruppe 4, for directing his division with great prudence and energy during the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa: this included the breakthrough of Soviet border positions, the crossing of the Dubissa river, and the subsequent pursuit battles up to the Daugava river, where his forces captured two large bridges prepared for demolition by the enemy, thereby securing a decisive prerequisite for the swift continued advance of Heeresgruppe Nord. Promoted further, Brandenberger went on to command the LIX. Armeekorps and then the XXIX. Armeekorps, distinguishing himself in defensive operations along the Mius river in summer 1943 and the withdrawal battles back to the Dnieper river, actions that led to the award of the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 12 November 1943 as General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General of the XXIX. Armeekorps under 6. Armee of Heeresgruppe Süd. Later, he led the 7. Armee during the Ardennes Offensive on the Western Front before surrendering to American forces in May 1945 as commander of the 19. Armee; he was interned until 1948 and died in Bonn on 21 June 1955.
General der Panzertruppe Hermann Breith (1892-1964) was a highly decorated German Army officer who rose through the ranks from service in the First World War to become one of the Wehrmacht’s leading armored commanders in the Second World War. Born in Pirmasens, he entered the army in 1910, earned the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class during the Great War, and later commanded Panzer-Regiment 36 before taking charge of the 5. Panzer-Brigade of the 5. Panzer-Division during the 1940 Western Campaign. As Oberst he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 June 1940 for his brigade’s aggressive actions near Merdorp on 13 May, where it bloodily repelled the first French armored formation encountered, destroyed over thirty enemy tanks, overcame heavy defensive fire with exemplary attacking spirit, and secured victory despite Breith himself being wounded. Promoted to Generalmajor, he assumed command of the 3. Panzer-Division in late 1941 and earned the 69th Eichenlaub on 31 January 1942 for a decisive counterattack north of Kursk near Butyrki–Judinka–Stakanowo, where his forces eliminated a dangerous Soviet penetration, inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, and forced them back across the Tim river during the bitter winter defensive fighting on the Eastern Front. As General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General of the III. Panzer-Korps from early 1943 onward, Breith led a mixed corps of Heer and Waffen-SS divisions in the dramatic relief operation toward the Cherkassy pocket in January–February 1944; his skillful leadership broke through successive enemy positions, drew the bulk of Soviet forces onto his corps, and repeatedly intervened at critical points from the foremost line, enabling the link-up west of the encircled Kampfgruppe Stemmermann and earning him the 48th Schwerter on 21 February 1944.
General der Panzertruppe Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958).
General der Panzertruppe Traugott Herr (16 September 1890 – 13 April 1976).
General der Panzertruppe Alfred Ritter von Hubicki (5 February 1887 – 14 July 1971).
General der Panzertruppe Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz (23 December 1895 – 19 May 1975).
General der Panzertruppe Hasso von Manteuffel (14 January 1897 - 24 September 1978).
General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring (15 August 1892 - 20 April 1983).
General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken (16 May 1892 - 27 September 1980).
General der Panzertruppe Rudolf Veiel (10 December 1883 – 19 March 1956).
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GENERALLEUTNANT
Generalleutnant Friedrich-Carl Cranz (1886-1941) was a German army officer who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht to command the 18. Infanterie-Division during the early campaigns of World War II, earning the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 29 June 1940 as Generalmajor for his leadership in the capture of Dunkirk. Born in Kulm, West Prussia, Cranz joined the army as a cadet in 1903 and served with distinction in the First World War before continuing his career in the interwar period; by the outbreak of the Second World War he had taken command of the division, which participated in the Invasion of Poland and then the Battle of France as part of X. Armeekorps under 18. Armee and Heeresgruppe B. His decisive contribution came in the final phase of the Dunkirk operations in early June 1940, where, despite strong enemy resistance, the unstoppable forward drive of his division owed much to Cranz’s personal example: he issued orders from the foremost line at critical moments, and on the evening of 3 June 1940 he stood with an Infanterie-Regiment under heavy artillery fire—wounding four soldiers nearby—directing the assault that enabled a breakthrough. The following day he placed himself at the head of an Infanterie-Bataillon, motivating his troops by personal example and leading the division into Dunkirk on 4 June 1940, resulting in the capture of approximately 50,000 prisoners and vast quantities of materiel in its sector alone. This combination of clear, purposeful divisional leadership and extraordinary devotion to duty in the face of a numerically superior and fiercely defending enemy secured the award of the Knight’s Cross. Tragically, Cranz was killed on 24 March 1941 in a training accident on the Truppenübungsplatz Neuhammer by friendly artillery fire while still commanding the division (soon to be redesignated motorized); he was laid to rest in the Invalidenfriedhof in Berlin.
Generalleutnant Hermann Flörke (23 October 1893 - 19 August 1979).
Generalleutnant Hermann Hohn (11 October 1897 – 13 November 1968).
Generalleutnant Richard John (21 June 1896 – 19 February 1965).
Generalleutnant Sigfrid Macholz (20 September 1890 - 25 May 1975).
Generalleutnant Dr.med.dent. Karl Mauss (17 May 1898 – 9 February 1959).
Generalleutnant Curt Siewert (5 April 1899 – 13 June 1983).
Generalleutnant Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche (30 July 1893 - 25 April 1968).
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GENERALMAJOR
Generalmajor Franz Griesbach (21 December 1892 - 24 September 1984).
Generalmajor Maximilian Jais (4 March 1891 - 24 January 1957).
Generalmajor Karl Koetz (8 February 1908 – 11 June 1977).
Generalmajor Willy Langkeit (2 June 1907 - 27 October 1969).
Generalmajor Hanns-Horst von Necker (28 August 1903 – 27 February 1979).
Generalmajor Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (2 January 1899 - 19 September 1966).
Generalmajor Adelbert Schulz (20 December 1903 - 28 January 1944).
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OBERST
Oberst Karl Baacke (15 May 1907 - 2 April 1944).
Oberst Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (13 January 1914 - 3 December 1995).
Oberst Karl Faulhaber (1896-1972) was born on 11 January 1896 in Gerolzhofen in Unterfranken and served as a German Army officer through both world wars, earning the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and 1. Klasse as well as the IV. Klasse des Militärverdienstordens during the First World War before receiving the Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer. In the Second World War he advanced through the ranks of the Heer, serving with units of the 98. Infanterie-Division and rising to Major by 1940, when he was awarded the 1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse and 1. Klasse; later promotions brought him to Oberstleutnant as Kommandeur of Infanterie-Regiment 282, for which he received the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 12 November 1942 together with the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen and the Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42”. By late 1943 he had been promoted to Oberst and was Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 282 of the same division, responsible for the coastal sector south of Kertsch on the Crimean peninsula. On the morning of 1 November 1943, under cover of heavy Soviet artillery fire from the Taman peninsula, enemy forces landed near Eltigen; communications failed and the situation remained completely unclear, with the II./Grenadier-Regiment 282 under Hauptmann Dr. Finke cut off and the enemy advancing westward with several hundred men. Oberst Faulhaber immediately drove forward himself, encountered the leaderless and heavily depleted 2./Grenadier-Regiment 282 taking cover under fire south of Kamysch-Burun, and, realizing that further enemy progress would seize critical high ground and open the way to the harbour, decided not to await the divisional reserve. Under intense fire he rallied the company, led it to a safer assembly area north of the road, and personally directed a flank attack that surprised the advancing Soviet troops, drove them back across the road, and secured a series of crests and quarries. When a strong enemy counter-attack developed he moved from position to position, directing individual soldiers and inspiring them by his own example until the key strongpoints were held. This decisive personal intervention halted the enemy breakthrough at the last moment, inflicted heavy losses, freed the threatened 2./Artillerie-Regiment 198, restored contact with the encircled battalion command post, and created the conditions for containing the Eltigen beachhead with limited forces, thereby enabling the continued defence of the Kertsch peninsula. For this action he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 19 December 1943 as Oberst and Kommandeur of Grenadier-Regiment 282. He later received the Romanian Ordinul Mihai Viteazul Clasa 3 on 29 April 1944 and the Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold on 9 February 1945 while still serving with the Stab of Grenadier-Regiment 282. Karl Faulhaber died on 11 March 1972 in Munich, Bavaria.
Oberst der Reserve Dr.Ing. Rudolf Flinzer (9 November 1889 - 17 June 1976).
Oberst Johannes Kümmel (21 July 1909 - 26 February 1944).
Oberst Ernst-Hasse von Langenn-Steinkeller (7 December 1916 - 5 September 2004).
Oberst Josef Rettemeier (17 September 1914 - 19 December 1997).
Oberst Herbert Schwender (22 December 1912 - 22 September 1944).
Oberst Ludwig Stautner (4 May 1895 - 5 January 1983).
Oberst Ernst Wellmann (14 January 1904 - 17 July 1970).
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OBERSTLEUTNANT
Oberstleutnant der Reserve Wilhelm Bach (5 November 1892 - 22 December 1942).
Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Drewes (26 May 1907 - 14 July 1982).
Oberstleutnant Günter Goebel (14 November 1917 - 4 September 1993).
Oberstleutnant Heinrich Hogrebe (22 June 1913 - 25 June 1998).
Oberstleutnant Bruno Kahl (23 November 1914 - 28 February 1999).
Oberstleutnant Franz-Josef Kohout (16 August 1908 - 21 November 1980).
Oberstleutnant im Generalstab Ekkehard Kylling-Schmidt (21 June 1918 - 28 August 2000).
Oberstleutnant Bernhard Sauvant (25 March 1910 - 15 April 1967).
Oberstleutnant der Reserve Wilhelm Schöning (8 June 1908 - 2 November 1987).
Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Walther (27 January 1910 - 25 November 2010).
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MAJOR
Major Winrich Behr (22 January 1918 - 25 April 2011).
Major im Generalstab Peter Frantz (24 July 1917 - 11 March 2001).
Major Helmut Hudel (4 July 1915 – 11 March 1985).
Major Clemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck (17 October 1913 – 18 March 2005).
Major der Reserve Gerhard Konopka (27 March 1911 - 29 January 1997).
Major der Reserve Josef Stigler (30 May 1899 - 10 February 1982).
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HAUPTMANN
Hauptmann Erich Geppert (31 December 1912 - 8 February 1966).
Hauptmann Rudolf Krüger (4 November 1911 - 28 October 1972).
Hauptmann Rudolf Schlee (1913-1979), a highly decorated soldier of the Wehrmacht who was born on 10 November 1913 in Ludwigshafen, Rheinland Provinz (German Empire), served as a platoon leader in the 6./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 during World War II and demonstrated exceptional bravery in various campaigns. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 October 1941 as Oberfeldwebel for his leadership and courage during intense combat operations, particularly in the mountain warfare contexts following the campaigns in the Balkans and the advance into the Soviet Union. His repeated acts of valor continued to stand out in the harsh fighting in the Caucasus region, where he led his Jäger platoon with outstanding initiative and determination, ultimately leading to the award of the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as the 222nd recipient on 6 April 1943. Schlee later rose to the rank of Hauptmann and survived the war, becoming one of the notable recipients of these prestigious German decorations for his frontline service.
Hauptmann Bodo Spranz (1 January 1920 - 1 September 2007).
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OBERLEUTNANT
Oberleutnant Hugo Primozic (16 February 1914 - 18 March 1996).
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LEUTNANT
Leutnant der Reserve Herbert Berger (24 November 1912 - 16 December 2000).
Leutnant Josef Dörfel (2 March 1915 - 3 April 2002).
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OBERFELDWEBEL
Oberfeldwebel Heinz-Georg Haase (16 April 1914 - 25 November 1943).
Oberfeldwebel Helmuth Harth (15 May 1917 - 27 January 1992).
Oberfeldwebel Alfred Hartmann (11 March 1914 - 19 September 1943).
Oberfeldwebel Martin Hrustak (17 October 1913 - 18 August 1944).
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FELDWEBEL / WACHTMEISTER
Feldwebel Rudolf Bittner (18 December 1921 - 21 January 1945).
Wachtmeister Siegfried Freyer (11 February 1917 - 10 May 2014).
Feldwebel Walter Pape (20 November 1914 - 27 June 1989).
Unteroffizier Hubert Brinkforth (15 April 1916 - 5 June 1942).
Source :
Bundesarchiv photo archive
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek photo archive
NARA photo archive
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2011/07/album-foto-berwarna-jenderal-heer.html
https://artsandculture.google.com/entity/hugo-jaeger/m064km4b?categoryid=artist
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-a-b/
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