Sunday, June 16, 2024

Award Ceremony with Hitler for 9 Wehrmacht Officers at Berghof (25 May 1944)


Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Oberst Griesbach for his newly awarded Schwerter. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Generalmajor Baade for his newly awarded Eichenlaub. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Major d.R. Hogrebe for his newly awarded Eichenlaub. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.


Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 31 January 1944 for his Division’s success against the Soviets during the hard defensive battles around Gomel in late 1943.




Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 26 March 1944 for the outstanding leadership of his Division during the summer of 1943 near Belgorod, in the fall of 1943 around Kharkov, and in the winter of 1943/44 near Krementschug.



Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 March 1944 for his actions near Leningrad in previous January. On 17 January 1944 his Kampfgruppe destroyed 69 hostile tanks near the village of Pelellja. Later the Kampfgruppe recaptured the heights near Duderhof, which had fallen to the Soviets on 18 January 1944. Griesbach would also distinguish himself on 23 January 1944 when he lead his Kampfgruppe to success in a counterthrust at Gatschina. Ultimately his Kampfgruppe managed to prevent a Soviet breakthrough south of Leningrad, and Griesbach would be recognized appropriately for this achievement.



General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 16 January 1944 for flexible and determined leadership during the winter battles of 1942/1943 between the Don and the Donez, the defensive battles near Izyum in the summer of 1943 and in the prevention of enemy breakthrough attempts southwest of Dnepropetrovsk at the end of November and December of 1943. In particular, he smashed a Soviet offensive on 5 December 1943 that was launched with seven rifle divisions, a tank corps, and numerous additional tank, artillery and mortar formations. In this time, at the peak of the fighting, he made the bold decision to utilize a nocturnal attack against the broken-in Soviet forces. When the enemy again commenced a major assault on 19 December 1943 with 4-5 rifle divisions and numerous special formations, General der Artillerie Fretter-Pico prevented the enemy breakthrough right as it was about to succeed with a daring counterattack of his own. During this battle the Soviets lost 83 tanks in three days. Their additional losses in men and weapons were likewise so extraordinarily high that they were forced to suspend their attack.



General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 20 March 1944 for his masterful leadership of III. Panzerkorps during its battles near Cherkassy in late 1943 (28 November 1943 - 1 January 1944).




Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 22 February 1944 for distinguishing himself during the heavy combat in southern Italy as the commander of a Panzergrenadier-Division. It is largely to his credit that all enemy efforts to take control of the hotly contested Cassino massif have so far failed. In order to instantly adjust his decisions to the situation at the frontline, Generalmajor Baade repeatedly occupied forward command posts between the infantry and foremost Batteries with only his Ordonnanzoffizier and a few messengers. From here, and despite the heavy enemy fire, he repeatedly intervened in the combat wherever it was most necessary and thereby reinforced the will to resist of his soldiers.



Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 April 1944 for his leadership during the defensive battles between Leningrad and Volkhov. By his actions he was able to play a major part in blocking the Soviet attempts to break through towards Tschudskoj Bor.



Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 April 1944 for the leadership of his Kampfgruppe during the Cherkassy encirclement, where he and his men were separated from their parent division but managed to break out with other German forces encircled in the pocket.



Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 13 April 1944 for the outstanding achievements of his Bataillon during the defensive battles around Leningrad in January 1944, specifically around the village of Krasnoje Sselo.


Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/12/foto-adolf-hitler-di-tahun-1944.html
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/heinz-wittchow-von-brese-winiary_6034D8FB3F
https://www.ebay.com/itm/145322089479
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=brese&t=46430&sf=msgonly&ch=-1
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/16028/Postel-Georg-Wilhelm.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/

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