Bio of General der Panzertruppe Heinrich von Lüttwitz (1896-1969)

Full name: Heinrich Diepold Georg Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Nickname: none widely documented

Date of birth: 6 December 1896 - Krumpach-Trebnitz, Schlesien (German Empire)
Date of death: 9 October 1969 - Neuburg an der Donau, Bayern (West Germany)
Buried: Franziskanerstrasse cemetery, Neuburg an der Donau

Religion: Protestant (Evangelist)
Parents: Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Ludwig Hans Wolf August Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1849-1919), a former army officer, and Johanna Mathilde Luise Wanda Klara von Unruh (1859-1943), from a prominent junker military family.
Spouse: He married twice. His first marriage in 1920 was to Jutta Vera Jenny Edith Elise von Engelmann (born 1898); they divorced in 1927. They had one son: Hans-Wolf Georg Curt Heinrich Wilhelm Freiherr von Lüttwitz (1922-2011). His second marriage in 1927 was to Jutta Marie-Therese Johanna Ella Freiin von Stein zu Kochburg. From this marriage came two children: Christa Marie Therese (born 1929) and Hans-Jürgen Heinz Hubertus (born 1932).

Promotions:
06.08.1914: Fahnenjunker
01.12.1914: Leutnant (mit Patent vom 18.06.1915)
01.04.1925: Oberleutnant
01.02.1931: Rittmeister
01.01.1936: Major
01.02.1939: Oberstleutnant
01.10.1941: Oberst
01.12.1942: Generalmajor
01.06.1943: Generalleutnant
01.11.1944: General der Panzertruppe

Career:
06.08.1914: Entered service as a Fahnenjunker.
05.10.1914: WIA
01.12.1914: Commisioned as a Leutnant in Ulan-Regiment 1.
01.09.1939-04.09.1940: Kommandeur of Kradschutzen-Bataillon 59.
02.09.1939: severely WIA
04.09.1940-02.07.1941: Kommandeur of I.Bataillon / Schützen-Regiment 11
02.07.1941-01.06.1942: Kommandeur of Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 59.
01.06.1942-01.10.1942: Kommandeur of 20. Schützen-Brigade.
01.10.1942-05.05.1943: Kommandeur of 20. Panzer-Division.
01.02.1944-31.08.1944: Kommandeur of 2. Panzer-Division.
20.08.1944: WIA
04.09.1944-08.05.1945: Kommandierender General of XXXXVII. Panzer-Korps
17.04.1945-01.07.1947: POW
After release, he lived quietly in West Germany until his death in 1969.

Awards and Decorations:
18.05.1915: 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
02.06.1918: 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.1918: Verwundetenabzeichen 1918 in Schwarz (WIA 05.10.1914 at Hennemont, Verdun)
00.00.19__: Schlesisches Bewährungsabzeichen 2. Stufe 
00.00.1934: Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 
02.10.1936: Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse, 4 Jahre 
02.10.1936: Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht III.Klasse, 12 Jahre
02.10.1936: Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht II.Klasse, 18 Jahre
02.10.1936: Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht I.Klasse, 25 Jahre 
20.09.1939: 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
02.03.1930: Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (WIA 05.10.1914 + 02.09.1939)
01.08.1941: 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
07.08.1941: Panzerkampfabzeichen
19.12.1941: Deutsches Kreuz in Gold #34/36 (According to other source the awarding date is 20.12.1941)
27.05.1942: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #1101, as Oberst and Kommandeur Schützen-Regiment 59 / 20.Panzer-Division. In the harsh winter and early spring fighting of 1942, von Lüttwitz demonstrated outstanding leadership and tactical skill. In February 1942, he led a Kampfgruppe that successfully prevented two Soviet armies from linking up, disrupting a major enemy encirclement attempt and stabilizing the German lines during critical defensive operations.
Later, in April 1942, his regiment faced intense Soviet attacks in the area between the Ugra and Worja rivers, near Bereski. Under his command, the unit mounted a stubborn and skillful defense, repelling repeated assaults. His actions played a decisive role in the eventual liquidation of the so-called Belyi (Below) Pocket, where several Soviet formations were trapped and destroyed. Von Lüttwitz's regiment maintained cohesion under heavy pressure, conducted effective counterattacks, and held key positions that prevented a Soviet breakthrough, contributing significantly to the stabilization of the front in the central sector.
29.08.1942: Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold
00.00.1942: Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
03.09.1944: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #571, as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 2. Panzer-Division. By August 1944, during the brutal fighting in Normandy, the 2. Panzer-Division under von Lüttwitz was heavily engaged as the Allies attempted to encircle German forces in the Falaise Pocket. As the pocket tightened under relentless Allied air and ground pressure, with roads choked by burning vehicles and constant artillery and fighter-bomber attacks, von Lüttwitz orchestrated a masterful fighting withdrawal and breakout operation.
His division launched aggressive counterattacks to keep escape corridors open, notably in the St. Lambert-sur-Dives area, where panzergrenadiers and remaining tanks punched through Canadian positions. Despite being wounded, he continued to command from the front, directing desperate assaults that briefly reopened routes for thousands of German troops to slip eastward through the narrowing gap. Under murderous fire, with the division reduced to a fraction of its strength and operating with minimal fuel and ammunition, his leadership enabled large numbers of men and some equipment to escape annihilation, preserving a fighting core for future operations. His calm authority and tactical decisiveness amid the chaos of the collapsing pocket earned him the Eichenlaub.
09.05.1945: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #157, as General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General XLVII. Panzerkorps during the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) in December 1944–January 1945. Von Lüttwitz led armored thrusts through difficult terrain in harsh winter conditions. His corps played a key role in encircling American forces at Bastogne. On 21 December 1944, he issued a formal surrender demand to the surrounded U.S. 101st Airborne Division, highlighting the dire situation and offering honorable terms to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. The famous "Nuts!" reply came in response.
Although the assault on Bastogne ultimately failed due to stubborn American resistance, fuel shortages, and Allied reinforcements, von Lüttwitz's corps conducted aggressive operations against superior forces, maintaining pressure and achieving temporary breakthroughs in the snowy forests and villages of the Ardennes. Later actions in the retreat across the Rhine and defensive fighting in the Ruhr area further supported the nomination. His personal leadership and corps-level coordination in the face of overwhelming odds formed the basis for the Schwerter recommendation, though the war's end prevented its approval.
Heinrich von Lüttwitz's nomination by the troop was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Personnel Office) on 28 April 1945. Major Joachim Domaschk decided on 30 April: "Heeresgruppe B, postpone!" General Von Lüttwiz together with the remaining forces of the Heeresgruppe B was either taken prisoner of war or missing in action in the Ruhr Pocket on 15 April. The nomination was thus not further processed in accordance with AHA 44 Ziff. 572 (Allgemeines Heeresamt — General Army Office). The nomination list for the higher grades of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes also contains a note from 28 April 1945: "postponed". A bestowal thus didn't occur. The sequential number "157" and presentation date were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (OdR).

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Heinrich Freiherr Von Luttwitz was a German general of the Wehrmacht during World War II who rose to the rank of General der Panzertruppe. Born on 6 December 1896 in Krumpach, Silesia, into an old Prussian noble family with a long military tradition, he belonged to the Junker class that formed the backbone of the German officer corps. His full name was Heinrich Diepold Georg Freiherr Von Luttwitz. He served with distinction in both world wars, earning a reputation as a capable panzer commander known for his aggressive leadership and resilience in difficult situations. Von Luttwitz came from a family where military service was expected, with his father having been an army officer.

During World War I, Von Luttwitz enlisted as a Fahnenjunker in August 1914 at the age of seventeen. He was commissioned as Leutnant in December 1914 and saw action on the Western Front with infantry and cavalry units, including the 48th Infantry Regiment and later the 1st Ulan Schutzen Regiment. He earned both classes of the Iron Cross and was wounded in combat. After the war he joined the Reichswehr and continued his career in cavalry formations, notably with the 8th Cavalry Regiment. He was promoted to Oberleutnant on 1 April 1925 and later to Rittmeister in 1931. An accomplished equestrian, he participated in international competitions and represented Germany at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

With the expansion of the German Army in the 1930s, Von Luttwitz transitioned into motorized and armored units. He held various command and staff positions as Germany prepared for war. At the outbreak of World War II he commanded Kradschutzen Bataillon 59 during the Polish campaign in 1939, where he was wounded. In the following years he gained extensive experience on the Eastern Front with the 20th Panzer Division. As commander of Schutzen Regiment 59, later redesignated as Panzergrenadier Regiment 59, he led his troops through heavy defensive fighting in the winter and spring of 1942. His regiment played a key role in preventing Soviet breakthroughs and contributed to the destruction of enemy forces in the Belyi Pocket area. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 May 1942.

In 1944 Von Luttwitz assumed command of the 2nd Panzer Division during the Normandy campaign. Under his leadership the division fought intense battles against superior Allied forces equipped with overwhelming air support. During the chaotic retreat and attempted breakout from the Falaise Pocket in August 1944, he orchestrated determined counterattacks and rearguard actions that allowed many of his men to escape encirclement despite heavy losses. Even after being wounded he continued to direct operations from the front lines. His performance in these desperate battles earned him the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 3 September 1944. Shortly afterward he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and took command of the XLVII Panzer Corps.

As commanding general of the XLVII Panzer Corps, Von Luttwitz participated in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944. His corps spearheaded attacks through the difficult terrain of the Ardennes forest in harsh winter conditions. On 21 December 1944 he issued a formal demand for the surrender of the surrounded American forces at Bastogne, an action that became well known due to the famous "Nuts!" reply from the 101st Airborne Division. Although the offensive ultimately failed because of fuel shortages, stubborn American resistance, and Allied reinforcements, Von Luttwitz continued to lead aggressive operations. His corps later fought in the defensive battles west of the Rhine and in the Ruhr Pocket until he was captured by American forces in April 1945. He was released from captivity in 1947.

After the war Heinrich Freiherr Von Luttwitz lived quietly in West Germany. He avoided public controversy and focused on private life. He passed away on 9 October 1969 in Neuburg an der Donau at the age of 72 and was buried in the local Franziskanerstrasse Cemetery. Married twice, he had three children from his unions. Throughout his career he was respected by both superiors and subordinates for his tactical skill, personal bravery, and dedication to his troops in some of the most demanding campaigns of the Second World War. His service reflected the experiences of many professional German officers who fought from the early victories to the final defensive struggles of the conflict.

Source: 
Fellgiebel, W.P. Elite of the third reich. Helion & company.  
Thomas, Franz & wegmann, gunter. Die eichenlaubtrager 1940-1945. Biblio-verlag.  
Berger, florian. Mit eichenlaub und schwertern.  
Patzwall, k. & scherzer, v. Das deutsche kreuz 1941-1945.  
Kwasny, a. & kwasny, g. Die eichenlaubtrager 1940-1945 (cd).  
Kursietis, andris j. The wehrmacht at war 1939-1945.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heinrich_Freiherr_von_L%C3%BCttwitz  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/11490/L%C3%BCttwitz-Freiherr-von-Heinrich-General-der-Pz.htm  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/  
https://rk.balsi.de/  
https://www.geni.com/  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/