The Hausorden von Hohenzollern, more formally the Königlicher Preussischer Hausorden von Hohenzollern, was a dynastic Prussian order of chivalry whose military grades continued to be worn by numerous German officers throughout the Second World War, even though fresh awards had ceased after the abolition of the monarchy in 1918. Originally instituted in the mid-nineteenth century by the House of Hohenzollern for both military and civilian merit, its most prominent wartime version during the First World War was the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern, which served as an important intermediate decoration for Prussian junior officers between the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse and the Pour le Mérite, recognising outstanding leadership and bravery in combat with more than eight thousand such crosses bestowed between 1914 and 1918. Many recipients who earned this honour while serving as Leutnants or Hauptleute in Imperial German Army units later rose to prominent commands in the Wehrmacht, including generals of the Panzertruppe and higher formations, and they proudly displayed the order on their uniforms as part of their accumulated decorations alongside newer awards such as the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes or the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. Records on tracesofwar.com frequently list the Königlicher Preussischer Hausorden von Hohenzollern among the awards of officers who fought in both world wars, sometimes noting an original bestowal from the 1914-1918 period together with references to later clasps or continued wear in the Wehrmacht era, while Wikipedia and associated military histories identify figures such as General der Panzertruppe Hermann Balck and Generaloberst Ludwig Beck as examples of senior officers who retained and wore the order as a visible link to their earlier service. Although the Nazi regime generally favoured its own decorations, Wehrmacht uniform regulations still permitted long-serving career officers to display certain pre-1933 imperial orders like this one on the medal bar or as a neck decoration, with the distinctive cross featuring swords and the Hohenzollern eagle or crest adding historical prestige to the chests of veterans during campaigns from the invasion of Poland in 1939 through to the final battles of 1945.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RIBBON
%20RIBBON.jpg)
General der Infanterie Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller (1897-1947) was a German officer who rose through the ranks of the Wehrmacht during World War II, earning the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern for his leadership on the Eastern Front before gaining notoriety as a harsh commander in occupied Greece. Born in Barmen, Prussia, he joined the Imperial German Army in 1915 as an infantryman with the 2. Infanterie-Regiment, was commissioned Leutnant der Reserve in Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 266 later that year, and served with distinction in World War I, receiving both classes of the Iron Cross. Remaining in the Reichswehr and then the Heer, he advanced steadily, becoming Oberstleutnant and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 105 by the early stages of the invasion of the Soviet Union; it was here that his regiment's determined actions in heavy fighting, particularly during the reconquest of Feodosia in the Crimea where he demonstrated outstanding personal bravery, decisiveness, and skillful leadership, led to the award of the Ritterkreuz on 22 September 1941 as Oberstleutnant, followed by the Eichenlaub (86th recipient) on 8 April 1942 as Oberst still commanding the same regiment for continued success against Soviet forces. Promoted further, he took command of the 22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande) in August 1942, leading it in the Dodecanese Campaign in 1943, including the successful capture of Leros, which contributed to his reputation for resolute command and later recognition with the Schwerter (128th recipient) on 27 January 1945as General der Infanterie commanding LXVIII. Armeekorps. Transferred to Fortress Crete, Müller earned the grim nickname "The Butcher of Crete" for ordering brutal reprisals and massacres against Greek civilians in locations such as Viannos, Anogeia, Amari, Damasta, and the Holocaust of Kedros, as well as the execution of Italian officers on Kos; after the war he was captured, tried by a Greek military court in Athens for war crimes including hostage massacres, convicted, and executed by firing squad on 20 May 1947 alongside Bruno Bräuer.
Oberst Paul-Hermann Werner (1893-1940) was born on 19 March 1893 in Stade near Hamburg and entered the Prussian Army as a Fahnenjunker in 1912, being commissioned Leutnant on 20 August 1912 in the Eisenbahn-Regiment Nr. 2 at Hanau. He served with distinction in the First World War, earning the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse and I. Klasse, the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz and Silber, and the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern, rising to Oberleutnant by December 1917. Remaining in the Reichswehr after the war, he was promoted to Hauptmann in 1926, Major in 1934 and Oberstleutnant in 1937, serving in staff roles including the Inspektion der Verkehrstruppen and later commanding the Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 20 and then the Panzerabwehrtruppen of Wehrkreis X in Hamburg. On 26 August 1939 he assumed command of Panzer-Regiment 31 of the 5. Panzer-Division and was promoted to Oberst, leading the regiment through the Polish campaign before taking part in the Western campaign of 1940. During the advance through Belgium and northern France he smashed a strong enemy tank thrust directed against a vital march route through determined and skilful leadership of his regiment. On his own initiative he then decided to seize the fortress of Maubeuge from the south, occupying the citadel and two forts with elements of Panzer-Regiment 31 and holding them until reinforcements arrived. For these actions as Oberst and Kommandeur of Panzer-Regiment 31 / 5. Panzer-Division he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 3 June 1940. Shortly afterwards, on 30 June 1940, he died in an accident at Brest in France when he was drowned in the Atlantic Ocean!
Kapitän zur See der Reserve Hellmuth von Ruckteschell (1890-1948) was born on 22 March 1890 in Hamburg and joined the Kaiserliche Marine in 1909 as Seekadett, later serving in the First World War as Oberleutnant zur See on U-boats including U 3 and U 57 before commanding UB 34 from 1917 and U 54 from 1918, during which he sank numerous vessels and earned both classes of the Eisernes Kreuz along with the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern. After the war he left the navy, lived abroad for a time due to Allied blacklisting for aggressive tactics, and worked as a carpenter before being recalled to the Kriegsmarine in 1939 as an officer of the reserve. He briefly commanded the Minenschiff Cobra and then took over the Hilfskreuzer HSK 3 Widder in May 1940 as Korvettenkapitän der Reserve, sailing into the Atlantic where over 180 days he sank or captured ten Allied merchant ships totaling about 58,644 BRT through determined commerce-raiding actions that included surprise attacks and prize-taking. For this outstanding leadership and success with Widder he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 October 1940 upon returning to a French port. He next supervised the conversion of another vessel into the Hilfskreuzer HSK 9 Michel and assumed command in early 1942 as Fregattenkapitän der Reserve, departing on a long cruise that operated in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean, during which he sank fourteen more Allied ships amounting to roughly 94,363 BRT without loss to his own command. Promoted to Kapitän zur See der Reserve in September 1942, he received the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 23 December 1942 as the 158th recipient for these further successful raiding achievements with Michel. Health issues led him to relinquish command upon reaching Japan in March 1943, after which he served as an assistant to the Marineattaché in Tokyo until the war’s end. He was later tried by a British military court in Hamburg for alleged breaches of the laws of naval warfare during his raiding voyages, sentenced to imprisonment, and died on 24 September 1948 in the Strafanstalt Fuhlsbüttel.
Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_Order_of_Hohenzollern
https://www.germanmilitaria.com/Imperial/01Imperial3.html
No comments:
Post a Comment