Ritterkreuzträger of 134. Infanterie-Division

The 134. Infanterie-Division was formed on 15 October 1940 at the Truppenübungsplatz Grafenwöhr in Wehrkreis XIII as a division of the 11. Aufstellungswelle, drawing personnel and units from the 252. Infanterie-Division, 255. Infanterie-Division and horse-drawn elements of the 10. Infanterie-Division (mot.). Its initial organisation comprised Infanterie-Regiment 439, Infanterie-Regiment 445, Infanterie-Regiment 446, Artillerie-Regiment 134, Aufklärungs-Abteilung 134, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 134, Pionier-Bataillon 134 and the usual divisional support services. In June 1941 the division was assigned to Heeresgruppe Mitte and crossed the Bug near Mielnik at the start of Operation Barbarossa, taking part in the battles of Białystok–Minsk and Kiev before advancing toward Moscow. During the Soviet counter-offensive in December 1941 it was temporarily encircled together with the 45. Infanterie-Division near Livny as part of the 2. Armee and suffered heavy losses, particularly in artillery; its first commander, Generalleutnant Conrad von Cochenhausen, committed suicide. From 12 December 1941 the division was led by Oberst (later Generalleutnant and General der Gebirgstruppe) Hans Schlemmer, under whose command it conducted prolonged defensive operations in the Orel sector, around Gomel and Bryansk, and distinguished itself in the attack west of Retschitza in December 1943. In March 1944 remnants of the 390. Feldausbildungs-Division were incorporated. The division was completely destroyed between 24 and 29 June 1944 in the Bobruisk pocket during Operation Bagration; its final commander, Generalleutnant Ernst Philipp, also took his own life. Twenty-two members of the division received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes and seventy the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold.

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EICHENLAUBTRÄGER


General der Gebirgstruppe Dipl.-Ing. Johann “Hans” Schlemmer (1893-1973) was born on 18 January 1893 in Nesselwang and entered the Königlich Bayerische Armee on 1 August 1913 as a Fahnenjunker, serving with pioneer and artillery units during the First World War and rising to Oberleutnant. After the war he remained in the Reichswehr, completed engineering studies to become a Diplom-Ingenieur, and advanced through artillery commands, including as Kommandeur of the III. Abteilung of Gebirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 111 and later Artillerie-Regiment 7. Promoted to Oberst in 1939, he served as Artillerie-Kommandeur 148 before assuming temporary command of the 134. Infanterie-Division in December 1941 on the Eastern Front. Awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold on 23 January 1942, he was promoted to Generalmajor on 10 March 1942 and confirmed as Kommandeur of the 134. Infanterie-Division. For his leadership during the defensive battles for Orel from 28 January to 20 February 1942, when his exhausted division under his direction successfully repulsed a total of 59 Soviet attacks ranging from company to divisional strength and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 21 April 1942. Promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1943, he continued to lead the division with distinction. During the German attack operation west of Retschitza in December 1943 his division not only matched the pace of neighbouring armoured forces but at times advanced ahead of them, making a major contribution to the swift and complete achievement of the attack objectives; for this outstanding performance he was awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz on 18 January 1944 as the 369th recipient. In July 1944 he took command of the LXXV. Armeekorps in Italy and was promoted to General der Gebirgstruppe on 9 November 1944, becoming its Kommandierender General. He surrendered to Allied forces in Italy in 1945 and was released from captivity in 1947, dying on 26 June 1973 in Bad Kreuznach.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/134th_Infantry_Division_(Wehrmacht)