Wilhelm Walther with Officers Corps of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5

Officer corps of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 (part of 2. Panzer-Division) in 1938 under Major Horst Kitschmann - promoted to Oberstleutnant in September 1939 - which standing in the center. This unit would later be redesignated as Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 on 1 March 1940. The latter Ritterkreuzträger Leutnant Wilhelm Walther (Zugführer in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5) is at far right.

Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers

Wilhelm Walther in Sudetenland

Leutnant Wilhelm Walther (Zugführer in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 / 2.Panzer-Division) in front of Valtice Castle in present-day Czech Republic. The picture was taken during Sudetenland Crisis in October 1938. The 2nd Panzer Division played a prominent role in Germany’s military preparations for the occupation of the Sudeten border regions of Czechoslovakia following the Munich Agreement. Commanded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel and forming part of the rapidly expanding Panzerwaffe, the division was among the armored formations assembled to demonstrate German military strength and readiness should diplomatic efforts fail. As tensions reached their peak in September 1938, the division concentrated near the Czech frontier, conducting mobilization exercises and preparing for a potential invasion under the plans developed by the Oberkommando des Heeres. When the Munich Agreement granted Germany control of the Sudetenland without armed resistance, 2. Panzer-Division advanced into the newly acquired territories as part of the occupation forces beginning on 1 October 1938. The operation provided the division with valuable experience in large-scale motorized movement, logistics, and coordination with infantry and reconnaissance units, while also serving as a propaganda showcase for the effectiveness of Germany’s armored forces. Although no significant combat occurred during the occupation, the deployment represented an important milestone in the development of German armored doctrine, and the division’s successful participation foreshadowed the prominent role it would later play in the campaigns in Poland, France, and the Soviet Union during the Second World War.

Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers

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/  

Bio of General der Panzertruppe Karl Decker (1897-1945)

Full name: Karl Gustav Adolf Decker
Nickname: No information

Date of Birth: 30.11.1897 - Borntin, Farther Pomerania (German Empire)
Date of Death: 21.04.1945 - Groß Brunsrode near Braunschweig, Niedersachsen (Nazi Germany)

Battles and Operations: World War I (East Prussia, Poland, Russia, Courland, Western Front including Battle of Lys), Polish Campaign, Battle of France, Balkans Campaign, Operation Barbarossa, defensive battles on the Eastern Front (including Rogachev, Kovel), Ruhr Pocket

NSDAP-Number: No information
Religion: No information
Parents: Son of an officer (name unknown)
Siblings: No information
Spouse: No information available
Children: No information available

Promotions:
03.08.1914 Fahnenjunker (entered service)
08.05.1915 Fähnrich
12.07.1915 Leutnant
31.07.1925 Oberleutnant
01.05.1931 Rittmeister
01.03.1936 Major
01.04.1939 Oberstleutnant
01.02.1942 Oberst
01.12.1943 Generalmajor
01.06.1944 Generalleutnant
27.12.1944 General der Panzertruppe

Career:
03.08.1914: joined the military service and sent to East Prussia
Soon promoted to an officer candidate for bravery before the enemy
1915: fought in Poland, Russia and Courland (now Latvia)
1916: served as Zugführer (platoon leader) of a machine gun unit after he was transferred to the Feldkriegsschule of the German 8th Army
04.1917: transferred to the Western Front and fought in the Battle of Lys where his division suffered heavy casualties
1917: Leutnant and battalion adjutant
1918: weapons instructor assigned to the Infantry School in Döberitz
1920: accepted into the Reichswehr and served with the 29th Reserve Jäger Regiment, the 5th Jäger Regiment and the 6th cavalry Regiment
He was promoted to Oberleutnant and Rittmeister during these assignments in 1925 and 1931.
1936: Major, he was transferred to the staff of the 5th Cavalry Regiment together with Horst Niemack.
Shortly afterwards, he was reassigned again, this time to the 38th Armoured Detachment in Mühlhausen. He later became the commanding officer of this unit.
1939: his unit was subordinated to the 2nd Panzer division during the Invasion of Poland and fought under the command of Decker near Kraków and the Jablonka Pass.
1940: during the Battle of France, Decker commanded a battalion of the 3rd Panzer regiment in the 2nd Panzer division. This unit fought at the Maas, near Sedan, Saint-Quentin and Abbeville.
1941: in Balkans Campaign, his regiment fought in Yugoslavia, northern Greece, occupied Athens and crossed the Corinth Canal. 05.1941: put in command of 3rd Panzer regiment for Operation Barbarossa
04.1942: transferred to the staff of the 9th Army
04.1943: appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Division
04.05.1944: received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross and promoted to Generalleutnant.
01.01.1945: appointed commander of the XXXIX Panzer Corps that was attached to the 3rd Panzer Army and promoted to General der Panzertruppe
After his unit was relocated to the Western Front, his corps fought the Americans at Uelzen and in the Alsace. Here the 5th Panzer Army was subordinated to Army Group B.
21.04.1945: committed suicide after the defeat and encirclement of the Army Group in the Ruhr Pocket in April.

Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 (22.06.1915)
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 (01.11.1916)
Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz (20.12.1917)
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer (1934)
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4. Klasse (02.10.1936)
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 1. Klasse (03.08.1939)
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse (27.09.1939)
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse (20.11.1939)
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz (26.06.1940)
Panzerkampfabzeichen (01.06.1940, later in bronze with 25)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #306 (13.06.1941) as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur I.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 3 / 2.Panzer-Division. In the thrust toward central Greece, Decker led elements of Kampfgruppe Balck from the front. On 18 April 1941, his panzers approached the Pinios River, a natural barrier defended by determined Australian and New Zealand troops in fortified positions. Under fire, Decker's forces forced a crossing of the river amid contested terrain. Once across, they launched a fierce armored assault that shattered the Allied defensive line. The breakthrough allowed a rapid advance toward Larissa, threatening the rear of the enemy positions on the Olympus line. This pressure forced the Allied forces to abandon their strongholds on Olympus to avoid encirclement.
Earlier in the campaign, Decker's unit smashed through Yugoslav defenses in the Strumica basin. These actions opened the path for the entire 2. Panzer-Division's drive to Salonika (Thessaloniki), accelerating the collapse of resistance in northern Greece. Decker's personal bravery—leading from the vanguard, maintaining momentum under pressure, and exploiting tactical opportunities—proved decisive in a fast-moving campaign characterized by rugged mountains, river crossings, and stubborn rearguard actions by Commonwealth troops.
Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (15.07.1942)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold #154/1 (01.08.1942) as Oberst and Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 3
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (11.12.1943) : "The Mecklenburg-Pomeranian 292nd Infantry Division under Major General John and the Silesian 5th Panzer Division under Major General Decker deployed in the middle front sector of have played a prominent part in the defensive successes achieved on the middle sector of the front during the last few weeks."
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (02.03.1944) : "The Silesian 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Major General Decker along with its subordinated infantry, armor, and anti aircraft artillery detachments have proven themselves exceptionally in these battles."
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #466 (04.05.1944) as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 5. Panzer-Division. The following wartime excerpt describes why Decker was awarded the Eichenlaub:
“For the outstanding leadership of the 5. Panzer-Division north of Rogatschew in the time period 22.02.-21.03.1944 and the subsequent relief battles at Kovel. On the morning of the 05.04.1944 contact was established with an outermost strongpoint of Fortress Kovel; the villages of Dubowa and Rudniki (northwest of the city) were taken.”
The following press article, dated 08.05.1944, provides further details as to these actions:
“At the end of February 1944 the Soviets achieved a penetration north of Rogatschew, and in response the 5. Panzer-Division was thrown into battle in a piecemeal fashion as soon as each Bataillon arrived. In order to buy time for the arrival of further forces Generalmajor Decker created a thin, strongpoint-like defensive front that initially halted the enemy advance. However on the next day the Soviets attacked the weak elements of the 5. Panzer-Division with 3 of their own divisions. They launched an enveloping thrust through a gap in the German frontline with strong forces and proceeded to a key German position along the Pruth river. To deal with this the divisional commander rushed to the threatened site with a handful of reserves, a few heavy Pak guns and a Kompanie of Pioniere. He set up a defense just before the Soviets arrived and in the ensuing battle, during which he personally fought in the foremost line and positioned the Paks, he and his men defeated all enemy attacks until the arrival of friendly reinforcements. A few days later, on the 02.03.1944, the Wehrmachtbericht reported that in this fighting the Silesian 5. Panzer-Division under the command of Generalmajor Decker had outstandingly acquitted itself. This was the second time within three months that Generalmajor Decker and his Division had been named in the Wehrmachtbericht.”
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (05.08.1944) : "The Silesian-Sudeten 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Lieutenant General Decker distinguished itself by showing excellent attacking spirit in the battle area southwest of Kaunas."
Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht (12.10.1944) : "The Silesian-Sudeten 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Lieutenant General Decker distinguished itself again by showing excellent fighting spirit in the heavy defensive fighting north of the Memel."
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #149 (posthumous recommendation / 26.04.1945 as per some sources) as General der Panzertruppe and Kommandierender General XXXIX. Panzerkorps. By early 1945 the corps had transferred to the Western Front under Army Group B. It fought delaying actions against advancing American forces in areas such as Uelzen and Alsace before becoming trapped in the Ruhr Pocket.
Detailed contemporary citations for the award are limited, as the award came in the chaotic final weeks of the war (some sources note it as posthumous or recommended around 26 April 1945, after Decker's suicide on 21 April). His leadership involved skillful armored counterattacks and rearguard actions to delay overwhelming Allied advances, attempting to maintain cohesion amid fuel shortages, air supremacy by the Allies, and collapsing supply lines. The Ruhr Pocket fighting featured desperate breakout attempts, urban combat in industrial areas, and encirclement by superior U.S. forces. Decker's corps resisted fiercely until the pocket's collapse, after which he chose suicide rather than surrender.
The German Federal Archives hold no records for the presentation of the Schwerter to Karl Decker. The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (OdR) assumes that the presentation fell into the timeframe 20 April 1945 to 29 April 1945. It is assumed that the nomination was approved on 26 April 1945. Veit Scherzer states that the assumption is based on a statement from Decker's widow. She claimed that she had been informed that her husband had received the award. The date and sequential number "149" were assigned by the OdR.

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Karl Gustav Adolf Decker was a German general in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War who rose to the rank of general der panzertruppe. Born on 30 November 1897 in Borntin in farther pomerania as the son of an officer he entered military service as a volunteer on 3 August 1914 shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. He saw his first combat in east prussia and earned rapid promotion to officer candidate for bravery before the enemy. By 1915 he fought in poland russia and courland before serving as a platoon leader in a machine gun unit after attending the field war school of the eighth army. Transferred to the western front in 1917 he participated in the battle of lys as a battalion adjutant and later served as a weapons instructor at the infantry school in döberitz in 1918. After the armistice he was accepted into the reichswehr where he gained experience in cavalry and early armored units serving with jäger regiments and the sixth cavalry regiment.

Decker steadily advanced through the interwar ranks becoming rittmeister in 1931 major in 1936 and oberstleutnant in 1939. He commanded the 38th armored detachment in mühlhausen which was subordinated to the second panzer division during the invasion of poland in 1939 where his forces engaged near kraków and the jabłonka pass. In the battle of france in 1940 he led a battalion of panzer regiment 3 fighting at the maas river near sedan saint quentin and abbeville demonstrating skill in armored breakthroughs. During the balkans campaign in 1941 his regiment advanced through yugoslavia and northern greece occupying athens and crossing the corinth canal. On 18 april 1941 decker distinguished himself at the head of kampfgruppe balck by forcing a crossing of the pinios river breaking through australian and new zealand fortified lines and thrusting toward larissa. This action forced the enemy to abandon the olympus position. His earlier smashing of yugoslav defenses in the strumica basin also enabled the division drive to salonika. For these feats he received the knights cross of the iron cross on 13 june 1941.

Following the balkans decker commanded panzer regiment 3 at the start of operation barbarossa earning the german cross in gold in august 1942. In april 1943 he assumed command of the fifth panzer division a silesian formation. He led the division with distinction in defensive operations on the eastern front particularly during the winter and spring of 1944. North of rogachev in late february 1944 soviet forces penetrated the line and decker committed his units piecemeal to stabilize the front. When three soviet divisions attacked he rushed reserves heavy antitank guns and pioneers to a threatened sector along the pruth river personally directing the defense from the foremost line and repelling repeated assaults until reinforcements arrived. His division later participated in relief operations at kovel establishing contact with outer strongpoints and capturing villages northwest of the fortress on 5 april 1944. These actions earned him the oak leaves to the knights cross on 4 may 1944 and promotion to generalleutnant. The fifth panzer division received multiple mentions in the wehrmachtbericht under his leadership for its fighting spirit in battles southwest of kaunas and north of the memel.

In late 1944 decker was promoted to general der panzertruppe on 27 december and took command of the thirty ninth panzer corps attached to the third panzer army. The corps transferred to the western front in early 1945 where it conducted delaying actions against american forces in the uelzen area and alsace. Subordinated to army group b the formation became trapped in the ruhr pocket amid overwhelming allied pressure fuel shortages and constant air attacks. Despite fierce resistance and attempts at breakout the pocket collapsed in april 1945. On 21 april 1945 decker committed suicide near groß brunsrode in lower saxony to avoid capture as his forces faced total encirclement. Some sources indicate he was recommended for or posthumously awarded the swords to the knights cross with oak leaves around 26 april 1945 recognizing his final leadership in the desperate defense.

Throughout his career decker was noted for leading from the front combining personal courage with tactical competence in both offensive maneuvers and tenacious defensive fighting. From the mobile campaigns of 1939 to 1941 to the attritional battles on the eastern front and the collapse in the west he exemplified the professional wehrmacht officer dedicated to duty amid increasingly hopeless conditions. His decorations reflected repeated recognition for decisive actions that stabilized critical sectors or accelerated advances against determined opposition. Decker remained a frontline commander until the end never seeking rear echelon positions even as germany position deteriorated. His death at age 47 marked the end of a military life that spanned two world wars and the transformation of the german army from cavalry traditions to panzer warfare.

Decker place in history rests among the capable panzer leaders of the wehrmacht whose skills prolonged german resistance but could not alter the strategic outcome of the war. His service illustrated the demands placed on mid level and senior officers in mechanized operations across diverse theaters from the mountains of greece to the plains of russia and the industrial ruhr. Postwar accounts highlight his professionalism and the respect he earned from subordinates for his steady command under fire. Though little personal detail survives about his family or private life his military record stands as a testament to the experiences of a generation of german officers shaped by the conflicts of the twentieth century.

Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Decker
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/3351/Decker-Karl-Gustav-Adolf.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/
https://grokipedia.com/page/karl_decker
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General/DECKER_KARL.html (archived)
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/
https://www.geni.com/
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945. Jena 2007.

Hasso von Manteuffel and Kradschützen-Bataillon 2

As the Kradschützen-Bataillon 2 parades at the Luitpold park on 1 June 1937 during the opening ceremony for their new barracks, an unknown photographer takes a few images of the assembled dignitaries. Major Hasso von Manteuffel (ex-Kompaniechef in Kradschützen-Bataillon 2) is caught in the scene, standing with an unidentified general, second officer from the right.

In the mid 1930s, while still stationed in Eisenach, during the first years following conversion of the Kradschützen-Bataillon 2 to a motorcycle infantry unit, Hauptmann Hasso von Manteuffel had been both a company commander and, following promotion to major, the senior staff officer with the unit. Manteuffel’s early career had been as a horse cavalry officer, he was an expert rider and had previously commanded horse cavalry “squadrons“ (company size units in the old Reichsheer).

As select cavalry units were motorized during the modernization of the Heer after Hitler came to power, top officers were assigned to the “fast troop“ units to command, learn and study first hand, the new equipment and tactics. This brought Manteuffel to Eisenach and the 2 Krad.

As the new barracks was being built in Bad Kissingen and Oberst von Apell, commander of the 2 Krad, visited the construction site, Hasso von Manteuffel was at work with the unit staff and missed movement with the battalion to Bad Kissingen by less than a year. 2 Panzer Division commander Guderian had recognized Manteuffel as an exceptional officer and moved him from the 2 Krad to the division staff in 1937. His new position was to oversee training and school assignments of all officer cadets and junior officers within the division. Guderian saw this as a very important task, handed the job to a key subordinate and in all probability, Manteuffel moved from Eisenach to the division HQ in Wurzburg.

Some months later, as Guderian left the division for higher command and supervision of the entire Panzer personnel training system, he brought Manteuffel to Berlin and the Panzer Troops School. Despite these rapid moves, Manteuffel did not forget his connection to the 2nd Panzer Division and the last company he commanded.

On 1 June 1937, as the 2nd Kradschutzen Battalion held the formal parade and opening ceremony for their new barracks, Major Hasso von Mauteuffel traveled from Berlin to watch the proceedings. He stood not on the formal reviewing stand but off to the side, in the crowd of visiting officers and dignitaries. He was captured on film by a local photographer and the image surfaced in a collection purchased by Norbert Ruckel. Manteuffel would have recognized most of the men of the unit as they paraded, there may have been cadets and junior officers present that held his personal interest and perhaps, he felt that had duty and Guderian not called him to Berlin, he would have stood in the lead field car as the battalion commander or senior staff officer of the motorcycle infantry unit as it occupied the barracks on the hill that honored his family name.

Source :
Norbert Ruckel photo collection
http://www.eaglehorse.org/home_station/hidden_stories/60s/iron_crosses/iron_crosses.htm

Bio of General der Panzertruppe Rudolf Veiel (1883-1956)

Rudolf Veiel

Date of Birth: 10.12.1883 - Stuttgart, Baden (German Empire)
Date of Death: 09.03.1956 -Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Nickname: Papa
Parents: Ludwig Veiel, Reichsgerichtsrat (+12.09.1905) and Hedwig Kleiner (+06.09.1920)
Spouse: Elisabeth Diefenbach (married 06.10.1916)
Children: 1 daughter (1917) and 1 son (1919)

Promotions:
04.04.1904 Fahnenjunker
18.08.1905 Leutnant (with Patent from 17.02.1904)
00.00.1910 Oberleutnant (with Patent from 18.02.1913)
24.12.1914 Rittmeister
01.02.1922 neues RDA vom 24.12.1914 (37) erhalten
01.02.1927 Major (27)
01.04.1931 Oberstleutnant (21)
01.12.1933 Oberst (3)
01.01.1937 Generalmajor (8)
01.10.1938 Generalleutnant (2)
12.04.1942 General der Panzertruppe mit RDA vom 01.04.1942 (1)

Career:
04.04.1904 entered the military as Fahnenjunker in Ulanen-Regiment “König Karl” (1. Württembergisches) Nr. 19, Ulm
04.08.1914 served in Württembergischen Reserve-Dragoner-Regiment, Ludwigsburg
10.08.1914 ins Feld
25.05.1915 Eskadron-Chef in Württembergischen Reserve-Dragoner-Regiment
01.01.1919 in Ulanen-Regiment 19, Abwicklung
!8.04.1919 - 13.06.1919 Adjutant Gruppenkommando West
00.05.1919 in der Württembergischen Freiwilligen-Abteilung Haas gegen die Münchner Räte-Republik eingesetzt
14.06.1919 - 25.06.1919 stellvertretender Führer Ulanen-Regiment 19
26.06.1919 - 26.07.1919 Adjutant 27. Division (2. Königlich Württembergische)
27.07.1919 - 09.10.1919 Adjutant höheren Auflösungsstabs 51
10.10.1919 Führer Feldkolonne 49
16.05.1920 in der Reichswehr-Fahr-Abteilung 13 der Reichswehr-Brigade 13, Stuttgart, des Übergangsheeres
12.06.1920 Führer Fahrkompanie 4
01.10.1920 in Reiter-Regiment 18
01.02.1922 Regimentsadjutant
01.06.1923 Chef 2. / Reiterregiment 10 (Torgau)
01.03.1927 Stab 3. Kavallerie-Division (Weimar)
01.02.1933 Kommandeur Reiter-Regiment 18 (Stuttgart)
15.10.1935 Kommandeur 2. Schützen-Brigade (Meiningen)
04.02.1938 Kommandeur 2. Panzer-Division (Würzburg)
10.11.1938 Komamndeur 2. Panzer-Division (Wien)
19.02.1942 mit der stellvertretenden Führung XXXXVIII. Armeekorps beauftragt
15.05.1942 Führerreserve OKH (XVII)
28.09.1942 Kommandierender General im Auffrischungsbereich Mitte
10.06.1943 Führerreserve OKH (XVII)
01.09.1943 Kommandierender General V. Armeekorps und Befehlshaber Wehrkreis V
12.04.1945 Führerreserve OKH (V)

Awards & Decorations:
00.00.191_ 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.191_ 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
02.08.1917 Ritterkreuz des Königlich Württembgische Militär-Verdienstordens
00.00.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914-1918
02.10.1936 Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnungen IV. bis I.Klasse
00.00.193_ Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13 März 1938
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit spange "Prager Burg"
18.09.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
29.09.1939 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Panzerkampfabzeichen
03.06.1940 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 2. Panzer-Division. The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Veiel received the Ritterkreuz: “Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel broke through the Belgian border fortifications with his Panzer-Division and then forced a crossing over the Maas river north of Sedan. Thereafter his troops succeeding in breaking through to the Channel coastline in the direction of Boulogne under his outstanding personal leadership.”
00.00.194_ Panzerkampfabzeichen
15.08.1941 Königlich bulgarischer Militärverdienstorden I. Klasse mit Kriegsdekoration
03.11.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (1942)

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Rudolf Veiel (10 December 1883 – 19 March 1956) joined the army 1904, and was commissioned as an officer in 1905, serving in the Württemberg cavalry during World War I. After the war, Veiel was a member of the Freikorps in Württemberg (1919). From October 1920, he served in the Reichswehr. In 1938 he was given command of the 2nd Panzer Division. Veiel was promoted to oberst in 1933, a generalmajor in January 1937, and a generalleutnant in 1938.

In the early stages of World War II, Veiel commanded the division during the Invasion of Poland in 1939, the Battle of France in 1940, Operation Marita, invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece, and Operation Barbarossa in 1941. On 3 June 1940, Veiel was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. From 1 April 1942 to 28 September 1942, after the German defeat in the Battle of Moscow, Veiel was promoted to full general (General der Panzertruppe). He later commanded the XLVIII Panzer Corps. After 28 September, Veiel had a staff position with the Army Group Center.

From September 1943 to 20 July 1944, Veiel was Commanding General of Battle Sector V (Wehrkreis V) in Stuttgart. He was relieved of command because of complicity in the 20 July Conspiracy to assassinate Adolf Hitler. On 16 April 1945 he was put in the Officer Reserve (Führerreserve) of the Army High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres or OKH). After World War II, Rudolf Veiel spent two years in American captivity. He was released in 1947 and died in 1956.

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo collection
Jim Haley photo collection
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-1984-018-08A,_Rudolf_Veiel.jpg
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Veiel,_Rudolf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Veiel
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=120547&hilit=rudolf+veiel
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General2/VEIEL_RUDOLF.html
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/V/VeielR-R.htm
http://sylviolassance.blogspot.com/2013/04/veiel-rudolf-1012188319031956.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/65120/Veiel-Rudolf.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20111228124131fw_/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/V/Ve/Veiel-Rudolf.htm