Full name: Georg-Hans Reinhardt
Nickname: No information
Date of Birth: March 1, 1887 - Bautzen, Saxony (German Empire)
Date of Death: November 22, 1963 - Tegernsee, Bavaria (West Germany)
Battles and Operations: Western Front (World War I, including Battle of Loretto Heights 1915), Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of France (1940, including Ardennes breakthrough), Balkan Campaign (1941, entry into Belgrade), Operation Barbarossa (1941, Eastern Front, Battle of Raseiniai), Advance to Leningrad (1941), Operation Typhoon (1941, Vyazma encirclement, Battle of Moscow), Soviet Winter Counteroffensive (1941-1942), Defensive operations around Vitebsk and Smolensk (1942-1944), Operation Bagration (1944), East Prussian Defensive Battles (1944-1945)
Religion: No information
Parents: Georg Reinhardt (banker) and Lisbeth Reinhardt nee Merbach
Siblings: No information
Spouse: Eva Prufer (married September 9, 1919)
Children: Eva Gisela Reinhardt (born September 9, 1920), Rosemarie Reinhardt (born August 5, 1922)
Promotions:
25.03.1907 Fahnenjunker
19.11.1907 Fahnrich
14.08.1908 Leutnant (Patent 14.02.1907)
25.09.1914 Oberleutnant
18.04.1916 Hauptmann
01.03.1925 Major
01.10.1931 Oberstleutnant
01.02.1934 Oberst
01.04.1937 Generalmajor
01.10.1939 Generalleutnant
01.06.1940 General der Panzertruppe
01.01.1942 Generaloberst
Career:
25.03.1907-1914 Company officer and adjutant roles in 8. Koniglich Sachsisches Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Johann Georg" Nr. 107
1914-1916 Regimental adjutant and brigade adjutant on Western Front
1916-1918 General staff roles with various divisions and corps, including XII. Reservekorps, 8. Kavallerie-Division, Kavallerie-Division Nord, 192. Infanterie-Division
1919-1920 General staff of 24. Division and suppression of unrest in Leipzig
1920-1922 Company chief in 11. (Sachs.) Infanterie-Regiment
1922-1923 General staff of Artilleriefuhrer IV and 4. Division der Reichswehr
1923-1925 Tactics instructor at Infanterieschule
1925-1929 Tactics and military history instructor in Reichswehrministerium (T 4/Truppenamt)
1929-1931 Leader of training course for staff assistants in Reichswehrministerium
1931-1933 Commander of III. Bataillon, 10. (Sachs.) Infanterie-Regiment
1933 Chief of staff, 4. Division der Reichswehr
1933-1935 Department leader in Truppenamt
1935-1937 Head of 4. Abteilung (Ausbildung) in Heeres general staff, Oberkommando des Heeres
12.10.1937-10.11.1938 Commander, 1. Schutzen-Brigade (including Sudetenland annexation)
10.11.1938-15.02.1940 Commander, 4. Panzer-Division (Invasion of Poland)
15.02.1940-05.10.1941 Commanding general, XXXXI. Armeekorps (later Panzerkorps; Battle of France, Balkans, Barbarossa)
05.10.1941-01.01.1942 Commander, Panzergruppe 3
01.01.1942-16.08.1944 Commander, 3. Panzerarmee (Eastern Front defenses)
16.08.1944-26.01.1945 Commander, Heeresgruppe Mitte (later Heeresgruppe Nord)
26.01.1945 Fuhrerreserve (wounded near Elbing)
Post-1945 Captured by Allies, tried in High Command Trial (1947-1948), sentenced to 15 years for war crimes, released 1952; president of Gesellschaft fur Wehrkunde (1954-1963)
Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 2. Klasse (14. September 1914)
Eisernes Kreuz (1914) 1. Klasse (8. August 1915)
Ritterkreuz des Koniglichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
Ritterkreuz des Militär-St. Heinrichs-Ordens
Ehrenkreuz fur Frontkampfer
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4. Klasse, 4 Jahre
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 3. Klasse, 12 Jahre
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 1. Klasse, 25 Jahre
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange "Prager Burg"
Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939 (21. September 1939)
Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse 1939 (2. Oktober 1939)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (27. Oktober 1939) as Generalleutnant and commander 4. Panzer-Division. This award was granted for his leadership during the Invasion of Poland (Fall Weiss) in September 1939. As part of Army Group North under Generaloberst Fedor von Bock, Reinhardt's division played a key role in the rapid advance through the Polish Corridor and the encirclement of Polish forces. His unit conducted armored breakthroughs, overcoming fortified positions and contributing to the swift defeat of Polish armies in the northern sector. The 4th Panzer Division was involved in heavy fighting around Warsaw and the Vistula River, where Reinhardt's tactical decisions enabled effective coordination between infantry, artillery, and tanks, leading to significant territorial gains and the destruction of enemy formations. This performance exemplified the Blitzkrieg tactics that characterized the campaign, resulting in Poland's capitulation by early October 1939.
Wehrmachtbericht (18. Oktober 1941)
Wehrmachtbericht (19. Oktober 1941)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #73 (17. Februar 1942) as General der Panzertruppe and commander 3. Panzergruppe. The award recognized his contributions during the initial phases of Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front in 1941, particularly as commander of the XLI Panzer Corps within Army Group North. Key actions included: Battle of Raseiniai (June 1941): Reinhardt's corps engaged and decisively defeated the Soviet 3rd and 12th Mechanized Corps, destroying over 700 Soviet tanks in intense armored clashes. This victory cleared the path for the advance into the Baltic states. Advance toward Leningrad (July–October 1941): His forces pushed rapidly through Lithuania and Latvia, capturing key bridges and road networks while outmaneuvering Soviet defenses. By late summer, they reached the outskirts of Leningrad, contributing to the siege's establishment. Assumption of 3rd Panzer Army command (5 October 1941): Reinhardt took over and led the army during Operation Typhoon, the drive toward Moscow. His units advanced through heavy resistance, capturing towns like Kalinin (Tver) and Klin, and supporting the encirclement efforts around Vyazma and Bryansk. Winter defensive operations (December 1941–February 1942): Facing Soviet counteroffensives, Reinhardt organized effective holding actions, preventing complete breakthroughs and stabilizing the front despite severe weather and supply issues. His defensive expertise minimized losses and maintained cohesion in Army Group Center's northern flank. These operations demonstrated Reinhardt's skill in armored warfare, logistics management, and adaptive leadership under pressure.
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (13. Februar 1943)
Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille) (1942)
Wehrmachtbericht (21. Januar 1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #68 (26. Mai 1944) as Generaloberst and commander 3. Panzerarmee. This honor was for his prolonged defensive successes on the Eastern Front from early 1942 to mid-1944, particularly in the central sector around Vitebsk, Orsha, and Smolensk as part of Army Group Center. Notable aspects include: Defensive operations in 1942–1943: Reinhardt's army held against repeated Soviet offensives, including during the Second Rzhev-Sychevka Operation (Operation Mars) in November–December 1942. His forces repelled attacks from the Kalinin and Western Fronts, inflicting heavy casualties and preventing a collapse of the German salient around Rzhev. He emphasized fortified positions, mobile reserves, and counterattacks to maintain the line.
Stabilization and rear-security (1943–1944): Amid partisan activity and Soviet probes, Reinhardt oversaw operations to secure supply lines, including anti-partisan sweeps that involved destroying villages and deporting civilians in occupied territories. His army successfully defended key positions during the Smolensk Offensive in summer 1943, withdrawing in good order while delaying Soviet advances. Pre-Bagration defenses (early 1944): In the lead-up to the massive Soviet Operation Bagration in June 1944, Reinhardt's 3rd Panzer Army fortified the Vitebsk salient, holding off preliminary assaults and maintaining relative stability. His strategic planning and resource allocation allowed for "relative success" in blunting Soviet momentum, though the army was ultimately overwhelmed in Bagration, leading to heavy losses and retreat into Poland and East Prussia. Reinhardt's command emphasized resilient defense, efficient use of limited armored resources, and coordination with adjacent units, earning him this upgrade shortly before the front's collapse.
Panzerkampfabzeichen (ohne Zahl)
Grosses Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland (24. November 1962)
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Georg-Hans Reinhardt was born on 1 March 1887 in Bautzen, in the Kingdom of Saxony within the German Empire, and he died on 22 November 1963 in Tegernsee, Bavaria, West Germany, at the age of 76. He served in the German Army from 1907 to 1945, attaining the rank of Generaloberst. Reinhardt fought in World War I and later rose to prominence in the Wehrmacht during World War II, where he held significant commands on the Eastern Front. He commanded the 3rd Panzer Army from 1941 to 1944 and briefly led Army Group Centre in 1944 and 1945. Following the war, he faced trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity, resulting in a 15-year sentence, though he was released in 1952. Reinhardt was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords for his military service.
In his early military career, Reinhardt participated in World War I, though specific details of his involvement during that conflict are limited in available records. He entered service in 1907 and continued his advancement through the interwar period. By September 1939, during the Invasion of Poland, he commanded the 4th Panzer Division, marking his first major command role in World War II. The following year, in the 1940 Battle of France, Reinhardt led the XXXXI Panzer Corps, contributing to the German advance through Western Europe.
With the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, Reinhardt and his XLI Panzer Corps were deployed to the Eastern Front as part of Army Group North. In late June, his forces achieved a significant victory in the Battle of Raseiniai, where they defeated the Soviet 3rd Mechanised Corps and the 12th Mechanised Corps, destroying over 700 Soviet tanks. His corps played a key role in advancing toward the outskirts of Leningrad by October 1941. As with other German units on the Eastern Front, Reinhardt's corps implemented the Commissar Order, which was carried out extensively according to subordinate reports.
On 5 October 1941, Reinhardt assumed command of the 3rd Panzer Army within Army Group Centre and participated in Operation Typhoon, the German offensive toward Moscow. Following the Soviet counter-offensive in the winter of 1941–1942, which led to the Battle of Moscow, his army was pushed back. Troops under his command enforced OKH policies, including the murder of ten mentally infirm patients in Kalinin in December 1941, justified on security grounds. From early 1942 until June 1944, the 3rd Panzer Army operated around Vitebsk and Smolensk, engaging in rear-security operations that involved the destruction of communities to prevent resettlement.
During these operations, Reinhardt's forces conducted deportations of civilians, with nearly 4,000 people from Vitebsk and surrounding areas sent to Auschwitz concentration camp between September and December 1943, in cooperation with SD units; these civilians, including women and children suspected of aiding "bandits," faced death by starvation, maltreatment, or gassing. A February 1943 report documented the killing of entire village populations, from the last baby onward, with homes burned to deter bandit resettlement. In June 1944, during Operation Bagration, the 3rd Panzer Army was shattered by the Red Army, forcing a retreat into Poland and East Prussia. Reinhardt took command of Army Group Centre on 16 August 1944, but Soviet attacks in December drove the group out of Poland into northern Prussia, leading to his retirement from active duty in January 1945.
After the war, Reinhardt was captured in June 1945 by the Special Air Service and stood trial in the High Command Trial in 1948 as part of the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials. He was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including the murder and mistreatment of Soviet prisoners of war, as well as the murder, deportation, and hostage-taking of civilians in occupied territories. Sentenced to 15 years imprisonment, he served his time in Landsberg Prison, with a review in January 1951 that upheld the term, though he was released in 1952 on compassionate grounds. From 1954, he served as president of the Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde, later known as the Gesellschaft für Sicherheitspolitik. In 1962, he received the Great Cross of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany. His awards included the Iron Cross with clasp in both classes, and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, conferred in stages: the Knight's Cross on 27 October 1939 as commander of the 4th Panzer Division, Oak Leaves on 17 February 1942 as commander of the 3rd Panzer Group, and Swords on 26 May 1944 as commander of the 3rd Panzer Army.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg-Hans_Reinhardt
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/R/ReinhardtGH-R.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34542/Reinhardt-Georg-Hans.htm
https://www.geni.com/people/Georg-Hans-Reinhardt/6000000200420134844
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://forum.axishistory.com/
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/
Bradley, Dermot et al. "Die Generale des Heeres 1921-1945" (career and promotions)
Frieser, Karl-Heinz. "The Blitzkrieg Legend: The 1940 Campaign in the West" (French campaign)
Glantz, David M. "When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler" (Eastern Front)
