Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
Kronprinz Wilhelm von Preußen und Oberleutnant Otto von Knobelsdorff sitting on a bench in front of a house in Autry, France, 1914. At that time, Knobelsdorff, a young Prussian officer from a military family, served in the Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen“ (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94. His regiment belonged to the 38th Infantry Division (part of XI Corps early in the war). He saw combat on the Western Front in 1914 (including the advance through the Ardennes to Namur), then transferred to the Eastern Front (battles like the Masurian Lakes), returned to the West in 1915, and fought in the Verdun sector in 1916 (where his division suffered heavy casualties) before later service on other parts of the front. He earned both classes of the Eisernes Kreuzes for bravery and was wounded late in the war.
Source :
https://www.bild.bundesarchiv.de/dba/de/search/?yearfrom=&yearto=&query=knobelsdorff#
On Saturday, October 8, 1938, at 2 p.m., units of the German armed forces entered Vimperk in the direction of Horní Vltavice. The following historical facts describe what preceded this moment..
Munich Agreement
The Munich Agreement was signed on September 29, 1938. Representatives of four countries - Neville Chamberlain (Great Britain), Edouard Daladier (France), Adolf Hitler (Germany) and Benito Mussolini (Italy) - agreed that Czechoslovakia must withdraw from the border with germany in Sudetenland by October 10. Representatives of the Czechoslovak party were present, but were not invited to the meeting itself. The Czechoslovak government, among other things, under pressure from France and Britain, finally accepted the Munich dictate.
Germany was thus ceded a territory with an area of 28,680 km, where there were a total of 3,751 municipalities, in which 3,653,292 inhabitants lived. Of these, 3,576,719 were Czechoslovak nationals, by nationality : 2,822,899 Germans, 738,502 Czechoslovaks, and 6,659 Jews.
As a result of this agreement, Czechoslovakia lost the system of border fortresses, which it had already begun to build in 1934. A general mobilization was announced in Czechoslovakia shortly before the signing of the Munich Agreement. It was announced by the head of the caretaker government, General Jan Syrový, who was appointed after the government of Milan Hodži resigned. Czechoslovakia managed to gather 1,500,000 troops within five days and was ready to defend itself.
Occupation of Sudetenland by German Nazis
October 1, 1938 became a black day for Czechoslovakia, when the German army entered Vimperk territory and began to occupy the Sudetenland. The occupation of the borderlands became a prelude to the seizure of the entire territory of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia, the creation of the protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and the separation of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus from the common state.
The Sudetendeutschen Partei (SdP), led by the leader of the Sudeten Nazis, Konrád Henlein, with the help of the Freikorps units, already before the entry of the German army into the Sudetenland, began large-scale arrests of anti-Nazi-minded Czechoslovak Germans, especially among social democrats. Immediately after the occupation of the Sudetenland, the Germans banned all political parties except Henlein's Sudetendeutschen Partei. Many Czechs and all Jews were forced to leave the Sudetenland, it was - de facto - the first ethnic cleansing in this area in the 20th century. Even this could not satisfy Hitler's ambitions for lebensraum (expanding "living space" for Germans). It was clear in advance that the Nazi army would occupy the entire territory of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia, which happened later on March 15, 1939.
The occupation of the first zone begins
Saturday, October 1, 1938. At 2:00 p.m., the occupation of the first zone of the Czech Republic begins. When the German Army entered the borders, they were welcomed by the majority of Sudeten Germans as a liberator. In the same time, the Czechoslovak government also accepts Poland's ultimate demands.
Sunday, October 2, 1938 . A strong fight is taking place between the Czechoslovak security authorities and SdFK around Český Krumlov. The occupation of Těšín and other areas, including the Frýdlant and Šluknovské salients, is also underway.
The fight for Český Krumlov
The heaviest fighting from the beginning of October took place in Český Krumlov, through which the SOS units and incendiary patrols of Czechoslovak engineers retreated after the withdrawal of the border guards of the army. Already on the night of September 30, the convoy was ambushed here by the Henleins, while engineers belonging to one of the incendiary patrols were also captured. Then, when German forces attacked the district office building, the battle for the city in the truest sense of the word flared up. The defenders and employees of the district office were freed from the encirclement only by a concentrated attack by the gendarmerie emergency unit.
Already after midnight, three infantry platoons of the Czechoslovak Army arrived and occupied the city center, but later they were forced to withdraw again. When two SOS squads were then captured in the morning and another squad was forced to fight their way towards the line of light fortifications, the city found itself completely in German hands. On the evening of October 1, a strike group was formed in České Budějovice under the command of Captain Stejskal, consisting of engineers from the 23rd Engineer Company, two infantry platoons from the 9th Company of the 1st Infantry Regiment and a platoon of three light tanks of Lieutenant Vladimír Němeček, belonging to the 1st Tank Company VII . light tank battalion. These units, additionally supported by the armored train of Infantry Regiment 1, had the task of removing explosives from mined bridges and freeing prisoners from previous battles, as well as imprisoned Krumlov Czechs.
On October 2, Captain Stejskal's column passed through the suburbs of Český Krumlov to engage in fierce fighting with the insurgents at the Budějovická gate, which was barricaded, and also in the vicinity of the gate. In particular, the guns of three light tanks were crushed by the Henlein resistance, but eventually the promisingly developing attack was weakened by a senseless order from the reserve officers to withdraw the mounted infantry. Captain Stejskal, who was left with only tanks supported by engineers, was forced to give the order to retreat. At least partially, however, the task was fulfilled, because from all sides the Czech population flocked to the soldiers, who then left with the column in the direction of České Budějovice. As a result of the action, three engineers were wounded on the Czech side and the city was greatly scarred by the battle. On the same day, the captives were also released and the whole city began to depopulate. By October 8, when the city was occupied by the German army, the Czechoslovak state sovereignty was not restored in Český Krumlov.
Monday, October 3, 1938 . Hitler visits the Sudetenland for the first time. In the House of Commons, Duff Cooper explains in detail why he resigned as First Lord of the Admiralty. Chamberlain then justifies his action and emphasizes that he has nothing to be ashamed of. He further informs that the Czechoslovak government has asked the British government for a loan of 30 million poundsterling.
Tuesday, October 4, 1938. A new official government is elected, headed by General Jan Syrový. The newspaper reports that it is made up of soldiers and experts, with no politicians at all. Hitler makes another triumphant trip to the Sudetenland. In Těšín, the Polish army begins to occupy other regions and cities, for example Třinec or Jablunkov.
Wednesday, October 5, 1938. President Edvard Beneš resigns from his position. A major incident occurs south of Rimavská Sobota in Slovakia, when four companies of the Hungarian Honvéd undertake an organized raid on the Czechoslovak Republic. area. The international committee decides on the size of the fifth evacuation zone, which also includes a number of territories with a majority Czech population. Winston Churchill: “It's all over. Silent, sad, abandoned and broken, Czechoslovakia sinks into darkness. In any case, it had to pay tribute to its alliance with France, whose leadership and policies it had long been influenced by opportunists. The British people should know that the balance has been broken and that an ominous shadow has now fallen on Western democracy. It is only the first sip from the chalice that will be served to us year after year!”
Thursday, October 6, 1938 . According to the Žilina Agreement, the autonomy of Slovakia is declared. Among other things, Hitler visits Frýdlant in Bohemia, where he delivers a speech and also inspects several LO objects. The boundary of the 5th withdrawal zone is determined based on the nationality status according to the 1910 census.
Friday, October 7, 1938. Hitler's next visit to the Sudetenland, the 1st Slovak autonomous government headed by Jozef Tis is established in Slovakia. In the hinterland, for example near Poděbrady, Kolín, Kutná Hora and other cities, large numbers of refugees from the occupied territory are accumulating, of both Czech, German and Jewish nationality. None of them wants to voluntarily return to their former places of residence, as they are threatened with persecution there.
Saturday, October 8, 1938. The occupation of the ceded territory by the German and Polish armies continues, several serious incidents occur during the withdrawal of SOS units and on the demarcation line, when these units are attacked by the Sudeten German Freikorps despite the development of the political situation.
Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14230&hilit=otto+hartmann&start=10680
https://www.kohoutikriz.org/autor.html?id=anony17&t=p
https://zakrasnejsivimperk.cz/?p=77903
Source :
https://www.ebay.de/b/General-in-Militaria-Fotos-1900-1918-1945/15504/bn_7004515776
