Theodor Tolsdorff
Date of Birth: 03.11.1909 - Lehnarten, Ostpreussen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 25.05.1978 - Dortmund-Deusen, Nordrhein-Westfalen (West Germany)
Buried: Friedhofsamt Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
Nickname: Der Löwe von Wilna (The Lion of Vilnius), Toller Tolsdorff, Tolsdorff the Mad
Battles and Operations: Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of France (1940), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Battle of Shlisselburg (1942), Operation Bagration (1944), Vilnius Offensive (1944), Battle of Aachen (1944), Battle of the Bulge (1944-1945)
Spouse: Eleonore op der Berk (06.09.1921 - 15.04.1996), married in 1940
Children: Peter Tolsdorff and Jürgen Tolsdorff (died in an accident in 1957)
Promotions:01.10.1935 Unteroffizier
01.02.1936 Feldwebel
01.06.1936 Leutnant
01.10.1938 Oberleutnant
01.12.1941 Hauptmann
01.01.1943 Major
01.03.1944 Oberstleutnant
01.08.1944 Oberst
30.01.1945 Generalmajor
01.04.1945 Generalleutnant
Career:01.10.1934 - 15.10.1935 Infanterie-Regiment Gumbinnen
15.10.1935 Infanterie-Regiment 22
01.03.1939 - 00.09.1941 Chef 14.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 22
00.09.1941 WIA (Wounded in action)
00.04.1942 Chef 14.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 22
00.08.1942 Führer I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 22
00.09.1943 Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22
00.11.1943 Kommandeur Füsilier-Regiment 22
03.04.1944 Kommandeur Füsilier-Regiment 22
07.08.1944 - 02.09.1944 13. Divisionsführerlehrgang at Hirschberg
02.09.1944 - 01.04.1945 Kommandeur 340. Volksgrenadier-Division
01.04.1945 - 15.04.1945 Kommandierender General LXXXII. Armeekorps
20.04.1945 - 07.05.1945 Kommandierender General LXXXII. Armeekorps
Awards and Decorations:00.00.193_ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV.Klasse (4 jahre)
22.09.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
23.10.1939 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
00.00.194_ Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
04.12.1941
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #700, as Oberleutnant and Chef 14.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division. On the 21.11.1941, when Tolsdorff was acting commander of the II./Infanterie-Regiment 22, the Soviets (fighting from the Vyborgsskaja bridgehead) made a dangerous breakthrough in the Bataillon’s main defensive line. Scraping together a reserve Kompanie made up of drivers and communications troops from the Bataillon staff, Tolsdorff led a counterattack against this penetration. Despite being wounded three times he and his force succeeded in regaining the line.
23.08.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz, Silber und Gold
15.09.1943
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #302, as Major and Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division. During the Third Battle of Lake Ladoga (22.07.-23.08.1943), taking place on both sides of the Kirov railway, Tolsdorff and his Bataillon were assigned a section of line to defend. They not only succeeding in holding their own positions for 14 days, but also managed to throw back Soviet forces that broke through in the neighbouring one. In all these battles Tolsdorff led from the front in both offense and defense.
14.07.1944 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht: The brave garrison of the old Lithuanian capital Vilnius, led by their commander Stahel under orders broke through the Soviet encirclement after five days of resistance against superior enemy forces and fought through to the in the west waiting German troops under the command of Oberst Tolsdorf (sic). Duty and steadfastness of these combat troops deserve the highest recognition. In this battle for the city a Luftwaffe flak unit under command of Hauptmann Müller has also distinguished itself.
18.07.1944
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #80, as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 1067 / Heeresgruppe Mitte. During the Soviet operation Bagration, Tolsdorff took over command of a scratch force of alert and leave companies, Grenadier-Regiment 1067. He was first ordered to break through to the garrison at Vilnius, which he succeeded in doing (on the way rescuing a German field hospital with 3,000 wounded men). He then took part in the city's defense, later breaking out with other units when a narrow corridor had been created by German relief forces. He and his men had distinguished themselves during the time they defended the city, so much so that Tolsdorff was christened "The Lion of Vilnius" by German propaganda.
18.03.1945
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten #25, as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 340. Volksgrenadier-Division. Awarded for the excellent leadership of his division during the battle of the Bulge (where it successfully seized and held a river crossing), and later during the retreat through the Eifel region.
00.00.1977 Preußenschild
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Theodor Tolsdorf was born on 3 November 1909 in the family estate in Lehnarten in the Province of East Prussia, a state of the German Empire. Today it is Lenarty in the administrative district of Gmina Olecko, within Olecko County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, in northern Poland. He was the youngest of four children and only son of Theodor Tolsdorff, a manor owner who had served in the military during World War I as a Hauptmann (captain) in the artillery. Young Theo was confronted with the horrors of war at the age of five when he had to flee from the advancing Russian troops with his mother and three siblings in the autumn of 1914 (following the invasion of East Prussia by the Russian First Army, led by Paul von Rennenkampf). His father was at the front and returned home physically broken after the war. After his father's early death on 19 October 1919, his son's career path seemed to be set. He finished high school in Königsberg and completed an agricultural apprenticeship in order to take over his parents' business and became a farmer. He continued his education to become an
administrator of his 695 hectares (1,720 acres), including 95 ha (230
acres) of forest, sized estate in Lehnharten.. Before that, however, he wanted to do his military service
On 1 October 1934, at the age of 24, he joined the 1st Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 1) of the 1st Infantry Division as a volunteer in Insterburg. Tolsdorff was promoted to Feldwebel (sergeant) on 1 February 1936. On 1 June 1936, Tolsdorff was promoted from the ranks to Leutnant (second lieutenant) and to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 October 1938. He was given command of 14th anti tank company (14.(Panzerjäger-)Kompanie) of the newly formed 22nd Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 22) in the 1st Infantry Division on 1 April 1939.
The German invasion of Poland began on 1 September 1939, and marked the beginning of World War II in Europe. Tolsdorff led the 14th (anti-tank-gun) Company in the 22. Fusilier Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division in this campaign. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for actions on 2 September against the Kamienna Góra bunker line. He deployed his 3.7 cm Pak 36 against the bunkers until the Polish forces surrendered. Soon afterwards, he earned the Iron Cross 1st Class for preventing an enemy breakout when he attacked from close range. He was wounded in the shoulder at the end of the campaign.
Tolsdorff's unit was then transferred to the Rhineland as part of the army reserve. He participated in the Battle of France. His unit fought in Belgium and drove to the Flanders pocket, then south past Paris to the Saumur area. His injury sustained in the Polish campaign forced him to seek further medical attention in August 1940. He was transferred to a hospital in Wuppertal and was released in October.
Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941. Tolsdorff was again in charge of the 14th Company. Passing through Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania, he assumed command of I. battalion on 16 August 1941. On 21 November 1941, Tollsdorf personally led a counterattack against the Soviet bridgehead on the southern bank of the Neva River. Although he was wounded three times during the counterattack he remained with his soldiers until 300 Soviet soldiers had been defeated. While in the hospital, he was promoted to Hauptmann (captain) on 1 December 1941, and awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 December 1941. The presentation was made by his regimental commander Oberst (Colonel) Martin Grase. He returned to the front in April 1942 and participated in the heavy fighting for Schlüsselburg. After the heavy fighting at Leningrad and Lake Ladoga, Tolsdorff lost half of his right foot due to deep splinter injuries. For outstanding success in closing the Volkhov pocket in June 1942, Tolsdorff received the German Cross in gold. On the closing days of the Volkhov battle, he again was injured, this time in the head by a bullet. Tolsdorff was forced to remain in the hospital until 20 September 1942. On 1 January 1943, Tolsdorff was promoted to major and made commander of the 1st Battalion.
Tolsdorff returned to his unit during the defensive battles at Lake Ladoga. In July 1943, the third and most difficult battle at Lake Ladoga began. After successfully fighting off a Soviet attack for fourteen days and participating in counterattacks in the neighbouring sector and restoring the situation, Tolsdorff was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on 15 September 1943.
On New Year's Eve 1943, the 1st Infantry Division transferred to the southern sector in the Vinnitsa-Odessa area. Tolsdorff was placed in charge of the 1st Infantry Division's 22nd Infantry Regiment after its commanding officer, Oberst (Colonel) Ulrich Iffland, had been killed. Again severely wounded, by a shot in the stomach from close range, Tolsdorff managed to return to active duty within a few weeks. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) while in the Lublin hospital. After recovering from his wounds, Tolsdorff was assigned as instructor of tactics to the officer cadet school at Metz.
Back at the front in June 1944, Tolsdorff received orders to defend the city of Vilna against the Soviet Vilnius Offensive. He held out long enough to evacuate the thousands of wounded from the city until the relief forces under the command of Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz arrived. This action resulted in his promotion to Oberst and the awarding of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 18 July 1944.
In early August, when Tolsdorff received the Oak Leaves with Swords, Hitler personally ordered him to go to Hirschberg im Riesengebirge, present-day Jelenia Góra in south-western Poland, for division commanders training. The 13th division commanders training course was held from 25 July to 31 August 1944. At the beginning of September, after completion of the course, Tolsdorff received orders from the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH) to go to Thorn (East Prussia), to oversee the formation of the 340th Volksgrenadier Division. In mid-November, the unit moved to the Aachen-Jülich area on
the west, where it put up stubborn resistance to prevent the American
troops from crossing the Rhine. In December, the unit was withdrawn to
prepare for the Ardennes offensive. The division fought as part of the
5th Panzer Army under command of Hasso von Manteuffel. During the Battle
of the Bulge, Tolsdorff distinguished himself during the attack on
Bastogne. For his exemplary leadership and personal bravery, which was
demonstrated by the fact that he destroyed 68 enemy tanks in close
combat, he was one of only 27 Wehrmacht soldiers to be awarded the
diamonds to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. In
addition, on January 30, 1945, he was promoted to Generalmajor, making
him the youngest general in the army. In April 1945 he was promoted to
Generalleutnant and appointed commander of the LXXXII Army Corps, which
was stationed in the Amberg area in Bavaria.
On 8 May, he surrendered in Austria to Lt. Carwood Lipton and Robert F. Sink of the 101st Airborne Division. Tolsdorff's convoy of 31 vehicles drove down from the mountains loaded with his personal baggage, liquor, cigars, cigarettes and his girlfriends. Private Edward Heffron took Tolsdorff's Luger pistol and a briefcase containing Iron Cross medals and a stash of pornographic pictures.
Tolsdorff was married to Eleonore, née van der Berk (6 September 1921 – 15 April 1996). The marriage produced two sons. His youngest son Jürgen died in 1957 in an accident. His older son, Peter, became a doctor and settled in Bad Honnef.
On 9 May 1947, Tolsdorff was released from American captivity. He took various jobs, such as truck driver in the firm belonging to his father-in-law, bus driver on the route Diepholz to Hanover and construction worker. He was arrested on 7 December 1952.
In 1954, he faced charges for the execution of Franz Xaver Holzhey, an army captain and First World War veteran, on 3 May 1945. Holzhey, without orders, had put up a red cross sign near the command post. The Landgericht (court) in Traunstein had initially sentenced Tolsdorff to three and a half years. The Federal Court of Justice of Germany overturned the decision in 1959 and ordered a retrial. On 24 June 1960, Tolsdorff was declared not guilty and cleared of all charges.
The same year, Tolsdorff was hired by the German Asphalt AG, presently owned by the Strabag, and held a position of manager until 1969, when he took over the branch office in Dortmund. Tolsdorff retired on 31 December 1974. Following a serious accident, he died on 25 May 1978 in Dortmund.
In June 1944, Tolsdorff participated in the fighting against the Soviet Vilnius Offensive. He was promoted to Oberst (colonel) and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords on 18 July 1944. Afterwards, he was appointed commander of the new 340th Volksgrenadier Division. In mid-November, the unit moved to the Aachen-Jülich area on the west, where it put up stubborn resistance to prevent the American troops from crossing the Rhine. In December, the unit was withdrawn to prepare for the Ardennes offensive. The division fought as part of the 5th Panzer Army under command of Hasso von Manteuffel. During the Battle of the Bulge, Tolsdorff distinguished himself during the attack on Bastogne. For his exemplary leadership and personal bravery, which was demonstrated by the fact that he destroyed 68 enemy tanks in close combat, he was one of only 27 Wehrmacht soldiers to be awarded the diamonds to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. In addition, on January 30, 1945, he was promoted to Generalmajor, making him the youngest general in the army. In April 1945 he was promoted to Generalleutnant and appointed commander of the LXXXII Army Corps, which was stationed in Bavaria.
On 8 May, he surrendered in Austria to Lt. Carwood Lipton and Robert F. Sink of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. Tolsdorff's convoy of 31 vehicles drove down from the mountains loaded with his personal baggage, liquor, cigars, cigarettes, and his girlfriends. Private Edward Heffron took Tolsdorff's Luger pistol and a briefcase containing Iron Cross medals and a stash of pornographic pictures.
In total, Tolsdorff was wounded fourteen times during the war. For this, he received the Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold. The report of a forensic doctor from 1953 read as follows: “He was shot in the right leg, frostbite on his right foot, injuries that led to the amputation of several toes, a shot in the left knee with a shattered kneecap, grenade splinters in the area of the right frontal sinus, a shot in the stomach and a shot in the rectum.”
Tolsdorff was married to Eleonore, née van der Berk (6 September 1921 – 15 April 1996). The marriage produced two sons. His youngest son Jürgen died in 1957, in an accident. His older son, Peter, became a doctor and settled in Bad Honnef.
On 9 May 1947, Tolsdorff was released from American captivity. He took various jobs, such as a driver. In a car accident he suffered a double fracture of the base of his skull, which meant that he could no longer do this job and he worked in a building materials store. After the war, Tolsdorff was arrested in his house in Wuppertal for the summary execution of a deserter during World War II. He was acquitted in the final instance because the sentence carried out was in accordance with martial law. An accident at work that resulted in a severe fracture of a leg forced him to take another career break. But with his characteristic willpower he picked himself up again. In 1960 a road construction company gave him a chance and hired him as a senior commercial employee. He retired in 1974. Tolsdorff always remained true to his homeland of East Prussia in his heart. He was active in the East Prussian regional association and was a member of its federal board.
In 1954, he faced charges for the execution of Franz Xaver Holzhey, an army captain and First World War veteran, on 3 May 1945. Holzhey, without orders, had put up a red cross sign near the command post. The Landgericht (court) in Traunstein had initially sentenced Tolsdorff to three and a half years. The Federal Court of Justice of Germany overturned the decision in 1959 and ordered a retrial. On 24 June 1960, Tolsdorff was declared not guilty and cleared of all charges.
The same year, Tolsdorff was hired by Deutsche Asphalt GmbH, presently owned by Strabag Group, and held a position of manager until 1969, when he took over the branch office in Dortmund. Tolsdorff retired on 31 December 1974. Following a serious accident, he died on 25 May 1978 in Dortmund, at the age of 68. He is buried in the family grave at the Wuppertal cemetery on Heckinghauser Strasse, at his side his wife Eleonore, née op der Beck (1921–1996).
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Estate Lehnarten (Treuburg) which belonged to the Tolsdorff family until 1945.
Hauptmann
Theodor Tolsdorff with the Ritterkreuz. He received the Ritterkreuz des
Eisernen Kreuzes on 4 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and Chef
14.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment
22 / 1.Infanterie-Division. On 21 November 1941, when Tolsdorff was
acting
commander of the II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 22, the Soviets
(fighting from
the Vyborgsskaja bridgehead) made a dangerous breakthrough in the
battalion’s main defensive line. Scraping together a reserve Kompanie
made up of drivers and communications troops from the battalionstaff,
Tolsdorff led a counterattack against this penetration. Despite being
wounded three times, he and his force succeeded in regaining the line.
Theodor Tolsdorff as a Major.
In many sites and publications (for example,
HERE),
this man is said as Theodor Tolsdorff (3 November 1909 - 25 May 1978), a
recipient of Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes with the
last rank of Generalleutnant. In reality, he is actually
Ritterkreuzträger Karl Frewer (21 July 1908 - 6 March 1945) who received
the Ritterkreuz on 12 November 1943 as Major and Kommandeur I.Bataillon
/ Grenadier-Regiment 167 / 86.Infanterie-Division. The most obvious
difference is that Frewer was alo a recipient of Nahkampfspange (visible
in this picture), while Tolsdorff was never awarded the same medal.
Major
Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 /
1.Infanterie-Division) being congratulated at home after awarded the
Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. Tolsdorff received
the Eichenlaub #302 on 15 September 1943 for his achievements during the
Third Battle of Lake Ladoga (22 July - 23 August 1943), which taking
place
on both sides of the Kirov railway. Tolsdorff and his battalion were
assigned a section of line to defend. They not only succeeding in
holding their own positions for 14 days, but also managed to throw back
Soviet forces that broke through in the neighbouring one. In all these
battles Tolsdorff led from the front in both offense and defense. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen
HERE.
Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht)
congratulating Heer officers for their newly awarded Eichenlaub of the
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. The picture was taken at the
Führerhauptquartier Wolffschanze on 15 September 1943. The recipients
are, from left to right: Oberst Paul Schultz (blocked by Hitler,
Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 308 / 198.Infanterie-Division, Eichenlaub
#284 on 26 August 1943), Oberst der Reserve Dr.med.dent. Walter Lange
(Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 43 / 1.Infanterie-Division, Eichenlaub
#300 on 13 September 1943), Major Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur
I.Bataillon / Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division, Eichenlaub
#302 on 15 September 1943), Oberst Günther Pape (Kommandeur
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 394 / 3.Panzer-Division, Eichenlaub #301 on 15
September 1943), and Major der Reserve Dr.med.dent. Franz Bäke
(Kommandeur II.Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division,
Eichenlaub #262 on 1 August 1943). Interestingly, two out of the five
officers who depicted in this picture are certified dentists (Lange and
Bäke)! Other pictures from this ceremony can be seen
HERE.
Theodor Tolsdorff with the Eichenlaub.
Major Theodor Tolsdorff (left, Kommandeur I.Bataillon /
Füsilier-Regiment 22 / 1.Infanterie-Division) chats with Major Gerhart
Schirmer (Führer Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 /
2.Fallschirmjäger-Division). Bearded Tolsdorff sported the Eichenlaub on
his uniform, which he received on 15 September 1943. original caption:
"nach dem durchbruch seiner kampfgruppe durch die sowjetische
umklammerung (after his combat group broke through the Soviet
encirclement). The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Rönicke. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen
HERE.
Schwerter
award ceremony for Oberstleutnant Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur
Grenadier-Regiment 1067 / Heeresgruppe Mitte) with Adolf Hitler (Führer
und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht), which were held at the
Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia, between
18-20 July 1944. Tolsdorff rerecived the Schwerter #80 for his
Ritterkreuz on 18 July 1944 for his achievements during the Soviet
operation Bagration, where he took over command of a
scratch force of alert and leave companies, Grenadier-Regiment 1067. He
was first ordered to break through to the garrison at Vilnius, which he
succeeded in doing (on the way rescuing a German field hospital with
3,000 wounded men). He then took part in the city's defense, later
breaking out with other units when a narrow corridor had been created by
German relief forces. He and his men had distinguished themselves
during the time they defended the city, so much so that Tolsdorff was
christened "The Lion of Vilnius" by German propaganda!
Oberst Theodor Tolsdorff with the Schwerter.
Oberst Theodor Tolsdorff with the Schwerter.
A period postcard of Theodor Tolsdorff published by Photo-Hoffmann, München.
,_Oberst_Theodor_Tolsdorff.jpg)
Oberst Theodor Tolsdorff in "Unser Heer", Folge 18, which was published on 2 September 1944 by Oberkommando des Heeres.
Above
is a photo taken in the Führerbunker when Adolf Hitler (Führer und
Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) congratulating Generalmajor Theodor
Tolsdorff (Kommandeur 340. Volksgrenadier-Division) on being awarded
the 25th Brillanten zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, while in the
background is Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Keitel (Chef Oberkommando der
Wehrmacht) with his eyes closed. Tolsdorff himself formally received
the coveted medal on 18 March 1945 (and usually this is only a
notification sent by telegram). Of course Tolsdorff had to return home
from the front and go to the bunker, which means that this photo of
Tolsdorff in the bunker was taken AFTER March 18th! Could this picture
was also taken after March 20, the date of the famous Hitlerjugend award
ceremony which is also the date officially considered to be the last
time Hitler was photographed? Amazingly, Tolsdorff's appointment as
Commander of the LXXXII Armeekorps in the Balkans - as well as his
promotion to Generalleutnant - took place on 1 April 1945. Does this
mean that this is the same date when he met Hitler in the Berlin bunker?
A
rare shot of Field Marshal Walter Model with other generals in March
1945, taken from the book "Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model (1891 -
1945). Dokumentation eines Soldatenlenbens" by Hansgeorg Model and
Dermot Bradley. First row from left to right: Generalleutnant Hanskurt
Höcker (Kommandeur 167. Volksgrenadier-Division), Generalfeldmarschall
Walter Model (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B), General der Artillerie
Walther Lucht (Kommandierender General LXVI. Armeekorps), General der
Infanterie Otto Hitzfeld (Kommandierender General LXVII. Armeekorps),
and Generalmajor Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandeur 340.
Volksgrenadier-Division). Second row from left to right: Oberstleutnant
im Generalstab Elmar Warning (Chef des Generalstabes LXVII. Armeekorps)
and Oberst Theodor Pilling (IIa Heeresgruppe B).
Second
from left is Generalleutnant Theodor Tolsdorff (Kommandierender General
LXXXII. Armeekorps), with the M43 feldmütze and StuG wrap, surrenders
to Colonel Robert Sink (in helmet), near Stockklaus, Austria, 7 May
1945. The story of the capitulation can be read
HERE.
In the TV Miniseries 'Band of Brothers', The German General was a Heer officer serving in Austria. Following the surrender of Germany in 1945, he gave a speech to his troops thanking them for their courageous service. According to some sources, the general was Theodor Tolsdorff. Quote from Wikipedia: "Private Edward Heffron took Tolsdorff's Luger pistol and a briefcase containing Iron Cross medals and a stash of pornographic pictures. The surrender of Tolsdorff is dramatized in the HBO TV series Band of Brothers in which a German general played by Wolf Kahler surrenders to Lipton played by Donnie Wahlberg."
Former
Generalleutnant Theodor Tolsdorff at the court, 9 September 1958; The
court of assizas at the country court Traunstein began with a new trial
against one of the highest decorated soldier of the German Army of the
second world war, Brillantenträger Theodor Tolsdorff on Tuesday
September 23rd. He faced charges for the execution of Hauptmann Franz
Xaver Holzhey, an army captain and First World War veteran, on 3 May
1945. Without orders, Holzhey had put up a red cross sign near the
command post at the entrance of the little Bavarian village Eisenarzt to
save it from
the destruction of the little place by the Americans (because there
exist an army hospital). Initially, Tolsdorff was sentenced to two and a
half years. A federal court overturned the decision and ordered a
retrial. On 24 June 1960, Tolsdorff was declared not guilty. The same
year, Tolsdorff was hired by the German Asphalt AG and held a position
of manager until 1969, when he took over the branch office in Dortmund.
Old Theodor Tolsdorff holding the three pictures of his award ceremonies with Adolf Hitler.
The grave of Theodor Tolsdorff at Friedhofsamt Wuppertal, Nordrhein-Westfalen.
The signature of Theodor Tolsdorff.
Source :
Agustin Vazquez photo collection
Rob Hopmans photo collection
http://www.1infanterie-division.de/hofmeisterir22album.htm
https://www.alamy.com/sep-09-1958-general-tolsdorff-again-at-the-court-the-court-of-assizas-image69354223.html
https://alchetron.com/Theodor-Tolsdorff
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2010/09/daftar-generalleutnant-heer-letnan.html
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Tolsdorff,_Theodor
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Tolsdorff
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Tolsdorff
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=theodor+tolsdorff&terms=all&author=&sc=1&sf=all&sr=topics&sk=t&sd=d&st=0&ch=300&t=0&submit=Search
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/tolsdorff-theodor-officier-lieutenant-general-germany-news-photo/543909221
https://www.lasegundaguerra.com/viewtopic.php?t=1494
https://paz.de/nachrichten/artikel/der-loewe-von-wilna-fuehrte-von-vorne.html
https://reibert.info/threads/teodor-tolsdorf.205976/
http://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=show&id=23013
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/1049/Tolsdorff-Theodor.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcMk85ZsBh0
https://web.archive.org/web/20111228125026fw_/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/T/Tolsdorff-Theodor.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/order-of-battle-and-individual-research-forum/358925-kc-winner-photos-after-the-war/page9#post6141694
https://ww2gravestone.com/people/tolsdorff-theodor-tolsdorff-the-mad/
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