Parade of German POWs in Moscow after Operation Bagration (1944)

17 July 1944, Moscow residents were shocked by the appearance of a column of Nazis in the city. “Operation Big Waltz” - this code, apparently, the unofficial name of this indicative action in the NKVD.

Its participants are generals, officers and soldiers of the German Heeresgruppe Mitte, utterly defeated in the summer of 1944, in the Belarusian strategic offensive operation Bagration. The losses of the enemy turned out to be much higher than in the “Stalingrad catastrophe”. However, the allied press expressed great doubt in such an impressive defeat of the Nazis. The information war has already gained momentum...

It was then that in the leadership of the USSR the idea was ripe to demonstrate to the world the successes of the Red Army and to carry a huge mass of German prisoners led by their beaten generals through the streets of Moscow.

“Show them to the whole world.”

In the epic “Liberation: the direction of the main attack” there is a short but apparently historical episode: Stalin, after hearing the report of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Army General Alexei Antonov (“MIC”, No. 17, 2017) about the defeat of the German troops in Belarus, in its characteristic manner, says quietly: “You take prisoners, and neither enemies nor allies believe you. Do not hide your prisoners, show them, let everyone see. "

Why was the operation called the Great Waltz? Maybe because the main element of this ballroom dance is spinning in a circle? After all, the movement of the column of prisoners of the Nazis was also planned in a large circle - along the Garden Ring ...

Whatever the case, the chief “choreographer” of an unprecedented dance was the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs of the USSR, specifically, Deputy Commissar Colonel-General A. N. Apollonov. Directly for the "waltzing" of the Germans on the streets of the capital was the responsibility of the commander of the Moscow Military District, Colonel-General P. Artemyev, the former head of the NKVD operational troops. The order on that day was ensured by the head of the Moscow Directorate of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the commissioner of the police of 2 rank V. N. Romanchenko. By his order, the capital's law enforcement officers were transferred to an enhanced duty regime. Patrol outfits from the 2 Motorized Rifle Division of the special mission of the NKVD troops under the command of Major-General V.V. Lukashev were sent to help the law enforcement officers.

Under the strict secret

At the beginning of July, in the Belarusian camps for German prisoners of war, under the strict secret, the selection of relatively healthy and able to move on foot order of the Nazi soldiers and officers began in the Belarusian camps. Under the guard of the guards from the convoy troops of the NKVD, they were concentrated at the railway stations of Bobruisk and Vitebsk. Here they began to hastily train the trains with wagon-cars, into which they loaded the bewildered prisoners and under the escort of 1944 motorized rifle and 7 convoy divisions of the NKVD troops sent to Moscow. In total, according to some estimates, it took more than a thousand cars (about 36 echelons) and not one hundred escort soldiers.

Parade of the vanquished

In the first half of July, 57 600 people, including 19 Nazi generals, were delivered to Moscow. The prisoners were concentrated on the Moscow hippodrome field and at the Dynamo stadium. These territories were cordoned off by guards from the 36 Division of the NKVD escort troops under the command of Colonel I. I. Shevlyakov. But several thousand "special contingent", according to the memoirs of a participant in the operation, lieutenant colonel of the police in retirement V. D. Vasilenko, for some reason, placed on the exit field of their cavalry regiment of the division named after F. Dzerzhinsky. Years later, the veteran, meeting with young Dzerzhinsky warriors, said: “On the field there were loudspeakers, transmitting news from the fronts. When the announcer spoke about the next city repulsed from the enemy, the Fritz shouted: “Hurray!”. They rejoiced that, being in captivity, they saved their lives ”...

"So you got to Moscow"

Early in the morning of July 17, all prisoners were divided into two unequal groups and people were built into the 20 convoy along the front: the first — about 42 thousands — must proceed along Gorky Street, then clockwise along the Garden Ring to the Kursk railway station. The second route - 15 of thousands of people - also ran along Gorky Street, and further along Sadovoi, but counterclockwise, to the station Kanatchikovo District Railway.

At the head of the first column were 19 broken German military leaders in uniforms and with orders left to them under the terms of surrender. Among them, Hitler's "favorite" is the commander of the 78 Sturm-Division, Generalleutnant Hans Traut (in the newsreel he is with an image cane in his hand). In the German army, he was told about him as a “master of defense,” for which he was dubbed the “iron general.” He himself boastfully declared: “While I am under Orsha, Germany can be calm!” I didn't live up to my promises ...

Next to him were two infantry generals - the commanders of the 27th and 53rd army corps Paul Völckers and Friedrich Gollwittser, and also the acting commander of the 4th army, Generalleutnant Vincenz Muller. Following the "bloody commandants" of the cities: Mogilev - Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmansdorf and successively Orel, Bryansk, Bobruisk - Generalmajor Adolf Hamann. Once groomed and self-confident generals were quietly talking, they didn’t look around. Some people sometimes cast indifferent glances at Muscovites, pretending that they were not mentally broken by captivity. Colonels stomped on the generals, then a huge number of officers descending in ranks. Then came the gray mass of soldiers in frayed uniforms. For many, cans used to eat food instead of pots were rattled over their shoulders on ropes. The soldiers, unlike the top ranks of the Wehrmacht, looked at the Muscovites with curiosity, looked in surprise at the beautiful buildings towering along the streets: after all, they repeated so much that after the raids “valiant” aviation Goering "the Bolshevik capital lies in ruins."

On both sides, the convoy was accompanied by riders of the Cavalry Regiment of the F. Dzerzhinsky division with naked swords, soldiers of the 236 regiment of the NKVD convoy troops and outfits from other parts of the internal troops with rifles at the ready with bayonets. The entire convoy service was led by an experienced colonel Shevlyakov in such matters, who was ordered not to allow acts of violence to the captives by the population.

The once brave legionnaires, having marched past Europe almost solemnly, now represented a pitiful sight. “So you got to Moscow!” - rushed from the crowd of citizens who filled the sidewalks to see with their own eyes the Nazi warriors who dreamed of entering the Soviet capital as winners.

Fair retribution

The “parade of the vanquished” was completed by seven o'clock in the evening. After that, all the prisoners were again placed in wagons and guarded by the guards from the NKVD convoy troops were taken to camps, where for several years they were engaged in the restoration of the national economy of the country, which they intended to wipe off the face of the earth. The generals under special guard were sent to the cells of the Butyrskaya and Lefortovo prisons. There they were waited for interrogations in Lubyanka, the investigation and the court ...

It was noted that the entire event passed without incident, only four German soldiers had to provide medical assistance. USSR People's Commissar of Internal Affairs Lavrenti Beria in a written report to the State Defense Committee reported that during the passage of columns of prisoners of war the population behaved in an organized manner, there were no accidents in the city, however during the march from the population there were a large number of shouts: “Death to Hitler!” And "Death to fascism!"

What happened to the above mentioned beaten German commanders? Hamann and Erdmannsdorf for their bloody crimes suffered a well-deserved punishment - the military tribunal sentenced them to death. Traut was given 25 years of imprisonment. But in October, the 1952 th war criminal was suddenly released and sent to the Fatherland, where he lived safely in the family's neighborhood and died only in December of the 1974 th at home - in Darmstadt.

Gollwitz got his quarter. However, he served only about 10 years. All in all, by the year 1955 they released about a dozen Hitler generals captured in Belarus and handed them over to the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany. And the infantry general Paul Völckers died in 1946 in a high-ranking prisoner camp near Vladimir, which cannot be called a camp — the former rest home under guard from the NKVD troops.

The fate of Vincenz Müller, who from the moment of his captivity began to actively participate in anti-fascist activities, turned out to be quite strange. Already in 1947, he returned to Germany, later the GDR, was the first chief of the General Staff of the National People’s Army. But by the end of 50's, there was evidence of his involvement in the massacres of Jews and executions of Soviet prisoners of war, as a result of which Müller ended up in a hospital diagnosed with schizophrenia. In May, 1961 th he jumped out of the balcony of his own house in a suburb of Berlin, crashed to death...

To whom the resignation, and to whom the nuclear project

The fate of the Soviet generals who conducted the Great Waltz also took shape in different ways. Colonel-General Apollo, who took the post of Deputy Minister of State Security (USSR Ministry of State Security) for the management of troops, at the end of 1953 in his only 46 was retired. He died in 1978 year, was buried in Moscow at Kuntsevo Cemetery.

After the death of Stalin, the commander of the Moscow Military District troops, Colonel-General Artemyev, was demoted and sent away from the capital by the deputy commander of the Urals Military District. Since 1960-th was retired. He died in 1979 year, rested at the Novodevichy cemetery.

The main escort of the “parade of the vanquished” Shevlyakov at the end of 1944 was awarded the rank of major general. After the war, he was involved in the implementation of the "atomic project", because of which his biography was covered with a dense veil of secrecy. It is only known that in 1948 – 1960, the general headed the Main Directorate of military construction units, who built secret objects on which the “nuclear missile shield” of the Motherland was forged.

In the foyer of the Central Management Club of the Russian National Guard troops (during the war years, the headquarters of the 36 Division of the NKVD convoy troops were located here) a painting canvas entitled “German convoy in Moscow” was displayed. He painted the picture in 1947 from memory and from photographs by famous artist Irakly Toidze (the author of the poster “Motherland Calls!”) And presented to the commander of the convoy unit Major General Shevlyakov, with whom he was on friendly terms. Now, this work reminds young soldiers and officers of the Rosguard about the participation of law enforcement troops in a unique event of the Great Patriotic ...

At least 19 Wehrmacht generals and 6 Oberst/Oberstleutnant were paraded along the main road of Moscow, especially Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring). They were as follow:

1. Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (12. Infanterie-Division)
2. Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (73. Infanterie-Division)
3. Generalmajor Joachim Engel (45. Infanterie-Division)
4. Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev)
5. Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (707. Infanterie-Division)
6. General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (LIII. Armeekorps)
7. Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk)
8. Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (6. Infanterie-Division)
9. Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (206. Infanterie-Division)
10. Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (XXXXI. Panzerkorps)
11. Generalmajor Günther Klammt (260. Infanterie-Division)
12. Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (XXXV. Armeekorps)
13. Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (95. Infanterie-Division)
14. Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (XII. Armeekorps)
15. Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10/9. Armee)
16. Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle”)
17. Generalleutnant Hans Traut (78. Sturm-Division)
18. Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (57. Infanterie-Division)
19. General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (XXVII. Armeekorps)

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.unknown, 3.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 4.unknown, 5.unknown, 6.Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), 7.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee), and 8.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), 3.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee), and 4.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev). The DKiGträger (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold holder) between Klammt and Michaelis is possibly Oberst im Generalstab Hans Schmidt (Chef des Generalstabes LIII. Armeekorps).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 4..Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), and 4.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), 2.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), 3.General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), 4.Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), 5.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 6.Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle”), 7.General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps), 7a.Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), 8.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 9.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps), and 10.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 2.Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division), 3.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 4.Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division), 5.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 6.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 7.Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), 8.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev), and 9.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.3.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 3.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 4.Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), 5.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev), and 6.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee).



From left to right: Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division) and Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev). This picture was taken during the parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital.


Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station.
First row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), and General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).
Second row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (Kommandeur 206. Infanterie-Division), and Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps)
Third row, from left to right: Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle”), Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (Kommandierender General XXXXI. Panzerkorps), Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), and Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division)
Fourth row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), and Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev)
Fifth row, from left to right: Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), and Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee)
Sixth row consist of four Oberst / Oberstleutnant: Oberst Theodor "Theo" Preu (Führer 197. Infanterie-Division) and Oberst im Generalstab Hans Schmidt (Chef des Generalstabes LIII. Armeekorps), Lippmann and Eckert.

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 3.Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division), 4.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), 5.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 6.Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), 6a.Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), 7.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev), 8.Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), 9.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps), 10.General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), and 11.General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade starting point at Begovaya railway station. From left to right: 1.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 2.Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division), 3.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), 4.Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (Kommandierender General XXXXI. Panzerkorps), 5.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 6.Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), 7.Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), 8.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev), 9.Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (Kommandeur 206. Infanterie-Division), 10.Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), 11.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps), 12.General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), and 13.General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. This photo shows the parade passing Begovaya Alley. The Nazis are led from the Hippodrome to Leningradsky Prospekt to the “promenade”. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 3.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), 4.Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division), 5.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), 6. Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee), 7.Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), 8.Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), 9.Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (Kommandeur 206. Infanterie-Division), 10.Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), 11.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps), 12.General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), and 13.General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital.
First row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps), General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII. Armeekorps), and General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).
Second row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (Kommandeur 206. Infanterie-Division), and Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps)
Third row, from left to right: Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle”), Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (Kommandierender General XXXXI. Panzerkorps), Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), and Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division)
Fourth row, from left to right: Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), and Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev)
Fifth row, from left to right: Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division), Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division), and Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee)
Sixth row consist of four Oberst / Oberstleutnant: Oberst Theodor "Theo" Preu (Führer 197. Infanterie-Division) and Oberst im Generalstab Hans Schmidt (Chef des Generalstabes LIII. Armeekorps), Lippmann and Eckert.

Parade of high ranking Wehrmacht officers captured by the Red Army during Operation Bagration (also known as "Parade of the Vanquished" or "Operation Big Waltz"), which was held on the streets of Moscow on Monday, 17 July 1944. Approximately 57,000 German soldiers and officers from Heeresgruppe Mitte (most of whom were captured by Soviet troops from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts) were ordered to march through the Sadovoye Koltso (Garden Ring) and other main streets of the Soviet capital. From left to right: 1.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division), 2.Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk), 3.Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle”), 4.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee), 5.Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division), 6.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division), 7.Generalleutnant Edmund Hoffmeister (Kommandierender General XXXXI. Panzerkorps), 8.Generalmajor Gustav Gihr (Kommandeur 707. Infanterie-Division), 9.Generalleutnant Hermann Böhme (Kommandeur 73. Infanterie-Division), 10.Generalleutnant Walter Heyne (Kommandeur 6. Infanterie-Division), 11.Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division), 12.Generalleutnant Alfons Hitter (Kommandeur 206. Infanterie-Division), and 13.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps).



General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII.Armeekorps).

General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps).

Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps).

Generalleutnant Adolf Hamann (Kommandant Festung Bobruisk).

Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandant Festung Mogilev).



Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division).



Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division).



Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10).

20 German generals of Heeresgruppe Mitte captured during Operation Bagration (June-August 1944).

Source :
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-moscow-victory-parade-july-1944-german-officers-who-formed-part-of-79482437.html
https://albumwar2.com/german-generals-are-preparing-for-the-parade-in-moscow/
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2017/11/foto-operasi-bagration.html
https://www.blavatnikarchive.org/item/8538?page=1
https://en.topwar.ru/120403-parad-pobezhdennyh.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parade_of_the_Vanquished
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=56615&hilit=j%C3%BCrgen+von+l%C3%BCtzow
https://live.warthunder.com/feed/images/
https://pastvu.com/p/157193?hl=comments
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/german-prisoners-parade-moscow-1944/
https://www.reenactor.ru/index.php?showtopic=96334
https://tsar-ivan.livejournal.com/17322.html

Bio of General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (1889-1977)

 

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1000 L07)

General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer
Born: 27 Apr 1889 in Bullenheim, District Kitzingen, Lower Franconia (Unterfranken)
Died: 25 Mar 1977 in Amberg

Promotions:
Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (01 Nov 1908); Fähnrich (12 Mar 1909); Leutnant (23 Oct 1910); Oberleutnant (01 Jun 1915); Hauptmann (18 Aug 1918); Major (01 Mar 1930); Oberstleutnant (01 Apr 1934); Oberst (01 Jan 1936); Generalmajor (01 Oct 1939); Generalleutnant (01 Oct 1941); General der Infanterie (20 Jan 1944)

Career:
Entered Army Service (01 Aug 1908)
Fahnenjunker in the 13th Bavarian Infantry-Regiment (01 Aug 1908-28 May 1913)
Detached to the War School in Munich (01 Oct 1909-31 Aug 1910)
Detached to the Military Firing School (01 Sep 1910-14 Oct 1910)
Transferred into the 3rd Bavarian Pioneer-Battalion (28 May 1913-02 Aug 1914)
Adjutant of the Replacement-Battalion of the 3rd Bavarian Pioneer-Battalion (02 Aug 1914-18 Jan 1915)
In the Field as Adjutant of the 2nd Bavarian Reserve-Pioneer-Battalion (18 Jan 1915-27 Dec 1915)
Transferred into the Bavarian Mortar-Replacement-Detachment (27 Dec 1915-01 Mar 1916)
Detached to Officer-Training-Course at the Mortar-School in Munich (27 Dec 1915-25 Jan 1916)
In the Field as Leader of the 100th Light Bavarian Mortar-Company (01 Mar 1916-26 Apr 1917)
Detached as Instructor to the 4th Officer-Aspirant-Course with the Replacement-Battalion of the 1st Bavarian Pioneer-Battalion (05 Oct 1916-03 Dec 1916)
Transferred into the Light Bavarian Mortar-Replacement-Battalion and Detached as Advisor for Mortar Affairs to the Deputy Bavarian Pioneer Inspection (26 Apr 1917-07 May 1917)
Adjutant of the Bavarian Inspection of Mortar-Replacement-Troops (07 May 1917-08 Jun 1918)
Transferred to the Staff of the Bavarian General Of Pioneers 6 (08 Jun 1918-14 Nov 1918)
Detached as Ordinance-Officer to the Senior-Quartermaster-Staff of Army-High-Command 6 (14 Nov 1918-22 Dec 1918)
Transferred to the 1st Bavarian Pioneer-Replacement-Battalion (22 Dec 1918-23 Dec 1918)
Company-Leader in the 3rd Bavarian Pioneer-Battalion (23 Dec 1918-07 Mar 1919)
Advisor for Security-Service with the Staff of Fortress-Commander Ingolstadt (07 Mar 1919-03 Jun 1919)
Battery-Leader of the 24th Reichswehr-Mortar-Battery (03 Jun 1919-14 May 1920)
Detached as Firing-Instructor to Sniper-Training of the 47th and 48th Mortar-Companies on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds at Grafenwöhr (01 Nov 1919-12 Nov 1919)
Detached to Training-Course for Company-Chiefs in Mortar-Service on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds at Königsbrück (14 Jan 1920-03 Feb 1920)
Detached as a Member of the Regulations-Committee for Mortar-Service on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds at Königsbrück (25 Feb 1920-28 Feb 1920)
Chief of the Mortar-Company of the 48th Reichswehr-Infantry-Regiment (14 May 1920-01 Jan 1921)
Detached as Company-Chief to the Watch-Regiment Berlin (01 Dec 1920-28 Feb 1921)
Chief of the Mortar-Company of the 20th Infantry-Regiment (01 Jan 1921-01 Jan 1926)
Was Detached with his Company to Detachment Leupold for the suppression of unrests in Central Germany (28 Mar 1921-11 Apr 1921)
Detached to Training-Course for Company Chiefs for Mortar and MG on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds at Döberitz (27 Sep 1921-12 Nov 1921)
Detached to Transport and Equipment Course with the 7th Transport-Battalion (22 Sep 1924-04 Nov 1924)
Transferred into the 19th Infantry-Regiment – Service with Infantry-Leader VII (01 Jan 1926-01 Oct 1928)
Detached to Battle-School-Course in Döberitz (01 Oct 1926-16 Nov 1926)
Detached to Gas-Protection-Course in Berlin (27 Mar 1927-03 Apr 1927)
Transferred into the Staff of Infantry-Leader VII (01 Oct 1928-15 Mar 1929)
Detached to Battle-School-Course in Döberitz (07 Oct 1928-01 Nov 1928)
Detached to the Command-Office Berlin, Assigned with the Training-Staff of Infantry with the Inspection of Infantry, RWM (15 Mar 1929-01 Feb 1932)
Commander of the Training-Battalion of the 20th Infantry-Regiment (01 Feb 1932-01 Oct 1934)
Commander of the I. Battalion of the Infantry-Regiment Amberg (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the 41st Infantry-Regiment (15 Oct 1935-29 Nov 1939)
Commander of Division 193 (29 Nov 1939-21 Dec 1939)
Commander of Division 193 (21 Dec 1939-02 Feb 1940)
Commander of the 88th Infantry-Division (02 Feb 1940-19 Oct 1942)
Granted Leave (19 Oct 1942-13 Dec 1942)
Commander of the 88th Infantry-Division (13 Dec 1942-10 Mar 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKH (10 Mar 1943-22 Jun 1943)
Delegated with the Temporary-Leadership of LIII. Army-Corps (22 Jun 1943-05 Aug 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of LIII. Army-Corps (05 Aug 1943-01 Dec 1943)
Commanding General of LIII. Army-Corps (01 Dec 1943-28 Jun 1944)
Captured by Soviets near Vitebsk, in Soviet captivity (26 Jun 1944-06 Oct 1955)
Released (06 Oct 1955)

Awards & Decorations:
- Ritterkreuz: am 08.02.1943 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der 88. Infanterie-Division
- Deutches Kreuz in Gold: am 25.01.1943 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur der 88. Infanterie-Division
- 1914 EK I: 17.10.1916
- 1914 EK II: 12.03.1915
- k.u.k. Österr Bronzene Inhaber-Jubiläums-Medaille für Ausländer: 02.12.1908
- Kgl. Bayer. Prinz-Regent-Luitpold Jubiläums-Medaille: 03.03.1911
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern: 29.04.1915
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer: 01.02.1935
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klass: 21.10.1936
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13.03.1938
- Spange zum EK I
- Spange zum EK II
- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942”

 

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1000 L04)

 

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1000 L09)

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1000 L10)

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1000 L15)

 

Archives ECPAD (PK697 F1001 L02)

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2020/03/foto-tokoh-third-reich-di-ruang-kerja.html
https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2499334.m570.l1313&_nkw=gollwitzer&_sacat=15504
http://www.oocities.org/~orion47/WEHRMACHT/HEER/General/GOLLWITZER_FRIEDRICH.html

German Generals Member of Anti-Nazi BDO - NKFD

 

8 December 8th 1944: Co-signer of the appeal 'To the people and the Wehrmacht' of the Bundes Deutscher Offiziere (BDO, Federation of German Officers) in the National Committee "Freies Deutschland" (NKFD, Free Germany). It was a German anti-Nazi organization that operated in the Soviet Union during World War II, with members mostly came from German officers and generals in captivity. The identification (with their last rank and position) as follow:

1.Generalleutnant Vincenz Müller (Kommandierender General XII. Armeekorps)
2.Generalmajor Joachim Engel (Kommandeur 45. Infanterie-Division)
3.Generalleutnant Hans Traut (Kommandeur 78. Sturm-Division)
4.Generalmajor Günther Klammt (Kommandeur 260. Infanterie-Division)
5.Generalmajor Alexander Conrady (Kommandeur 36. Infanterie-Division)
6.Generalmajor Herbert Michaelis (Kommandeur 95. Infanterie-Division)
7.Generalmajor Friedrich-Carl von Steinkeller (Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Division "Feldherrnhalle")
8.Generalmajor Gottfried von Erdmannsdorff (Kommandeur "Festung Mogilev")
9.General der Infanterie Friedrich Gollwitzer (Kommandierender General LIII. Armeekorps)
10.Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler (Kommandeur 12. Infanterie-Division)
11.Generalmajor Claus Mueller-Bülow (Kommandeur 246. Infanterie-Division)
12.Generalmajor Adolf Trowitz (Kommandeur 57. Infanterie-Division)
13.Generalmajor Aurel Schmidt (Höherer Pionierführer 10 / 9.Armee)
14.General der Infanterie Paul Völckers (Kommandierender General XXVII.Armeekorps)
15.Generalleutnant Kurt-Jürgen Freiherr von Lützow (Kommandierender General XXXV. Armeekorps)

Source :
Photo and ID courtesy of Graveland
https://en.topwar.ru/171615-svobodnaja-germanija-gitlerovcy-protiv-fjurera.html