Bio of General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken (1892-1980)

Friedrich Wilhelm Eduard Kasimir Dietrich von Saucken

Date of Birth: 16.05.1892 - Fischhausen, East Prussia (Germany)  
Date of Death: 27.09.1980 - Pullach, Bavaria (Germany)  

Battles and Operations: Battle of Stallupönen, Gumbinnen, Tannenberg, Verdun, Carpathian Mountains, German Spring Offensive, Hundred Days Offensive, Finnish Civil War, Invasion of Poland, Battle of France, Balkan Campaign, Operation Barbarossa, Battle of Moscow, Operation Citadel, Operation Bagration, Vistula-Oder Offensive, East Prussian Offensive  

NSDAP-Number: no information  
SS-Number: no information  
Religion: no information  
Parents: Wilhelm Eduard Hans George Erich von Saucken and Bertha Marie Westphal  
Siblings: no information  
Spouse: Elisabeth Wilhelmine Elfriede Salome Sophie von Saucken (married 27.07.1923 in Loschen)  
Children: Hans-Erich von Saucken (1924-1944), Freda von Saucken (1926), Edelgard von Saucken (1929), Karin von Saucken (1934), Eckart von Saucken (1937), Berta von Saucken (1940)

Promotions  
01.10.1910 Fahnenjunker  
19.07.1911 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier  
18.08.1911 Fähnrich  
19.06.1912 Leutnant  
18.08.1917 Oberleutnant  
01.04.1925 Rittmeister  
01.05.1934 Major  
01.10.1936 Oberstleutnant  
01.06.1939 Oberst  
01.01.1942 Generalmajor  
01.04.1943 Generalleutnant  
01.08.1944 General der Panzertruppe

Career  
01.10.1910 joined Grenadier-Regiment König Friedrich Wilhelm I. (2. Ostpreußisches) Nr. 3 in Königsberg as Fahnenjunker  
1914-1918 World War I service on Eastern Front with 1. Division (Stallupönen, Gumbinnen, Tannenberg) then Western Front (Verdun, Carpathians 1917, Spring Offensive, Hundred Days Offensive) and with Baltic Sea Division in Finnish Civil War  
1921 joined Freikorps then Reichswehr  
1927 special assignment in the Soviet Union (learned fluent Russian)  
1934 instructor at War School Hannover  
1937-01.10.1940 commander of Reiter-Regiment 2  
01.10.1940-09.12.1941 commander of Schützen-Brigade 4 of 4. Panzer-Division (France, Balkans, Barbarossa)  
27.12.1914-02.01.1942 temporary commander of 4. Panzer-Division near Moscow  
1942 commandant of Schule für Schnelle Truppen  
31.05.1943-14.01.1944 commander of 4. Panzer-Division (Kursk and defensive battles)  
late June 1944 acting commander of III. Panzer-Korps  
29.06.1944-15.10.1944 commander of XXXIX. Panzer-Korps (formed as Kampfgruppe von Saucken after Bagration, defended Berezina escape routes)  
28.09.1944-11.02.1945 commander of Panzerkorps Großdeutschland (counterattacks north of Minsk, Vistula-Oder fighting)  
12.03.1945-07.04.1945 Oberbefehlshaber of 2. Armee in East Prussia (evacuation of Danzig area)  
07.04.1945-09.05.1945 Oberbefehlshaber of Armee Ostpreußen until surrender on Hel Peninsula

Awards and Decorations  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (06.01.1942, 790. Verleihung) as Generalmajor and Führer 4. Panzer-Division / LIII. Armee-Korps / 2. Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte. Awarded for his vigorous leadership of Kampfgruppen Grolig and Lüttwitz during the winter crisis of 1941/42. On 28.12.1941 a vastly superior Soviet force broke through German lines near Blocknja, Bagrinow, Krivzowa and Chmelewaja, threatening the entire Oka position. Through fierce fighting from 29.12.1941 to 02.01.1942 Saucken personally directed counterattacks that crushed the enemy penetration and restored the front.  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub (22.08.1943, 281. Verleihung) as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division / XXXXVI. Panzer-Korps / 9. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte. Awarded for the outstanding performance of his division during Soviet Operation Kutuzov. South of Orel near Jablonowez the division took over a critical defensive sector and destroyed 62 enemy tanks in heavy fighting, preventing a Soviet breakthrough and enabling a successful German counterattack that stabilized the line.  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (31.01.1944, 46. Verleihung) as Generalleutnant and Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division / XXXXVI. Panzer-Korps / 9. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte. Awarded for the division's exceptional success in the hard defensive battles around Gomel in late 1943, where repeated Soviet attacks were repelled through skillful mobile defense and counterthrusts that inflicted heavy losses on the enemy.  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwerter und Brillanten (08.05.1945, 27. Verleihung) as General der Panzertruppe and Oberbefehlshaber Armeeoberkommando Ostpreußen. Awarded in recognition of his overall leadership and accomplishments throughout the war, with particular emphasis on his exemplary command during the final battle for East Prussia in early 1945. Despite overwhelming odds he maintained discipline, organized the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers across the Baltic, and held the Hel Peninsula until unconditional surrender, refusing personal evacuation by air.

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Dietrich von Saucken, a Prussian aristocrat and cavalry officer who embodied the old-school military tradition with his monocle and saber, rose through the ranks to become one of the most capable armored commanders of the Wehrmacht and the final recipient of the highest German decoration of World War II. Born into East Prussian nobility, he fought in both world wars with distinction, commanded panzer formations on the Eastern Front during critical defensive battles, and led his troops with a sense of honor that often set him apart from the Nazi regime he served under. His leadership in desperate situations earned him every grade of the Knight's Cross, culminating in the Diamonds on the day of Germany's surrender. After ten years in Soviet captivity he was released in 1955 and lived quietly in Pullach until his death in 1980.

Dietrich von Saucken personified the archetypal Prussian conservative officer who openly despised the Nazi brown mob and maintained traditional customs even in the Führerbunker. In March 1945, when ordered to take command of the 2. Armee, he entered Hitler's presence wearing his cavalry saber, kept his monocle in place, gave only a slight bow instead of the Nazi salute, and when told he must subordinate himself to Gauleiter Albert Forster of Danzig, he struck the marble map table with his hand and declared I have no intention, Herr Hitler, of placing myself under the orders of a Gauleiter. To the astonishment of those present Hitler backed down. As a youth Saucken showed great talent as an artist, influenced by the expressionist Künstlerkolonie Nidden on the Curonian Spit. He spoke fluent Russian after his 1927 assignment in the Soviet Union. On 9 May 1945 he refused an offer to escape by plane and chose to surrender with his troops on the Hel Peninsula. His oldest son Leutnant Hans-Erich von Saucken was killed in action in Romania in May 1944. Saucken was buried in Munich alongside his wife and son.



Source:  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/  
https://en.wikipedia.org/  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/  
https://grokipedia.com/  
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300  
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html  
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/  
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/en/  
https://www.geni.com/  
https://books.google.com/  
http://de.metapedia.org/  
Additional cross-referenced data from "Panzer Leader" by Heinz Guderian, "The Face of Courage" by Florian Berger, and various Wehrmacht officer biographical publications available via books.google.com.

Dietrich von Saucken and Herbert Otto Gille

Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (center, Kommandierender General XXXIX. Panzerkorps), confers with SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Waffen-SS Herbert Otto Gille (left, Kommandierender General IV. SS-Panzerkorps) and his chief of staff, SS-Obersturmbannführer Manfred Schönfelder (right) during the opening stages of the tank battle at Praga, 31 July 1944. The picture is Courtesy of Günther Lange Archive and was taken from the book "From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.

Source :
"From the Realm of a Dying Sun (Volume 1): IV. SS-Panzerkorps and the Battles for Warsaw, July-November 1944" by Douglas E. Nash.

Award Ceremony with Hitler for 9 Wehrmacht Officers at Berghof (25 May 1944)

Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Oberst Griesbach for his newly awarded Schwerter. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Generalmajor Baade for his newly awarded Eichenlaub. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.



Adolf Hitler (Führer und Oberster Befehlshaber der Wehrmacht) shaking hands and congratulates Major d.R. Hogrebe for his newly awarded Eichenlaub. On 25 May 1944 Hitler welcomes nine Wehrmacht officers - who just recently receives the higher grade of Ritterkreuz - in his retreat in Berghof Obersalzberg. They were, from left to right: Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division. Schwerter #46 on 31 January 1944), Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #57 on 26 March 1944), Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division. Schwerter #53 on 6 March 1944), General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps. Eichenlaub #368 on 16 January 1944), General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps. Eichenlaub #428 on 20 March 1944), Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division. Eichenlaub #402 on 22 February 1944), Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #442 on 6 April 1944), Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division. Eichenlaub #441 on 6 April 1944), and Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division. Eichenlaub #454 on 13 April 1944). The signature is belong to Von Brese-Winiary.

Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 31 January 1944 for his Division’s success against the Soviets during the hard defensive battles around Gomel in late 1943.

Generalleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Postel (Kommandeur 320. Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 26 March 1944 for the outstanding leadership of his Division during the summer of 1943 near Belgorod, in the fall of 1943 around Kharkov, and in the winter of 1943/44 near Krementschug.

Oberst Franz Griesbach (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 399 / 170.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Schwerter award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 March 1944 for his actions near Leningrad in previous January. On 17 January 1944 his Kampfgruppe destroyed 69 hostile tanks near the village of Pelellja. Later the Kampfgruppe recaptured the heights near Duderhof, which had fallen to the Soviets on 18 January 1944. Griesbach would also distinguish himself on 23 January 1944 when he lead his Kampfgruppe to success in a counterthrust at Gatschina. Ultimately his Kampfgruppe managed to prevent a Soviet breakthrough south of Leningrad, and Griesbach would be recognized appropriately for this achievement.

General der Artillerie Maximilian Fretter-Pico (Kommandierender General XXX. Armeekorps) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 16 January 1944 for flexible and determined leadership during the winter battles of 1942/1943 between the Don and the Donez, the defensive battles near Izyum in the summer of 1943 and in the prevention of enemy breakthrough attempts southwest of Dnepropetrovsk at the end of November and December of 1943. In particular, he smashed a Soviet offensive on 5 December 1943 that was launched with seven rifle divisions, a tank corps, and numerous additional tank, artillery and mortar formations. In this time, at the peak of the fighting, he made the bold decision to utilize a nocturnal attack against the broken-in Soviet forces. When the enemy again commenced a major assault on 19 December 1943 with 4-5 rifle divisions and numerous special formations, General der Artillerie Fretter-Pico prevented the enemy breakthrough right as it was about to succeed with a daring counterattack of his own. During this battle the Soviets lost 83 tanks in three days. Their additional losses in men and weapons were likewise so extraordinarily high that they were forced to suspend their attack.

General der Infanterie Friedrich Schulz (Kommandierender General III. Panzerkorps) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 20 March 1944 for his masterful leadership of III. Panzerkorps during its battles near Cherkassy in late 1943 (28 November 1943 - 1 January 1944).

Generalmajor Ernst-Günther Baade (Kommandeur 90. Panzergrenadier-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 22 February 1944 for distinguishing himself during the heavy combat in southern Italy as the commander of a Panzergrenadier-Division. It is largely to his credit that all enemy efforts to take control of the hotly contested Cassino massif have so far failed. In order to instantly adjust his decisions to the situation at the frontline, Generalmajor Baade repeatedly occupied forward command posts between the infantry and foremost Batteries with only his Ordonnanzoffizier and a few messengers. From here, and despite the heavy enemy fire, he repeatedly intervened in the combat wherever it was most necessary and thereby reinforced the will to resist of his soldiers.

Oberst Herbert Schwender (Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 April 1944 for his leadership during the defensive battles between Leningrad and Volkhov. By his actions he was able to play a major part in blocking the Soviet attempts to break through towards Tschudskoj Bor.

Oberstleutnant Heinz Wittchow von Brese-Winiary (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 108 / 14.Panzer-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 6 April 1944 for the leadership of his Kampfgruppe during the Cherkassy encirclement, where he and his men were separated from their parent division but managed to break out with other German forces encircled in the pocket.

Major der Reserve Heinrich Hogrebe (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 422 / 126.Infanterie-Division) photographed by Walter Frentz at the Berghof Obersalzberg after the Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler on 25 May 1944. The medal was formally awarded on 13 April 1944 for the outstanding achievements of his Bataillon during the defensive battles around Leningrad in January 1944, specifically around the village of Krasnoje Sselo.

Source :
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/12/foto-adolf-hitler-di-tahun-1944.html
https://www.alexautographs.com/auction-lot/heinz-wittchow-von-brese-winiary_6034D8FB3F
https://www.ebay.com/itm/145322089479
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&sr=posts&keywords=brese&t=46430&sf=msgonly&ch=-1
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/16028/Postel-Georg-Wilhelm.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/

Dietrich von Saucken in His Office

Generalleutnant Dietrich von Saucken (Kommandeur 4. Panzer-Division) at his command post on the Eastern Front in 1944. In his neck hangs the Schwerter zum Ritterkreuz which he won on January 30, 1944. This photo is one of the few that shows a Wehrmacht general wearing black panzer uniform!

 
Source :
https://www.ebay.de/itm/295156672669?hash=item44b8b5689d:g:Z9gAAOSwDpFi-N3J