Rudolf Sieckenius
Encyclopedia
Generalmajor
Rudolf Sieckenius (16 May 1896. – 28 April 1945) was a German soldier, most famous for his command of 16 Panzer Division during Operation Avalanche (Salerno Landings)
in September 1943. Despite his widely acknowledged success, which almost resulted in the Allies being pushed back into the sea, Sieckenius was made a scapegoat
by Hitler and sidelined until his death during the Battle of Berlin
, when he commanded a reserve division
(391 Sicherungs Division).
in Poland
) in Schlesien (Silesia
) on 16 May 1896, the son of successful businessman, Alexander Sieckenius. The young Rudolf studied accounting, maths and French at school, with a view to following his father into business. He had eight siblings, four brothers and four sisters. Rudolf Sieckenius had just turned eighteen when Archduke Ferdinand
was assassinated.
.
), where he served with distinction for fourteen years. In 1934 he readily accepted an invitation to transfer back to the Army, as Hitler rearmed Germany, joining the 11th Cavalry Regiment in Breslau, and subsequently the 11th Cavalry Regiment in Stuttgart
. On creation of the Panzer Regiments in late 1935, Sieckenius transferred into the panzer branch and was appointed a company commander in 2nd Panzer Regiment (which he was later to command at Stalingrad) based in Weimar
, where he spent a year. After a further year as ADC/Orderly Officer to Kommandeur 1 Panzer Division, Generalmajor Maximilian von Weichs
, Sieckenius was appointed to command the first battalion of 15th Panzer Regiment at Oppeln. After a falling out with the regimental commander, Oberstleutnant Streich, in January 1939 Sieckenius was transferred to command of the 66th Panzer Battalion (2nd Light Division).
), with Sieckenius’ battalion renaming as the III Battalion (Abteilung) of the 25th Panzer Regiment. As the Commander of this battalion, Sieckenius took part in the Battle of France
, with his battalion reputed to be the only one able to keep up with the Divisional commander. The battalion remained in France until February 1941. In February 1941 the battalion returned to Gera
in Germany, where Sieckenius remained, refitting, until reappointed to 16 Panzer Division in April. He joined the Division in Bucharest
, where he took over command of the 2nd Panzer Regiment, in which he had served as a company commander between the wars (Oct 1935 – Oct 1936). On assuming command the Regiment moved immediately to the Bug River
, its start line for Operation Barbarossa
.
immediately behind the 11th Panzer Division in the area of Sokal
(in Poland
in 1941, now in Ukraine
), as part of the First Panzer Group (von Kleist
) in von Rundstedt’s
Army Group South
. The First Panzer Group drove its armoured spearhead of 600 tanks right through the Soviet 6th Army with the objective of capturing Brody
. On 26 June five Soviet mechanized corps with over 1,000 tanks mounted a counter-attack on the First Panzer Group. The Battle of Brody/Rovno
was among the fiercest of the invasion lasting over four days; in the end the Germans prevailed, though the Soviets inflicted heavy losses on the First Panzer Group, and themselves suffered huge tank losses – up to 243 reported to have been destroyed by Sieckenius’ 2 Panzer Regiment, in what was the world’s largest tank battle before the Battle of Kursk
. For this action Sieckenius was awarded the coveted Knight’s Cross
. The Panzer Group moved quickly on, linking up with the 17th Field Army to encircle Uman
and capturing 20 Soviet divisions and over 100,000 men, including two Army commanders, four corps commanders and eleven divisional commanders. Further swift advances were made, with Kiev
being encircled on 16 September 1941 when Guderian’s
XXIV Corps linked up with the First Panzer Group at Lokhvitsa
, 120 miles east of Kiev
. A further 450,000 soviet prisoners were taken, and four armies had ceased to exist. Complete breakthrough had now been achieved in the southern sector. Having been delayed by the Battle of Kiev
, Hitler now focused his effort on Moscow (Operation Typhoon), to where the attention of Army Groups North and Centre were switched. Meanwhile in the south 16 Panzer Division, still under the First Panzer Group, advanced from Kiev
, and encircled Soviet troops at Melitopol
in October, then attacked east along the shore of the Sea of Azov
toward Rostov
at the mouth of the River Don
- the gateway to the Caucasus
. Although slowed by rains and Soviet defence, the Panzer Group reached Rostov on 17 November 1941, capturing the city (Battle of Rostov
) four days later. A Russian counter-offensive on 27 November recaptured the city and pushed the Germans back to Taganrog
, the first German reversal of the Eastern Front.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Rudolf Sieckenius (16 May 1896. – 28 April 1945) was a German soldier, most famous for his command of 16 Panzer Division during Operation Avalanche (Salerno Landings)
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
in September 1943. Despite his widely acknowledged success, which almost resulted in the Allies being pushed back into the sea, Sieckenius was made a scapegoat
Scapegoat
Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any party for unmerited negative treatment or blame. Scapegoating may be conducted by individuals against individuals , individuals against groups , groups against individuals , and groups against groups Scapegoating is the practice of singling out any...
by Hitler and sidelined until his death during the Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
, when he commanded a reserve division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
(391 Sicherungs Division).
Early Life
Sieckenius was born in Ludwigsthal (now ProczkiProczki
Proczki is a settlement in the administrative district of Gmina Zabór, within Zielona Góra County, Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland. It lies approximately south-east of Zabór and east of Zielona Góra.The settlement has a population of 21....
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) in Schlesien (Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
) on 16 May 1896, the son of successful businessman, Alexander Sieckenius. The young Rudolf studied accounting, maths and French at school, with a view to following his father into business. He had eight siblings, four brothers and four sisters. Rudolf Sieckenius had just turned eighteen when Archduke Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
was assassinated.
World War I
Sieckenius joined up immediately at the outbreak of war, enlisting in the 5th Foot Artillery Regiment of the 9th Silesian Infantry Division, during which time he took part in the Invasion of Lorraine and then spent the best part of two years in the Cotes de Meuse. Sieckenius, meanwhile, transferred to the cavalry and began officer training. On graduation in December 1916, however, he returned to the infantry, who were short of officers. Sieckenius was commissioned as a platoon commander in the 154th Infantry Regiment, where he served in a number of well-known actions between then and the end of the war. He was discharged from the Army on 20 October 1919, from where he returned to his family home in SilesiaSilesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
.
The Inter-War Years
On 29 April 1920 Sieckenius joined the local Silesian police (LandespolizeiLandespolizei
thumb|[[Germany|German]] police officer in [[Hamburg]]The Landespolizei are the main police forces of Germany. They are under the sole jurisdiction, funded and operated by the states of Germany.-History:...
), where he served with distinction for fourteen years. In 1934 he readily accepted an invitation to transfer back to the Army, as Hitler rearmed Germany, joining the 11th Cavalry Regiment in Breslau, and subsequently the 11th Cavalry Regiment in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
. On creation of the Panzer Regiments in late 1935, Sieckenius transferred into the panzer branch and was appointed a company commander in 2nd Panzer Regiment (which he was later to command at Stalingrad) based in Weimar
Weimar
Weimar is a city in Germany famous for its cultural heritage. It is located in the federal state of Thuringia , north of the Thüringer Wald, east of Erfurt, and southwest of Halle and Leipzig. Its current population is approximately 65,000. The oldest record of the city dates from the year 899...
, where he spent a year. After a further year as ADC/Orderly Officer to Kommandeur 1 Panzer Division, Generalmajor Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian von Weichs
Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon was a German Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
, Sieckenius was appointed to command the first battalion of 15th Panzer Regiment at Oppeln. After a falling out with the regimental commander, Oberstleutnant Streich, in January 1939 Sieckenius was transferred to command of the 66th Panzer Battalion (2nd Light Division).
Poland and France
Sieckenius took part in the Invasion of Poland with his battalion, focused in the south of the country. The invasion was over very quickly and on return, as a result of lessons identified in Poland , the 2nd Light Division converted to the 7th Panzer Division (Generalmajor Erwin RommelErwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
), with Sieckenius’ battalion renaming as the III Battalion (Abteilung) of the 25th Panzer Regiment. As the Commander of this battalion, Sieckenius took part in the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, with his battalion reputed to be the only one able to keep up with the Divisional commander. The battalion remained in France until February 1941. In February 1941 the battalion returned to Gera
Gera
Gera, the third-largest city in the German state of Thuringia , lies in east Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster, approximately 60 kilometres to the south of the city of Leipzig and 80 kilometres to the east of Erfurt...
in Germany, where Sieckenius remained, refitting, until reappointed to 16 Panzer Division in April. He joined the Division in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, where he took over command of the 2nd Panzer Regiment, in which he had served as a company commander between the wars (Oct 1935 – Oct 1936). On assuming command the Regiment moved immediately to the Bug River
Bug River
The Bug River is a left tributary of the Narew river flows from central Ukraine to the west, passing along the Ukraine-Polish and Polish-Belarusian border and into Poland, where it empties into the Narew river near Serock. The part between the lake and the Vistula River is sometimes referred to as...
, its start line for Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
.
Invasion
The 16th Panzer Division crossed the River BugBug River
The Bug River is a left tributary of the Narew river flows from central Ukraine to the west, passing along the Ukraine-Polish and Polish-Belarusian border and into Poland, where it empties into the Narew river near Serock. The part between the lake and the Vistula River is sometimes referred to as...
immediately behind the 11th Panzer Division in the area of Sokal
Sokal
Sokal is a town located on the banks of the Bug River in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Sokal Raion , the city itself also ranks as a separate raion within the oblast.- History :...
(in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in 1941, now in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
), as part of the First Panzer Group (von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist
Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist was a leading German field marshal during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
) in von Rundstedt’s
Gerd von Rundstedt
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war....
Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
. The First Panzer Group drove its armoured spearhead of 600 tanks right through the Soviet 6th Army with the objective of capturing Brody
Brody
Brody is a city in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Brody Raion , and is located in the valley of the upper Styr River, approximately 90 kilometres northeast of the oblast capital, Lviv...
. On 26 June five Soviet mechanized corps with over 1,000 tanks mounted a counter-attack on the First Panzer Group. The Battle of Brody/Rovno
Battle of Brody (1941)
The Battle of Brody was a tank battle fought between the Panzer Group 1's IIIrd, XLVIII Army Corps and five Soviet Mechanized Corps of the Soviet 5th Army and 6th Army in the triangle formed by the towns Dubno, Lutsk and Brody in Ukraine between 23...
was among the fiercest of the invasion lasting over four days; in the end the Germans prevailed, though the Soviets inflicted heavy losses on the First Panzer Group, and themselves suffered huge tank losses – up to 243 reported to have been destroyed by Sieckenius’ 2 Panzer Regiment, in what was the world’s largest tank battle before the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
. For this action Sieckenius was awarded the coveted Knight’s Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Panzer Group moved quickly on, linking up with the 17th Field Army to encircle Uman
Battle of Uman
The Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
and capturing 20 Soviet divisions and over 100,000 men, including two Army commanders, four corps commanders and eleven divisional commanders. Further swift advances were made, with Kiev
Battle of Kiev (1941)
The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
being encircled on 16 September 1941 when Guderian’s
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
XXIV Corps linked up with the First Panzer Group at Lokhvitsa
Lokhvytsia
Lokhvytsia is a city in the Poltava Oblast of central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Lokhvytskyi Raion , and is located on the banks of Lokhvytsia River.The current estimated population is around 21,400 ....
, 120 miles east of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. A further 450,000 soviet prisoners were taken, and four armies had ceased to exist. Complete breakthrough had now been achieved in the southern sector. Having been delayed by the Battle of Kiev
Battle of Kiev (1941)
The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
, Hitler now focused his effort on Moscow (Operation Typhoon), to where the attention of Army Groups North and Centre were switched. Meanwhile in the south 16 Panzer Division, still under the First Panzer Group, advanced from Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, and encircled Soviet troops at Melitopol
Melitopol
Melitopol is a city in the Zaporizhia Oblast of the southeastern Ukraine. It is situated on the Molochna River that flows through the eastern edge of the city and into the Molochnyi Liman, which eventually joins the Sea of Azov....
in October, then attacked east along the shore of the Sea of Azov
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov , known in Classical Antiquity as Lake Maeotis, is a sea on the south of Eastern Europe. It is linked by the narrow Strait of Kerch to the Black Sea to the south and is bounded on the north by Ukraine mainland, on the east by Russia, and on the west by the Ukraine's Crimean...
toward Rostov
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
at the mouth of the River Don
Don River (Russia)
The Don River is one of the major rivers of Russia. It rises in the town of Novomoskovsk 60 kilometres southeast from Tula, southeast of Moscow, and flows for a distance of about 1,950 kilometres to the Sea of Azov....
- the gateway to the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
. Although slowed by rains and Soviet defence, the Panzer Group reached Rostov on 17 November 1941, capturing the city (Battle of Rostov
Battle of Rostov (1941)
The article is about the German Army Group South Sea of Azov Offensive Operation commanded by General Gerd von Rundstedt, the Soviet Rostov Defensive Operation by the Southern Front commanded by General-Colonel Yakov Cherevichenko, and the Rostov Offensive Operation executed by the...
) four days later. A Russian counter-offensive on 27 November recaptured the city and pushed the Germans back to Taganrog
Taganrog
Taganrog is a seaport city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, located on the north shore of Taganrog Bay , several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: -History of Taganrog:...
, the first German reversal of the Eastern Front.
Ranks & Promotions
- 22 August 1914 – GefreiterGefreiterGefreiter is the German, Swiss and Austrian equivalent for the military rank Private . Gefreiter was the lowest rank to which an ordinary soldier could be promoted. As a military rank it has existed since at least the 16th century...
(Private) - 27 December 1916 – Leutnant (Second Lieutenant)
- 29 April 1920 – Leutnant (Polizei) (Second Lieutenant of Police)
- 1923 – First Lieutenant (of Police)
- 1928 – Captain (of Police)
- 27 May 1934 – RittmeisterRittmeisterRotamaster was the military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in charge of a squadron , the equivalent of O3 or Captain, in the German-speaking armies, Austro-Hungarian, Polish-Lithuanian, Russian and some other states.The exact name of this rank maintains a variety of spellings in different...
(Captain of Cavalry) - 1 March 1936 – MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
- 1 October 1939 – OberstleutnantOberstleutnantOberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
(Lieutenant Colonel) - 1 February 1942 – OberstOberstOberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(Colonel) - 1 June 1943 – GeneralmajorGeneral (Germany)General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
(Major General)
WW1
- 22 August 1914 – 5th Foot Artillery Regiment of 9th (Silesian) Infantry Division (as Private soldier)
- September – December 1916 – Officer training
- 27 December 1916 – Platoon Commander, 154 Infantry Regiment (9th Infantry Division)
- November 1917 – Battalion Adjutant, 154 Infantry Regiment
- 20 October 1919 – discharged from Army
Nazi Period
- 27 May 1934 – rejoined Army - I Sqn, 11th Reiter (Cavalry) Regiment
- 1 April 1935 – Chief Staff Officer, 7th Reiter (Cavalry) Regiment
- October 1935 – Kommandeur, 6 Panzer Company of 2 Panzer Regiment
- 6 October 1936 – Orderly Officer to 1 Panzer Division
- October 1937 – Kommandeur, I Battalion of 15 Panzer Regiment (Abt I/15 Pz Reg)
- 10 November 1938 – Kommandeur, 66 Panzer Battalion (Pz Abwehr Abt 66) of 2 Light Division
- October 1939 – Kommandeur, 3 Battalion/25 Panzer Regiment (Abt III/25 Pz Reg) (same battalion, re-named; 2 Light Division became 7 Panzer Division)
- 1 May 1941 – Kommandeur, 2 Panzer Regiment (Pz Reg 2) of 16 Panzer Division
- Jan 1943 – Wounded, medical treatment in Germany
- 5 March 1943 – Kommandeur, 16 Panzer Division (relieved of command 1 November 1943)
- 21 May 1944 – Kommandeur, 263 Infantry Division
- 1 October 1944 – Kommandeur, 391 Sicherungs Division
Campaigns & Battles
- 1914-1918 Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
- Battle of LorraineBattle of LorraineThe Battle of Lorraine was a battle of World War I fought in August 1914 between France and Germany. This followed Plan XVII, which proposed a French offensive through Lorraine and Alsace, and into Germany itself.- French Offensive :...
(August 1914) - Cotes de MeuseMeuseMeuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
(September 1914 – September 1916, February – April 1917) - California Plateau (May – September 1917)
- Second Battle of the AisneSecond Battle of the AisneThe Second Battle of the Aisne , was the massive main assault of the French military's Nivelle Offensive or Chemin des Dames Offensive in 1917 during World War I....
(September – December 1917) - Battle of Picardy (March 1918)
- Third Battle of the AisneThird Battle of the AisneThe Third Battle of the Aisne was a battle of the German Spring Offensive during World War I that focused on capturing the Chemin des Dames Ridge before the American Expeditionary Force could arrive completely in France. It was one of a series of desperate offensives, known as the Kaiserschlacht,...
(May – June 1918) - Second Battle of the MarneSecond Battle of the MarneThe Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
(August - October 1918)
- Battle of Lorraine
- 1939 Polish Campaign
- 1940 Battle of FranceBattle of FranceIn the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
- 1941-1943 Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
- Operation BarbarossaOperation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
(June 1941) - Battle of BrodyBattle of Brody (1941)The Battle of Brody was a tank battle fought between the Panzer Group 1's IIIrd, XLVIII Army Corps and five Soviet Mechanized Corps of the Soviet 5th Army and 6th Army in the triangle formed by the towns Dubno, Lutsk and Brody in Ukraine between 23...
(Sokal-Krystinopol) (awarded Knight’s CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
) (June - July 1941) - Battle of UmanBattle of UmanThe Battle of Uman was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied encirclement of the 6th (General Lieutenant I.N. Muzyrchenko) and 12th The Battle of Uman (15 July–8 August 1941) was the German and allied...
(July – August 1941) - Battle of KievBattle of Kiev (1941)The Battle of Kiev was the German name for the operation that resulted in a very large encirclement of Soviet troops in the vicinity of Kiev during World War II. It is considered the largest encirclement of troops in history. The operation ran from 23 August – 26 September 1941 as part of Operation...
(August – September 1941) - Battle of RostovBattle of Rostov (1941)The article is about the German Army Group South Sea of Azov Offensive Operation commanded by General Gerd von Rundstedt, the Soviet Rostov Defensive Operation by the Southern Front commanded by General-Colonel Yakov Cherevichenko, and the Rostov Offensive Operation executed by the...
(September – November 1941) - Second Battle of KharkovSecond Battle of KharkovThe Second Battle of Kharkov, so named by Wilhelm Keitel, was an Axis counter-offensive against the Red Army Izium bridgehead offensive conducted from 12 May to 28 May 1942, on the Eastern Front during World War II. Its objective was to eliminate the Izium bridgehead over Seversky Donets, or the...
(May 1942) - Caucasus OffensiveOperation BlueCase Blue , later renamed Operation Braunschweig, was the German Armed Forces name for its plan for a 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern Russia between 28 June and November 1942....
(June – August 1942) - Battle of StalingradBattle of StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
(July 1942 – February 1943)
- Operation Barbarossa
- 1943 Italian CampaignItalian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- Salerno LandingsAllied invasion of ItalyThe Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
(September 1943)
- Salerno Landings
- 1945 Battle of BerlinBattle of BerlinThe Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
Awards
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Silver - Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
- Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Eastern Front Medal)
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
First Class - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(17 September 1941)
Sources
- Mitcham, Samuel, Rommel’s Lieutenants: The Men who Served the Desert Fox, France, 1940, Praeger Publishers, 30 November 2006, page 27, ISBN 978-0275991852.
- Axis History website http://www.Axishistory.com
- Feldgrau.com http://www.feldgrau.com