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Theodor Busse | |
|---|---|
 Busse asGeneral der Infanterie | |
| Born | 15 December 1897 |
| Died | 21 October 1986(1986-10-21) (aged 88) |
| Allegiance | German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Branch | German Army |
| Rank | General der Infanterie |
| Unit | Army Group South |
| Conflicts | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Federal Cross of Merit |
Ernst Hermann August Theodor Busse (15 December 1897 – 21 October 1986)[1] was a German officer duringWorld War I andWorld War II.[2]
Busse, a native ofFrankfurt (Oder), joined the ImperialGerman Army as an officer cadet in 1915 and was commissioned in February 1917. He also was awarded the Knight's Cross with Swords of the Hohenzollern Order. After the armistice, he was accepted as one of 2,000 officers into the newReichswehr in which he steadily rose in rank.
Busse was a General Staff officer in April 1939 and prepared a training program that was approved by the Chief of the General Staff in August and covered a period from 1 October 1939 to 30 September 1940. Between 1940 and 1942, he served as the Chief of Operations to General (laterField Marshal)Erich von Manstein in the11th Army on theEastern Front. He remained serving on von Manstein's staff from 1942 to 1943 as Chief of Operations ofArmy Group Don and then from 1943 to 1944 he was Chief of Staff ofArmy Group South, both on the Eastern Front. Serving with Army Group South, he was awarded theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 January 1944. He spent a short time in reserve and was then appointed General Officer CommandingGerman 121st Infantry Division. In July 1944, he commandedI Army Corps.
While Busse took command of the9th Army on 21 January 1945, his appointment was never confirmed. It would appear that it was customary for commanders of formations of the status of an Army and higher to be on six months probation before their final appointments as Commanders-in-Chief. Germany surrendered unconditionally before Busse's probationary period had expired.[3]
During the last five months of the war, Busse commanded the9th Army, which had become part ofArmy Group Vistula. As the Soviets continued to advance into Germany, he fought to protect the German capital. Specifically, Busse commanded the 9th Army during theBattle of Seelow Heights and theBattle of the Oder-Neisse. In April 1945, during theBattle of Berlin, Busse's Ninth Army was cut off from the armies on its flanks and almost encircled by Soviet Forces. GeneralGotthard Heinrici tried to convince Busse to withdraw several times, but Busse refused even to consider withdrawal unless a specific command arrived from theFührer. Eventually Busse's Ninth Army was driven into a pocket in the Spree Forest south of the Seelow Heights and west of Frankfurt, where it became fully encircled by two prongs of the massive Soviet assault on Berlin. In the ever-shrinking pocket, Busse's forces were all but annihilated in what is known as theBattle of Halbe, but remnants ultimately managed to break through to the west to link up with GeneralWalther Wenck’s12th Army south ofBeelitz and then to withdraw west to the Elbe, cross the partially-destroyed bridge atTangermünde and surrender to American forces between May 4 and 7.
Between 1945 and 1947, Busse was aprisoner of war.[3] After the war Busse wasWest Germany's director of civil defence, and he wrote and edited a number of works on the military history of World War II.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by General der InfanterieHelmuth Prieß | Commander of121. Infanterie-Division 10 July 1944 – 1 August 1944 | Succeeded by GeneralleutnantWerner Ranck |
| Preceded by GeneraloberstCarl Hilpert | Commander ofI. Armeekorps 1 August 1944 – 9 January 1945 | Succeeded by General der InfanterieFriedrich Fangohr |
| Preceded by GeneralSmilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz | Commander of9. Armee 20 January 1945 – 2 May 1945 | Succeeded by none |
| International | |
|---|---|
| People | |
