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Otto von Knobelsdorff

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German general (1886–1966)

Otto von Knobelsdorff
German Grenadier withPanzerschreck during theBattle of Metz; General von Knobelsdorff commanded all German troops during the battle.
Born	(1886-03-31)31 March 1886 Berlin,Province of Brandenburg,Kingdom of Prussia,German Empire
Died	21 October 1966(1966-10-21) (aged 80) Hannover,Lower Saxony,West Germany
Place of burial	Engesohde City Cemetery, Hannover
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Reichswehr Heer (Wehrmacht)
Service years	1905–1945
Rank	General der Panzertruppe
Commands	19th Panzer Division X Army Corps XXIV Panzer Corps XXXX Panzer Corps 1st Army
Conflicts	World War I World War II Poland Campaign Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kursk Operation Doppelkopf Lorraine Campaign Battle of Metz Battle of Fort Driant ∞ 1914 Alexandrine "Alix" Margarete Paula Gabriele Helmine Cäcilie Eva Freiin von Korff genannt Schmising; 3 children
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Heinrich Otto Ernst von Knobelsdorff^[1] (31 March 1886 – 21 October 1966) was a German general duringWorld War II who led the19th Panzer Division and then held a series of higher commands. He was a recipient of theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Life

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Born inBerlin in 1886 to a noble family, Knobelsdorff joined the army ofImperial Germany in 1905 as aFahnen-junker (officer cadet) and served in the infantry.^[2] Twice awarded theIron Cross during World War I,^[3] he later served in theHeer (Army) branch of theWehrmacht. He was chief of staff of Corps Command XXXIII at the time of the outbreak of World War II. AGeneralmajor,^{[Note 1]} he was given command of the19th Infantry Division on 1 February 1940^[2] and led it through theBattle of France and during subsequent occupation duty. In October, the division was withdrawn to Germany for conversion to armour. It was re-designated the 19th Panzer Division^[5] and Knobelsdorff, promoted toGeneralleutnant^{[Note 2]} in late 1940, oversaw his command's transition from infantry to tanks.^[2]

With Knobelsdorff still in command, the division was sent to Russia as part ofOperation Barbarossa and fought through to the outskirts of Moscow. In early 1942, he was acting commander ofX Army Corps and fulfilled the same role forII Army Corps in mid-1942, when it was involved in the Demyansk Salient. He then commandedXXIV Panzer Corps, still as acting commander, before being given a permanent role leadingXXXXVIII Panzer Corps^[2] from late 1942 to late 1943, although he spent three months out of the lines during this time.^[6] Now aGeneral der Panzertruppe (General of Panzer Troops), during this period he was awarded theOak Leaves to theKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross that he had been awarded in 1941 while leading the 19th Panzer Division^[7] and theGerman Cross in gold.^[8]

Competent as a leader of armoured formations, Knobelsdorff was given command of1st Army in September 1944, serving in France at the time.^[2] Although awarded theSwords to his Knight's Cross the same month,^[7] he proved less adept at this level and was ultimately relieved in November 1944 for resisting Adolf Hitler's efforts to transfer 1st Army's tanks away in support of theArdennes offensive. He ended the war without another command.^[2]

Post-WWII

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In later life, he wroteGeschichte der niedersächsischen 19. Panzer-Division 1939–1945, a history of the 19th Panzer Division during WWII which was published in 1958.^[9]

Death

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General der Panzertruppe (Ret.) von Knobelsdorff died inHannover in 1966.^[2]

Promotions

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25 April 1905 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
10 May 1905 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
27 January 1906 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
18 August 1906 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
28 November 1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
22 March 1916 Hauptmann (Captain)
- 10 September 1928 re-designatedRittmeister with effect from 1 October 1928
1 February 1929 Major
1 June 1933 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
1 June 1935 Oberst (Colonel)
31 December 1938 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect and Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 January 1939 (11)
20 November 1940 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 December 1940 (2)
15 July 1942General der Panzertruppe with effect and RDA from 1 August 1942 (2)

Awards and decorations

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Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 19 September 1914
- 1st Class on 27 February 1915
Order of the White Falcon, Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (GSF3bX/SF3bX) on 30 September 1914
Austrian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration (ÖM3K) on 7 December 1914
Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach Wilhelm Ernst War Cross (GSK/SW) on 10 April 1915
Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Knights Cross 2nd Class with Swords (HSEH3bX/HSH3bX/EH3bX) on 23 April 1915
Lippe War Merit Cross on the ribbon for combatants on 17 December 1917
Wound Badge (1918) in Black on 6 October 1918
Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter)^[10] and Justice (Rechtsritter) of theJohanniter Order
- Ehrenritter on 15 February 1923
- Rechtsritter on 22 April 1949
Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 21 January 1935
Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class (25-year Service Cross) on 2 October 1936
Sudetenland Medal
Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 11 October 1939
- 1st Class on 20 May 1940
Panzer Badge in Silver on 19 September 1941
Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 8 August 1942
German Cross in Gold on 17 February 1943 as General der Panzertruppe and Commanding General of the XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps
Two references by name in theWehrmachtbericht: 20 February 1943 and 8 June 1944
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 September 1941 asGeneralleutnant and Commander of the 19th Panzer Division^[7]
- 322nd Oak Leaves on 12 November 1943 asGeneral der Panzertruppe and Commanding General of the XXXXVIII Panzer Corps^[7]
- 100th Swords on 21 September 1944 asGeneral der Panzertruppe and Commanding General of the XXXX Panzer Corps^[7]

Notes

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Footnotes

^In the Wehrmacht, this was equivalent to the rank ofbrigadier general in the United States Army.^[4]
^Ageneralleutnant was equivalent to amajor general in theUnited States Army.^[4]

Citations

^Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, Teil A, 1941, p. 239.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^gMitcham 2007, pp. 150–151.
^Thomas 1997, p. 382.
^^a ^bMitcham 2007, p. 257.
^Mitcham 2007, p. 149.
^Mitcham 2007, p. 266.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eScherzer 2007, p. 453.
^Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 238.
^Mitcham 2007, p. 152.
^Rangliste des Deutschen Reichsheeres, 1927,p. 137

References

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Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007).Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books.ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001).Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall.ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
Scherzer, Veit (2007).Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag.ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Thomas, Franz (1997).Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag.ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.