Gerhard von Schwerin

Gerhard Graf von Schwerin
Graf Gerhard von Schwerin
Born	(1899-06-23)23 June 1899 Hanover
Died	29 October 1980(1980-10-29) (aged 81) Rottach-Egern
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Rank	General der Panzertruppen
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other work	politician

Gerhard ("Gerd") Helmuth Detloff Graf von Schwerin (23 June 1899 – 29 October 1980) was a German army General in World War II. As General der Panzertruppe, he was tasked with defending the city of Aachen while in command of the 116th Panzer Division "Windhund" (the "Greyhound Division").

As the 3rd US Armored Division reached Aachen on 13 September 1944, the once-formidable 116th Panzer-Division had been reduced to 600 men, 12 tanks and no artillery pieces. In an attempt to prevent civilian casualties and to protect the city's artifacts (the city was the ancient resting place of Charlemagne's empire, or the First Reich) Schwerin, left a note at the telegraph office to be given to the American commander, General Courtney Hodges, informing him of his intent to surrender the city. Later, when he learned that the Americans had stopped to regroup and an attack wasn't eminent, Schwerin tried to retrieve the message but the message had fallen into the hands of Nazi party functionaries. Upon learning of the note, Adolf Hitler ordered Schwerin arrested and tried for treason. With the aid of General Field Marshals Gerd von Rundstedt and Walter Model, Schwerin escaped death and received only a severe reprimand. Schwerin was then ordered to the Italian front and even promoted to General der Panzertruppe, commanding General of the LXXVI. Panzerkorps. On April 26, 1945 von Schwerin was captured by British forces and subsequently released at the end of 1947. Although Aachen was largely destroyed, after the war Schwerin insisted on calling himself "The Savior of Aachen"

In May 1950, Schwerin was appointed as chief advisor on military issues and security policy to Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and head of the covert government agency Dienststelle Schwerin (with the code name "Zentrale für Heimatdienst"), responsible for preparations for German rearmament. However, after he talked to the press about his work, he was replaced by Theodor Blank in October 1950. Schwerin subsequently was active as an advisor on military policy for the parliamentary group of the liberal Free Democratic Party of Germany.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (11 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (19 May 1940)
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 17 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 76 (mot.)
  • 240th Oak Leaves on 17 May 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of the 16. Infanterie-Division (mot.)
  • 41st Swords on 4 November 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 16.Panzergrenadier-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 27 October 1943
• "Afrika" Cuffband

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
27 October 1943	Die rheinisch-westfälische 16. Panzergrenadierdivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Graf v. Schwerin verdient für ihre vorbildliche Einsatzfreudigkeit während der großen Absetzbewegungen ostwärts des Dnjepr und bei den Kämpfen im Brückenkopf von Saporoshje besondere Anerkennung.	The Rhenish-Westphalian 16th Mechanized Infantry Division, led by Lieutenant General Graf von Schwerin earned for their exemplary dedication and enthusiasm during the large withdrawal battles east of the Dnieper and in combat in the bridgehead of Zaporozhye special recognition.

Notes

Regarding personal names: Graf was a title, translated as Count, not a first or middle name. Before 1919 preceding the first name, former titles are with people alive after 1919 dependent parts of the surname, thus preceding the main surname and not to be translated. The female form is Gräfin.

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges (in German). Wien, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Rass, Christoph; Rohrkamp, René; Quadflieg, Peter M. (2007). General Graf von Schwerin und das Kriegsende in Aachen. Ereignis, Mythos, Analyse (in German). Aachen: Shaker. ISBN 978-3-8322-6623-3.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Searle, Alaric (2003). Wehrmacht Generals, West German Society, and the Debate on Rearmament, 1949-1959, Praeger Pub.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2300-3.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.

External links

• "Gerhard von Schwerin". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 21 October 2011. 

Military offices
Preceded by Generalmajor Gerhard Müller	Commander of 116th Panzer Division 1 May 1944 – 31 August 1944	Succeeded by Generalmajor Heinrich Voigtsberger
Preceded by Generalleutnat Ernst-Günther Baade	Commander of 90th Grenadier Division (motorised) December 1944 – ?	Succeeded by none
Preceded by General der Panzertruppen Traugott Herr	Commander of LXXVI. Panzerkorps 26 December 1944 – 25 April 1945	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Karl von Graffen