Harald von Hirschfeld

Kurt-Harald von Hirschfeld
Von Hirschfeld as a Captain
Born	11 July 1912 Weimar
Died	18 January 1945(1945-01-18) (aged 32) Tarnow
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935 - 1945
Rank	Generalleutnant (posthumously)
Commands held	78. Volksgrenadier-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Annexation of Austria Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Rostov (1941) Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of the Caucasus Cephallonia Massacre Battle of Dukla Pass
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Harald von Hirschfeld (10 July 1912 – 18 January 1945) was a German general who commanded the 78.Volksgrenadier-Division during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. In September 1943, as a Colonel in the 1st Mountain Division, he played a major role in the defeat and subsequent massacre of the Italian Acqui Division in Cephallonia.

Awards and decorations

• Anschluss Medal (8 November 1938)
• Sudetenland Medal
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 November 1939)
  • 1st Class (28 July 1941)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • Black (23 July 1941)
  • Silver (23 September 1941)
  • Gold (2 October 1941)
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver (25 July 1941)
• Order of the Crown (Romania) (1 November 1941)
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 15 November 1941 as Oberleutnant and chief 7. / Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98
  • 164th Oak Leaves on 23 December 1942 as Hauptmann and leader 11. / Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Harald von Hirschfeld @ Axis Biographical Research

Military offices
Preceded by Generalmajor Alois Weber	Commander of 78. Volksgrenadier-Division 1 December 1944 – 18 January 1945	Succeeded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Nagel