Otto von Knobelsdorff

Otto von Knobelsdorff
Otto von Knobelsdorff
Born	(1886-03-31)31 March 1886 Berlin
Died	21 October 1966(1966-10-21) (aged 80) Hannover
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1905-1945
Rank	General der Panzertruppe
Commands held	19. Panzer Division X. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Heinrich Otto Ernst von Knobelsdorff (31 March 1886 – 21 October 1966) was a German general who commanded armored Panzer units and served during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards

• Ehrenritter (Knight of Honor) of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)
• Austria-Hungary: Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with War Decoration and Swords
• Saxon Duchies: Ducal Saxe-Ernestine House Order, Knight 2nd Class with Swords
• Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Order of the White Falcon, Knight 2nd Class with Swords
• Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach: Wilhelm Ernst War Cross
• Lippe-Detmold: War Merit Cross
• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (19 September 1914)
  • 1st Class (27 February 1915)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (11 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (20 May 1940)
• Panzer Badge in Silver
• Wound Badge in Black
• German Cross in Gold on 16 February 1943 as General der Panzertruppe in the XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 17 September 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 19. Panzer-Division
  • 322nd Oak Leaves on 12 November 1943 as General der Panzertruppe and commanding general of the XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps
  • 100th Swords on 21 September 1944 as General der Panzertruppe and commanding general of the XXXX. Panzerkorps
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht on 20 February 1943 and 8 June 1944

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
8 June 1944	Bei den Kämpfen im Raum von Jassy haben deutsch-rumänische Truppen unter dem Befehl des rumänischen Generals der Kavallerie Racovita, des Generals der Panzertruppen von Knobelsdorff sowie des Generals der Infanterie Mieth, hervorragend unterstützt durch starke deutsch-rumänische Kampf- und Schlachtfliegerverbände, in harten Kämpfen die Bolschewisten aus tief gegliederten, zäh verteidigten Stellungen geworfen und die eigenen Stellungen dadurch bedeutend verbessert.	In the battles in the area of Jassy, German and Romanian troops under the command of the Romanian Cavalry General Racoviţă, General of Panzer troops von Knobelsdorff and the General of the Infantry Mieth, superbly supported by strong German-Romanian bomber and ground-attack aircraft units, have thrown in fierce combat out of their deeply structured, tough defending, positions, the Bolsheviks, and improved our positions significantly.

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. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2004). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe II Ihlefeld - Primozic (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-21-1.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.

External links

• Otto von Knobelsdorff @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Otto von Knobelsdorff @ Ritterkreuzträger 1939-45
• Otto von Knobelsdorff @ Generals.dk

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Günther Schwantes	Commander of 19. Infanterie-Division 1 February 1940 – 1 November 1940	Succeeded by redesignated 19. Panzer-Division
Preceded by 19. Infanterie-Division	Commander of 19. Panzer-Division 1 November 1940 – 5 January 1942	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Gustav Schmidt
Preceded by General der Panzertruppen Heinrich Eberbach	Commander of XLVIII. Panzerkorps 30 November 1942 – 6 May 1943	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz
Preceded by General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz	Commander of XLVIII. Panzerkorps 30 August 1943 – 30 September 1943	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Dietrich von Choltitz
Preceded by General Kurt von der Chevallerie	Commander of 1. Armee 6 September 1944 – 29 November 1944	Succeeded by General Hans von Obstfelder