Georg-Hans Reinhardt

Georg-Hans Reinhardt
Northern Soviet Union. Conference between generals Georg-Hans Reinhardt (2nd from the left), and Walter Krüger
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands held	4. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Georg-Hans Reinhardt (1 March 1887 – 23 November 1963) was a German general of World War II, who was Colonel General of Panzer Group 3 (later 3rd Panzer Army), Army Group Center. He was sentenced to a 15 year sentence at the Nuremberg Trials for War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

Biography

Reinhardt was born in Bautzen, Saxony, and fought during World War I in an infantry regiment.

In February 1934 Reinhardt was promoted to Colonel and soon after to Major General in the German Army. For his achievements in the Polish campaign, the beginning of World War II, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and promoted to Lieutenant General. During the Polish campaign, he commanded the 4th Panzer Division. Although he lost his first battle - two-days battle of Mokra and Ostrowy on 1 and 2 September, 4th Division was the first Division to break through the Warsaw defenses in the Siege of Warsaw. After this victory, most of the Polish forces retreated out of Warsaw, leaving only four battalions left to defend against the incoming divisions of Germans. After the Polish campaign, he was moved to the western front, where his raids in the Ardennen and English Channel got him promoted to General der Panzertruppe on 1 June 1940. After the French campaign, Reinhardt and his Division were preparing for Operation Sealion, the invasion of Great Britain. Under the command of General Rundstedt, he was to be among the first Divisions to land. However, the operation never occurred.

in June 1941, Reinhardt was moved to the eastern front where he took command of the XXXXI Army corps in Russia. He led attacks through Russia until Leningrad, the farthest north of any other German Commander. After being pushed back during the winter of 1941/42, he was awarded the Oak Leaves for his defensive efforts against the Russian counter-attacks. Through 1944 he led defensive fights back through Russia back to Poland and Prussia.

On 16 August 1944, he became the Commander in Chief of the army group center, later known as the Army Group North. This new post consisted of all troops and defensive measures in Poland and East Prussia to prepare for the Russian attacks. He was soon relieved of command after differing opinions with Adolf Hitler. He shortly retired from all active duty in early 1945.

In June, 1945, Georg-Hans Reinhardt was arrested by the United States Army and tried during the Nuremberg Trials. He was found guilty War Crimes, consisting of murder and ill-treatment of POWs and Crimes Against Humanity for the murder, deportation, and hostage-taking of civilians in occupied countries after pleading not-guilty during the High Command Trials of the Nuremberg Trials. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but released in 1952.

Awards

• House Order of Hohenzollern
• Wound Badge in Black
• Eisernes Kreuz 2. and 1. Klasse
• Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwerter
  • Ritterkreuz (27 October 1939)
  • 73. Eichenlaub (17 February 1942)
  • 68. Schwerter (26 May 1944)
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht
• Great Cross of Merit (24 November 1962)

References

• Berger, Florian, Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 2006. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.

External links

• Stonebooks.com
• Generals.dk
• Mimerswell.com