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Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz

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Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Born(1895-12-23)23 December 1895
Strasbourg
Died19 May 1975(1975-05-19) (aged 79)
Koblenz
AllegianceGerman Empire German Empire (to 1918)
Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany West Germany
Service/branchHeer
Years of service1914–1945, 1957–1960
RankGeneral der Panzertruppe (Wehrmacht)
Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsGreat Cross of Merit with star of the Federal Republic of Germany
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
RelationsWalther von Lüttwitz (father)

Template:Foreignchar Smilo Walther Hinko Oskar Constantin Wilhelm Freiherr von Lüttwitz[a] (23 December 1895 – 19 May 1975) was a German general of the Panzer troops, serving during World War II and son of Walther von Lüttwitz. His cousins Heinrich von Lüttwitz and Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz were also decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, the latter also received the decoration "with Diamonds".[1] After World War II he joined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1957 and retired on 31 December 1960.

Biography

Smilo Freiherr von Lütwitz was born on 23 December 1895 in Strasbourg into a family with a long history of military service. He joined the military service during the mobilisation on 3 August 1914 as an officer cadet in the Leib-Dragonerregiment (2. Großherzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24 in Darmstadt. Fähnrich von Lüttwitz was posted to the Eastern Front and saw combat at Tannenberg, Courland and Düna. He was severely wounded twice in 1915 and received the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz) 1st class. He was commissioned as a Leutnant on 16 June 1915, effective as of 10 August 1914.[1][2]

In 1916, after his brother was killed in action as chief of a Jägerkompanie, von Lüttwitz was transferred to a staff position with the X. Armeekorps in the Heeresgruppe Kronprintz for two years. The corps was under the command of his father Generalleutnant Walther von Lüttwitz. His father, a recipient of the Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves, was one of the most highly decorated generals of the German Empire. He returned to front line duty in 1918 as an adjutant with the Darmstädter Dragoner in the temporary occupation of the Ukraine and southern Russia. By the end of World War I he had received both classes of the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge in Silver.[1][2]

Awards

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
9 December 1943 In den schweren Kämpfen der vergangenen Nacht hat die 26. Panzerdivision unter Generalleutnant Frhr. Von Lüttwitz durch ihre beispielhafte Haltung und Standfestigkeit alle Durchbruchsversuche der Briten im Ostabschnitt der süditalienischen Front vereitelt.[5] The firm standing and determination of the 26th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant General Freiherr von Lüttwitz impeded the breakout of British forces in the eastern sector of the south Italian front in last nights heavy fighting.

Dates of rank

4 August 1914: Fahnenjunker
16 June 1915: Leutnant (Second Lieutenant), effective as of 10 August 1914
Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)
1 May 1930: Rittmeister (Captain)
Major (Major)
1 January 1939: Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
1 November 1941: Oberst (Colonel)
1 September 1942: Generalmajor (Major General)
1 October 1943: Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General)
1 September 1944: General der Infantrie (General of the Infantry), effective as of 1 April 1944
1958: Generalleutnant of the Bundeswehr

Notes

  • a Regarding personal names: Freiherr was a title before 1919, but now is regarded as part of the surname. It is translated as Baron. Before the August 1919 abolition of nobility as a legal class, titles preceded the full name when given (Graf Helmuth James von Moltke). Since 1919, these titles, along with any nobiliary prefix (von, zu, etc.), can be used, but are regarded as a dependent part of the surname, and thus come after any given names (Helmuth James Graf von Moltke). Titles and all dependent parts of surnames are ignored in alphabetical sorting. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b c Berger 2000, p. 196.
  2. ^ a b Williamson 2005, p 31.
  3. ^ Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 289.
  4. ^ a b c Scherzer 2007, p. 519.
  5. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, p. 624.
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. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. 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). Die Ritterkreuzträger 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.
  • Williamson, Gordon (2006). Knight's Cross, Oak-Leaves and Swords Recipients 1941-45. Osprey Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84176-643-7.
  • 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

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz.
Military offices
Preceded by
none
 Commander of 26. Panzer-Division
14 September 1942 – 22 January 1944 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Hans Hecker
Preceded by
Generalmajor Hans Hecker
 Commander of 26. Panzer-Division
20 February 1944 – 11 April 1944 		Succeeded by
Oberst Dr. rer. pol. Dr. jur. Hans Boelsen
Preceded by Commander of 9. Armee
1 September 1944 – 19 January 1945 		Succeeded by

Template:KCwithOLandSW Template:KCwithOL Template:Related recipients of the Knight's Cross Template:Knight's Cross recipients in the Bundeswehr and Bundesgrenzschutz

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