Oberst Walter Leuze

[Roeland]

Hello gents,

didn't know where exactly I should post this question.

I'm looking for information on the german Walter Leuze, he was a colonel.

I bought this picture of him and would like to know more about him.

The back of the picture stating: Oberst Leuze.

He's wearing a 2nd or 3th class cross of the Yugoslavian crown order, quite special as the germans came in 1941 and since then the monarchy didn't excist anymore and the order seized to excist, I've heard he might have been the ambassador or something like that in Yugoslavia before the Germans came.

I have a 1st class grade in this order, therefore it would be nice if I can add this pciture and story to the display on this order because he is a German receipant.

thanks for any information.

kind regards,

Roeland

Edited September 19, 2007 by Roeland

[Paul R]

Hi!!

Thanks for posting this photo. I have never before seen this order. I am surprised that he wore it at that time.

What was this medal normally awarded for?

[Roeland]

It's the crown order of Yugoslavia (1930-1941)

A royal order, awarded to the military, but also to civilians for proven services to the country or royal family.

you can compare it with the German order of the crown (prussia),

practically you can compare it with a lot of royal (crown) orders from all kind of countries.

Edited September 19, 2007 by Roeland

[Paul R]

So it is a political award. I am very surprised that he is wearing it. Still, a nice looking medal!

[Roeland]

Paul R:

Still, a nice looking medal!

Here's a closeup.

I hope I can be so freely to use this picture from a different gmic topic about the order itself:

Paul,do you, or does anybody else, have any idea where I can find information about Walter Leuze?

Edited September 19, 2007 by Roeland

[webr55]

That is Generalmajor Walther Leuze. Here is his bio from the Generals' bios series. It says he got the Italian Crown order commander, but doesn't mention the Yugoslavian order, maybe that was a confusion:

Born: 31 May 1891 in Landshut, Bavaria (Bayern)

Died: 13 Feb 1964 in Ammerland

Promotions:

F?hnrich (08 Mar 1912); Leutnant (25 Oct 1913); Oberleutnant (17 Jan 1917); Rittmeister (01 Feb 1923); Major (01 May 1933); Oberstleutnant (01 Jan 1936); Oberst (01 Jun 1938); Generalmajor (01 Apr 1942)

Career:

Entered Army Service (18 Jul 1911)

Fahnenjunker in the 2nd Bavarian Heavy Mounted-Regiment (18 Jul 1911-01 Aug 1914)

Platoon-Leader in the 2nd Bavarian Heavy Mounted-Regiment (01 Aug 1914-01 Apr 1915)

Unterf?hrer with the Bavarian Cavalry-Pioneer-Battalion (01 Apr 1915-01 Mar 1917)

Adjutant of the 2nd Bavarian Heavy Mounted-Regiment (01 Mar 1917-01 May 1919)

Commandant of the Headquarters of Group-Command 4 (01 May 1919-01 Jun 1920)

Transferred into the 17th Mounted-Regiment (01 Jun 1920-13 Nov 1922)

Transferred to the Infantry-School Munich (13 Nov 1922-01 Apr 1924)

Transferred into the 17th Mounted-Regiment (01 Apr 1924-01 Oct 1924)

Squadron-Chief in the 8th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1924-01 Oct 1930)

Location-Elder in Ansbach (01 Oct 1930-01 Apr 1932)

Location-Elder in Straubing (01 Apr 1932-01 Oct 1933)

Major with the Staff of the 18th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1933-01 Oct 1934)

Adjutant of the General with Special Duties in the RKM (01 Oct 1934-01 Oct 1935)

Commander of the 38th Antitank-Battalion (01 Oct 1935-01 Oct 1936)

Commander of the 33rd Antitank-Battalion (01 Oct 1936-01 Nov 1938)

Adjutant of Army-Group-Command 1 (01 Nov 1938-02 Sep 1939)

Adjutant of Army-Group North (02 Sep 1939-20 Oct 1939)

Wehrmacht-Commandant of W?rzburg (20 Oct 1939-01 Dec 1939)

Commander of the 343rd Infantry-Regiment (01 Dec 1939-01 Apr 1941)

Commander of the 687th Infantry-Regiment (01 Apr 1941-20 Apr 1942)

F?hrer-Reserve (20 Apr 1942-01 May 1942)

Wehrmacht-Commandant of Wuppertal (01 May 1942-15 Feb 1943)

Fortress-Commandant of Le Havre (15 Feb 1943-10 Mar 1944)

F?hrer-Reserve (10 Mar 1944-15 Apr 1944)

Briefing as a Field-Commandant in St. Cloud (15 Apr 1944-06 Jun 1944)

Field-Commandant 517, Rouen (06 Jun 1944-15 Aug 1944)

Commander of the Rear Army Area of 5th Panzer-Army (15 Aug 1944-25 Aug 1944)

General with Special Duties with Military-District-Command III (01 Oct 1944-02 May 1945)

In Captivity (02 May 1945-22 May 1948)

Released (22 May 1948)

Awards & Decorations:

- Deutsches Kreuz in Silber: am 30.10.1943 als Generalmajor und Kommandant von Le Havre

- 1914 EK I

- 1914 EK II

- Kgl. Bayer. Milit?r-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern

- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz

- Ritterkreuz II. Klasse des Herzogl. Sachsen-Ernestinischen Hausordens mit Schwertern

- k.u.k. ?sterr. Milit?r-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration

- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Schwarz

- Ehrenkreuz f?r Frontk?mpfer

- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse

- Spange zum EK I

- Spange zum EK II

- Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern

- Kriegsverdienstkreuz I. Klasse mit Schwertern

- Komturkreuz des Kgl. Italien. Orden der Krone

[Roeland]

thank you very much webr55, I also think the Italian was a mistake indeed.

Most people don't know the yugoslavian crown order and it looks a littlebit like the italian, so it's very possible someone didn't look to good and confused them.

Italian:

[slava1stclass]

Gents,

The basic question remains. After reviewing his "Lebenslauf" (as kindly furnished by webr55), and understanding there was a limited window for him to have received it, which of his postings most likely resulted in this order being awarded?

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited September 20, 2007 by slava1stclass

[webr55]

And guess what? He is still wearing the thing after being promoted to Generalmajor in 1942, AFTER the Balkan campaign:

 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by webr55

[Roeland]

which of his postings most likely resulted in this order being awarded?

it had to be in the period 1930-1941, as those are the only years the decoration excisted.

my best guess is Adjutant of the General with Special Duties in the RKM (01 Oct 1934-01 Oct 1935), but I'm not sure of course

[maxblue]

Gentlemanen,

General Walter Leuze got the order of the Yugoslav Crown, III class in Berlin 1939. Prince Paul of Yugoslavia made an state vist to Berlin in july 1939 and as usually on these ocassions there where an exchange of orders and decoration. At that time the general was ab colonel. Erich Milch got the I class of the same order. 

[Nicolas7507]

A better Picture of Leuze: