Imperial Officers in the Bundeswehr?

[webr55]

The recent question about M1957 ribbon bars with Imperial decorations brings me to this: How many Imperial officers had continous service up to postwar Bundeswehr? I know about three: Adolf Heusinger, Hans Speidel and Bernhard Rogge. All three served in four different German armies/navies. Were there more? Has anyone got photos with their ribbon bars?

Edited February 23, 2006 by webr55

[webr55]

For a start, here is a blurry photo of General Heusinger with his EK2 1914 and Reuss decorations in 1957 style.

 

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

General Speidel with Württemberg GMVM, KC and DKiG.

 

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

Konteradmiral Rogge with EK2 1914, KC w/ Oakleaves and "Großes BVK" (very blurry photo).

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

This is Rogge's funeral pillow:

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

I have found another one, the first postwar Inspector of the Navy, Vizeadmiral Friedrich Oskar Ruge. Here with 1914 EKs and KC.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

Another one, though not strictly an Imperial officer: General Friedrich Foertsch, the 2nd Inspector General of the Bundeswehr, served as Fahnenjunker for some months in 1918 already. Photo has the EK2 1914 with Spange, KC and DKiG.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

More: General Hans Röttiger, first Inspector of the postwar Heer. With both EKs 1914 and Hamburg.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[webr55]

And General Josef Kammhuber, first Inspector of the Bundesluftwaffe. Both EKs 1914 and BMV4X, plus KC.

Edited November 11, 2017 by webr55

[Dave Danner]

One more:

Smilo Freiherr von L?ttwitz.

He entered service in August 1914 with Leib-Dragonerregiment (2. Gro?herzoglich Hessisches) Nr. 24. He was wounded three times in 1915 while fighting on the Russian Front. After his brother was KIA, his father arranged to have him transferred to be an Ordonnanzoffizier on a corps staff and on the staff of Army Group Crown Prince (Heeresgruppe Kronprinz), where he served for two years until becoming regimental adjutant of the Hessian Life Dragoons in 1918. His father later was one of the leaders of the Kapp-Putsch.

His bio on the Ritterkreuztr?ger web site doesn't list all awards, but notes that "bei Kriegsende besa? er au?er dem silbernen Verwundetenabzeichen und beiden Eisernen Kreuzen (I. und II. Klasse) noch drei weitere deutsche und ?sterreichische Orden." I would assume one of the German ones was the Hessen General Honor Decoration for Bravery and the Austrian one was likely the Military Merit Cross with Swords and War Decoration. No idea about the third. The only WW2 pictures I've seen of him don't show a ribbon bar and the only Bundeswehr picture I've seen is too small and grainy to make out the ribbons.

In WW2, he added the 1939 clasps to the EK1 and EK2, the German Cross in Gold, the RK, Oakleaves (426th) and Swords (76th). He reached the rank of General der Panzertruppen and commanded, among others, a Panzerdivision, a Panzerkorps, an army corps, and 9. Armee.

In 1957, he returned to service as a Generalleutnant and commander of III (German) Corps. He served until 1960, receiving the Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz and the US Legion of Merit.

A bio is here: http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/I...reiherr-von.htm

[Dave Danner]

Also not strictly an Imperial "officer": Heinrich-Georg Hax.

He entered service as a Kriegsfreiwillige (war volunteer) on January 26, 1918, two days after his 18th birthday. He became a Fahnenjunker in IR64 in August 1918. He spent most of 1919 in Freikorps service, entering the Reichswehr in October of that year. He made Leutnant in 1922 and worked his way up to Generalmajor on April 1, 1945. He entered the Bundeswehr as a Brigadegeneral on Sept. 3, 1956 and was promoted to Generalmajor on Sept. 12, 1957. He spent most of WW2 in staff positions, and in 1944 became commander of Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 110 (or 111). In 1945 he took command of 8. Panzerdivision.

Although captured by the Americans, he was transferred to Soviet custody and was a Soviet POW until 1955. In the Bundeswehr, he commanded 3. Panzerdivision. In 1958 he became deputy commanding general of III (German) Corps, retiring in 1961 and dying in 1963.

His only WW1 decoration was the Honor Cross for Combatants. Other decorations and honors include the Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz, Knight's Cross with Oakleaves (855th oakleaves), EK1 and EK2. In the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, he came in 5th in the Modern Pentathlon. He took the Silver Medal in Shooting (25m Rapid Fire Pistol) in both the 1932 Los Angeles and 1936 Berlin Games.

[webr55]

Great work Dave!

This is getting really interesting. I am surprised there are so many; they just keep turning up:

Paul Reinhold Herrmann (1898-1980): Served as Lt in IR 32. Both EKs and Saxe-Meiningen. GenMaj 1944. Retired as a Bundeswehr GenMaj in 1961.

Hans-Joachim von Horn (1896-1994): Served as Lt in the 1st Leib-Husaren. 1943 GenLt. Retired as a Bundeswehr GenLt in 1961.

Kurt Freiherr von Liebenstein (1899-1975): Served as Lt in the 26th Dragoner. EK 2 1914. GenMaj 1943. Retired as a Bundeswehr GenMaj in 1960.

Edited March 2, 2006 by webr55

[webr55]

One more:

Curt Siewert (1899-1983): Served as Lt in GrenR 5. Both EKs 1914. GenLt 1944. Retired as Bundeswehr GenMaj.

For these I cannot confirm WW1 service at the moment, but they should have, given their age:

Joseph von Radowitz (1899-1956): GenLt. Died as Bundeswehr GenMaj.

Wolf-Dietrich Freiherr von Schleinitz (1899-1963): GenMaj 1944. Retired as Bundeswehr BrigGen.

Friedrich Stammbach (1897-1970): GenMaj 1944. Retired as Bundeswehr GenMaj.

Gottfried Weber (1899-1958): GenLt 1944. Died as Bundeswehr GenMaj.

[Dave Danner]

I can't find any good Bundeswehr pictures of most of these.

Here is more on the rather interesting Paul Reinhold Herrmann.

Born in 1898, he entered the army on July 1, 1916 as a Fahnenjunker in IR32. He was promoted to Leutnant on October 5, 1917. He spent most of the war with IR32, but was assigned to RIR32 shortly before the Armistice.

Working his way up the ranks, he was primarily a staff officer in WW2, including as 1a of Army Group North during the invasion of the USSR. In 1945, he was given command of 264.Infanterie-Division.

After the war, he served as a military expert for the defense at the Nuremberg Tribunal and then was in private business. In 1956, he entered the Bundeswehr and commanded Wehrbereichskommando IV (Mainz) until retiring in 1961.

His WW1 decorations include the EK1, EK2, Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War, Wound Badge in Black and Honor Cross for Combatants. His WW2 decorations include the German Cross in Gold, the 1939 clasps to his EK1 and EK2, and the Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942".

This is what makes him interesting: he has what may be a unique distinction. He appears to be the only military officer (maybe the only person, period) with both the West German Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz and the Blood Order of the NSDAP. Somehow I don't think the latter made it onto his post-1957 ribbon bar.

[Dave Danner]

Joseph von Radowitz was a veteran of World War One, as the only WW2 picture I've seen of him shows a ribbon bar with the 1914 EK2 with 1939 clasp, FKE and two Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnungen.

The Ehrenrangliste shows only one Lt. von Radowitz, with 1. Badisches Leib-Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 20, but I would guess that this is likely not Joseph. If it were Joseph, it is rather odd that he wouldn't have at least a Baden Silver Merit Medal. Also, if born in 1899, by 1918 he would likely have still been an officer candidate.

In World War Two, he added an EK1, a German Cross on Gold and a Knight's Cross with Oakleaves (882nd), and commanded 23.Panzerdivision. In the Bundeswehr, he was "Ltr Annahmestelle" which I believe would be a reception station for draftees/basic trainees.

[Dave Danner]

Not sure about either Wolf-Dietrich Freiherr von Schleinitz or Gottfried Weber.

As for Friedrich Stammbach, there was a Lt. Stammbach with Eisenbahn-Regiment Nr. 2 in WW1, who is listed in the Ehrenrangliste as continuing as a Leutnant in the Reichswehr, with the 1. Pionier-Bataillon. This would be consistent with GenMaj. Stammbach's service in World War Two as head of the Pionier und Eisenbahn-Pionierabteilung (Wa Pruf 5) in the Heereswaffenamt.

Some biographical detail on Curt Siewert can be found here: http://www.specialcamp11.fsnet.co.uk/Gener...t%20Siewert.htm

His Bundeswehr service, not listed at that site, was as Commanding General, I Corps (mdFb) from 1956-1957, Deputy Commanding General, III Corps in 1957 and Commander, Wehrbereichskommando II (Hannover) from 1958 to 1960.

Here are bios on Hans-Joachim von Horn and Kurt Freiherr von Liebenstein:

http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACH.../HORN_HANS.html

http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACH...STEIN_KURT.html

[Dave Danner]

GenMaj. Richard Schimpf.

Born 16 May 1897, died 30 December 1972. Entered service as a Fahnenjunker with 9. bayerisches Infanterie-Regiment Wrede. He transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 and held various command and staff positions until taking command of Luftwaffe-Division Meindl in September 1942 and 21.Luftwaffe-Feld-Division in November. He took command of 3. Fallschirm-Division shortly before the Normandy invasion and was severely wounded fighting the Allies in France in August 1944. He returned to command his division in January 1945, leading it until the end of the war. He reentered the Luftwaffe in 1957, commanding Wehrbereichskommando III (D?sseldorf) until 1962.

Decorations include:

Knight's Cross

German Cross in Gold

1914 EK1 with 1939 clasp

1914 EK2 with 1939 clasp

Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords

Wound Badge in Black

Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942"

Hungarian Pilot's Badge

Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz.

[Dave Danner]

One more:

GenLt. Gerhard Matzky.

Born on 19 March 1894, he entered service with 4. Oberschlesisches Inf.-Regt. Nr. 63 before World War I (his patent is dated 1911, but was likely backdated). He served in Upper Silesia in the Freikorps after the war (so he should have the Silesian Eagle, but I don't see it on his awards list). He was Military Attache in Tokyo when the war began, and commanded 21. Infanterie-Division in 1943-44, and then XXVIII and XXVI Armeekorps until war's end. In 1951, he became Inspector of the Bundesgrenzschutz. In the Bundeswehr, he commanded I (German) Corps.

Decorations include:

Knight's Cross

German Cross in Gold

1914 EK1 with 1939 clasp

1914 EK2 with 1939 clasp- EK I: 00.08.1915

Hamburg Hanseatic Cross

Saxe-Meiningen Cross for Merit in War

Wound Badge in Silver

War Merit Cross I. and II. Class with Swords

Finnish Cross of Liberty I. Class with Swords

Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz

[Dave Danner]

GenMaj. Oskar Munzel

Born on 13 March 1899, he entered service on 3 July 1917, receiving his patent as Leutnant as of 5 November 1918. He served with Ulanen-Regiment Graf zu Dohna (Ostpreu?isches) Nr. 8 and continued in the Reichsheer with 1. Reiter-Regt.

In World War Two, he in commanded a battalion of Pz.Regt. 6 in 1941, and took command of the regiment that December, leading it through until February 1943 and earning the German Cross in Gold. In February 1943, he became head of tactical instruction at the Panzertruppenschule II, and then commander of Panzertruppenschule I. In September 1944, he took command of 14.Panzerdivision, earning the Knight's Cross, and led a corps group of 1. Panzerarmee in early 1945 before taking over 2.Panzerdivision in March. He ended the war as Hohere Panzeroffizier bei OB West. Entering the Bundeswehr in 1956 as a Brigadegeneral, he commanded the Panzertruppenschule at Munster and was then Inspector of Panzertruppen and Panzergrenadiertruppen in the Truppenamt.

I've only seen one grainy photo of him in Bundeswehr uniform, viewable here: http://www.das-ritterkreuz.de/index_search...archword=munzel

His EK2 appears to be a 1914 with the 1939 clasp, but the EK1 is apparently a 1939, so he likely had just the EK2 and FKE for WW1.

[Dave Danner]

GenLt. Max-Josef Pemsel

Born on 15 January 1897 in Regensburg, he entered Bavarian 11. Infanterie-Regiment von der Tann in 1916 as a war volunteer. He was soon a Gefreiter and Unteroffizier, and then an officer candidate. Commissioned without patent on 30 April 1918. He later received a backdated patent. He ended the war as a company commander in bay.IR11. In the interwar years he worked his way up the infantry and mountain troops ranks, and at war's outbreak he was ia of 1. Gebirgs-Division. In October 1939, he became 1a of XVIII Armeekorps (later renamed XVIII Gebirgs-Armekorps), and became the corps' chief of staff in 1940. From June 1943 to August 1944, he was chief of staff of 7. Armee, and in August 1944, he became commanding general of 6. Gebirgs-Division. In April 1945, he became chief of staff of the Ligurian Army.

In 1956, he entered the Bundeswehr as a Generalmajor and commander of Wehrbereichskommando VI (M?nchen). In 1957, he became commanding general of II (German) Corps in Ulm, leading it until retirement in 1961 as a Generalleutnant.

Decorations include:

? Gro?es Bundesverdienstkreuz mit Stern

? Knight?s Cross

? 1914 EK1 with 1939 clasp

? 1914 EK2 with 1939 clasp

? Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords

? German Olympic Games Decoration, 2nd Class

? Finland: Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class with Swords

? Hungary: Order of Merit, Commander?s Cross with Swords

? Freistaat Bavaria: Merit Order (post-WW2)

? USA: Legion of Merit, Officer

[Dave Danner]

Besides Kammhuber, other Bundesluftwaffe veterans of World War One include Joachim-Friedrich Huth

and Max-Josef Ibel.

A bio of Huth is here: http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACH...-FRIEDRICH.html

Huth received the EK1 and EK2 in WW1, as well as the Prussian Pilot's Badge. He also had the Luftwaffe Combined Pilot/Observer Badge, so if he managed to qualify for the West German wings, he might be the only one with all three (Kammhuber and Ibel were not pilots in WW1).

For Ibel: http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/WEHRMACH...r/IBEL_MAX.html

Ibel's WW1 awards include the EK1 and EK2 and the Bavarian Military Merit Order 4th Class with Swords. The pic of him in Bundesluftwaffe uniform here shows the ribbon bar, but is too small for detail.

Edited March 3, 2006 by Dave Danner

[Dave Danner]

Kurt Andersen couldn't decide where he wanted to be.

Born in 1898, he enlisted in 1915 just three months after his 16th birthday. Initially a machinegunner, he went into signals in 1916. Released from the army after Freikorps service in 1919, he entered the police. In 1935 he left the police for the Luftwaffe, serving as a Flak officer. His Flak units were forward support units, not home defense, and saw extensive use in ground combat on the Russian front, where he qualified for the Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge and earned the Knight's Cross. After the war, he entered the Bundesgrenzschutz in 1951, where he served until retirement in 1961 as a Brigadegeneral.

Just a grunt, his enlisted awards were the Iron Cross 2nd Class, Wound Badge in Black and Honor Cross for Combatants, plus his post-war Baltic Cross.

[Dave Danner]

At least Andersen wasn't too lonely. Herbert Giese also started out in the army, as a Field Artillery officer in 1918, leaving the army after the war. He returned to the army in 1925 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935 as a Flak officer. He spent the second war mainly as a chief of staff of various Flak commands, and also entered the Bundesgrenzschutz in 1951, serving until retirement in 1959.

[Dave Danner]

And how would you characterize Konteradmiral Rolf Johannesson?

He was born in 1900 and entered the Imperial Navy as a sea cadet in 1918. The war ended while he was still in initial training. However, he was soon in one of the naval battalions in the Freikorps and saw action in 1919. He was decorated with the 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class in July 1919, one of a number of post-war Imperial decorations of questionable legality. He also received the Baltic Cross. His WW2 service was mainly in destroyers, earning him a Knight's Cross and a German Cross in Gold. In 1957, he reentered the Bundeswehr as Commander of Sea Forces (1957-1958) and Commander of the Fleet (1958-1961).

[Dave Danner]

One more naval officer: Konteradmiral Gerhard Wagner.

Born in 1898, he entered the Imperial Navy in 1916 and was commissioned a Leutnant zur See in September 1918. A surface warfare officer, he worked his way up through the ranks in staff positions and on torpedo boats and destroyers. He spent most of the second war as Chief of Operations in the Seekriegsleitung, a position analogous to Heusinger's position at OKH.

He was deputy inspector of the Bundesmarine and chief of the navy operations staff from 1957 to 1961, and then became Director of the NATO Planning Staff at COMNAVNORCENT (Commander, Allied Naval Forces North Central). In April 1962, he became COMNAVBALTAP (Commander, Allied Naval Forces, Baltic Approaches) with the temporary rank of Vizeadmiral, until retiring at the end of the year.

I don't have a list of all awards, but I know from photos that he had at least the German Cross in Gold, Spanish Cross, 1939 EK1 and 1914 EK2 with 1939 clasp. He served with Freikorps Potsdam in Berlin, so probably no Baltic Cross.