Knobelsdorff, von, Otto

Date of birth:: March 31st, 1886 (Berlin/Brandenburg, Germany)
Date of death:: October 21st, 1966 (Hannover/Lower Saxony, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Promotions:
April 25th, 1905: Fahnenjunker;
January 27th, 1906: Fähnrich;
August 18th, 1906: Leutnant;
November 18th, 1914: Oberleutnant;
March 22nd, 1916: Hauptmann;
February 1st, 1929: Major;
June 1st, 1933: Oberstleutnant;
June 1st, 1935: Oberst;
January 1st, 1939: Generalmajor;
December 1st, 1940: Generalleutnant;
August 1st, 1942: General der Panzertruppen.

Career:
?: Kadettenanstalt Bensberg;
?: Hauptkadettenanstalt Groß-Lichterfelde;
April 25th, 1905: Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94, Weimar;
1906: Gruppenführer 5. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
April 1st, 1911: Adjutant III. Bastaillon, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
January 28th, 1914: Adjutant Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
August 29th, 1915: Lazerett;
November 1st, 1915: Führer I. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
?: Führer II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
April 1st, 1916: Feld-Ersatz Bataillon(?), Infanterie-Division 38;
1916: Führer Bataillon Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
October 1st, 1916: MG-Offizier Schule Döberitz;
October 15th, 1916: Adjutant 83. Infanterie-Brigade;
November 1st, 1916: Generalstabsoffizier Heeresgruppe B;
November 1916: Generalstabsoffizier VII. Armeekorps;
March 18th, 1917: Ib 200. Infanterie-Division;
June 18th, 1917: Ib 1. Garde-Infanterie-Division;
August 1917: Generalstabsoffizier Bug-Armee;
October 15th, 1917: Generalstabslehrgang Sedan;
September 1918: Ib 242. Infanterie-Division;
October 21st, 1918: Lazerett;
January 1919: Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
MAy 1919: Kompanieführer Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94;
July 1st, 1919: Kompanieführer Infanterie-Regiment 21;
January 1st, 1921: Kompanieführer 7. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 15, Eisenach;
August 1921: Id, Stab 6. Division;
February 1st, 1932: Stab Artillerieführer II, Stettin;
April 1st, 1926: Stab, 2. Division;
October 1st, 1928: Führer 4. Eskadron, Gebirgs-Regiment 9, Beskow;
October 19th, 1929: Erster Generalstabsoffizier (Ia), Stab / Artillerieführer III, Berlin;
October 1st, 1933: Chef des Stabes, Kommandanten von Berlin;
October 15th, 1935: Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 102, Chemnitz;
February 1st, 1939: Kommandeur Festung Oppeln;
August 26th, 1939: Chef des Generalstabes Grenzschutz-Abschnittskommando 3;
February 6th, 1940: Kommandeur, 19. Infanterie-Division;
November 1st, 1940: Kommandeur, 19. Panzer-Division;
January 1st, 1942: Lazerett Bad Gastein, Führerreserve OKH;
May 1st, 1942: m.d.F.b. X. Armeekorps;
June 1st, 1942: m.d.F.b. II. Armeekorps;
July 1st, 1942: Kommandeur Korps Knobelsdorff;
October 7th, 1942: Kommandierender General, XXIV. Panzerkorps;
November 30th, 1942: m.d.F.b. XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps;
February 10th, 1943: Kommandierender General, XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps;
October 9th, 1943: Lazerett;
October 15th, 1943: Führerreserve OKH;
January 31st, 1944: Kommandierender General, XXXX. Panzerkorps;
September 6th, 1944: m.d.F.b. 1. Armee;
November 30th, 1944: Führerreserve OKH;
April 11th, 1945: American POW;
June 10th, 1947 - December 12th, 1947: Internment.

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Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Unit:: Adjutant, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94, Großherzogtum Sachsen
Awarded on:: September 19th, 1914

Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Adjutant, Infanterie-Regiment „Großherzog von Sachsen" (5. Thüringisches) Nr. 94, Großherzogtum Sachsen
Awarded on:: February 27th, 1915

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:: Chef des Generalstabs, Grenzschutz-Abschnittskommando 3, Heer
Awarded on:: October 11th, 1939

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:: Kommandeur, 19. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: May 20th, 1940

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:: Kommandeur, 19. Panzer-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: September 17th, 1941

At the end of July 1941 Generalleutnant von Knobelsdorff and his 19. Panzer-Division succeeded in taking the important hub of Velikiye Luki despite the presence of a strong Soviet defensive force. In doing so he finally was able to also close the Velikiye Luki pocket with his Division. For this important achievement he would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross.

Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant-General of Armoured Forces)
Unit:: Kommandierender General, XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps, Heer
Awarded on:: February 16th, 1943

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant-General of Armoured Forces)
Unit:: Kommandierender General, XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps, Heer
Awarded on:: February 20th, 1943

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant-General of Armoured Forces)
Unit:: Kommandierender General, XXXXVIII. Panzerkorps, Heer
Awarded on:: November 12th, 1943

Awarded for the achievements of his Korps during the ultimately abortive southern German assault against the Kursk salient in July 1943.

322nd Award.

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant-General of Armoured Forces)
Unit:: Kommandierender General, XXXX. Panzerkorps, Heer
Awarded on:: June 8th, 1944

Mentioning:
"In the battles in the area of Jassy, German and Romanian troops under the command of the Romanian Cavalry General Racoviþa, 'General der Panzertruppen' von Knobelsdorff and the 'General der Infanterie' 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."

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: General der Panzertruppen (Lieutenant-General of Armoured Forces)
Unit:: Kommandierender General, XXXX. Panzerkorps, Heer
Awarded on:: September 21st, 1944

Awarded for his achievements during the retreat battles of his Korps in early 1944. On the 15.02.1944 Knobelsdorff and his Korps managed to break out of their encirclement at Nikopol. In the battles which followed all the way up to the Romanian border at the end of May, Knobelsdorff demonstrated great skill and was able to prevent his Divisions from being destroyed by the enemy.

100th Award.