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Stettner, Ritter von Grabenhofen, Walter (Gen.)

Date of birth:
March 19th, 1895 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)
Date of death:
October 18th, 1944 (Avala hill, south of Belgrade, Yougoslavia)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Generalleutnant Walter Karl Hugo Stettner Ritter von Grabenhofen

00.00.1908: Bayerische Kadettenkorps
00.08.1914: Fähnrich - Königlich Bayerische Infanterie-Leibregiment - 1. Königlich Bayerische Division
00.03.1915: promoted to Leutnant without Patent
Königlich Bayerische Infanterie-Leibregiment - 1. Königlich Bayerische Division merged in the newly created Deutsche Alpenkorps
Campaign in Somme, Alsace, Dolomites, Champagne, Verdun, 12th battle of the Isonzo, Piave, Lorraine, Armentières, Roye, Lassigny, Nesle, Noyon, Somme, Romania : Putna and Sereth rivers and Serbia
00.00.1918: Kriegsschule München
00.00.1919: Freikorps Epp then 19. Bayerischen Infanterie-Regiment - Reichswehr as Waffen- und Sportoffizier
00.00.1924: Führergehilfenausbildung - Wehrkreiskommando VII
00.00.1925: promoted to Oberleutnant and sent to the 13. Gebirgs-Minenwerfer-Kompanie / 19. Bayerische Infanterie-Regiment
00.00.1925-00.00.1927: Lehrgänge - Minenwerfer-Offiziere and Hochgebirgs-Pioniere and driving - 7. Bayerischen Fahr-Abteilung
00.00.1926: Chef, 16. Kompanie / 19. Bayerische Infanterie-Regiment
00.02.1930: promoted to Hauptmann
00.00.1931: Chef, 10. Kompanie / 19. Bayerische Infanterie-Regiment
00.00.1935: Stab / Gebirgs-Brigade (later 1. Gebirgs-Division)
00.00.1935: promoted to Major
00.00.1937: Kommandeur, I. Bataillon / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 - Garmisch-Partenkirchen
00.03.1938: Führer I. Bataillon / former Tiroler Jäger-Regiment renamed Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 136 / 2. Gebirgs-Division
00.04.1938: promoted to Oberstleutnant
Campaign in Poland and in Norway
00.08.1940: Führer, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99 - Norway
Kommandeur, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91 / newly created 4. Gebirgs-Division
Campaign in Romania and Yugoslavia, capture of Belgrad then Slovakia
00.06.1941: Campaign in Russia: Winniza, Uman and Stalino
00.08.1941: promoted to Oberst
00.11.1942: Caucase
00.03.1943: Kommandeur, 1. Gebirgs-Division, retreat from Caucase to the Kuban bridgehead and Asov See
00.00.1943: promoted to Generalmajor
00.04.1943: Bulgaria, North Albania and Montenegro
00.07.1943: Greece, Epira, Kommeno, Arta
00.09.1943: Kefalonia Island
00.11.1943: promoted to Generalleutnant
00.01.1944: Bosnia and Croatia
00.03.1944: Serbia
00.09.1944: Yugo-Bulgarian border
00.10.1944: south of Belgrad
17.10.1944: retreat towards West toavoid encirclement
18.10.1944: reported MIA in the Avala mountain, 18km south of Belgrad

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Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
September 23rd, 1915
Militärverdienstkreuz III. Klasse
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
December 24th, 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
March 11th, 1916
with swords
IV. Klasse des Militärverdienstordens
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
December 24th, 1916
Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
June 11th, 1918
with crown and swords
IV. Klasse des Militärverdienstordens
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
December 15th, 1918
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918)
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
June 14th, 1929
Verdienstmedaille des Landes Tirol
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Awarded on:
February 22nd, 1935
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  2. Klasse, 18 Jahre
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
November 30th, 1936
Deutsches Olympia Ehrenzeichen Zweiter Klasse
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
March 8th, 1937
Haborus Emlékérem kardokkal és sisakkal
Period:
First World War (1914-1918)
Rank:
Major
Awarded on:
May 10th, 1937
with swords
Kriegserinnerungsmedaille
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Awarded on:
September 12th, 1939
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Awarded on:
December 2nd, 1939
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Awarded on:
June 18th, 1940
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Awarded on:
August 25th, 1941
in silver
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
November 7th, 1941
with swords
Ordinul Steaua Romaniei Officer
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kdr, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 91, 4. Gebirgs-Division
Awarded on:
January 2nd, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
February 1st, 1942
Edelweißring 1. Gebirgsjäger-Division
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
March 10th, 1942
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  1.Klasse, 25 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
March 17th, 1942
Voenen Orden
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
June 22nd, 1942
with swords
Ordinul Steaua Romaniei Commander
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Awarded on:
August 1st, 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 1. Gebirgs-Division, Heer
Awarded on:
April 23rd, 1943
The following wartime excerpt describes why Stettner received the Knight’s Cross…

"Oberst Stettner Ritter von Grabenhofen made a major contribution towards the destruction of the Soviet 58th Army on the northern front of the Kuban bridgehead (as reported in the Wehrmachtbericht of 06.03.1943) along with his Bavarian Gebirgsjäger. Over the course of a 6 day battle he led his Gebirgsjäger forwards through the very difficult terrain and threw back the superior enemy forces located in the swamps on the south shore of the Sea of Azov. Oberst Stettner von Grabenhofen was promoted to Generalmajor for the outstanding leadership of his Division.”

The results of the German victory here included the capture of 1000 prisoners, 69 guns and over 250 mortars and machine guns.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Awarded on:
June 16th, 1943
Badge of Honor of the Bulgarian Infantry
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Awarded on:
August 7th, 1943
Red Zeljeni Trolist First Class Cross

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