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Saucken, von, Dietrich

Date of birth:
May 16th, 1892 (Fischhausen-Samland/Eastern-Prussia, Germany)
Date of death:
September 27th, 1980 (Munich/Bavaria, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
September 13th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 19th October 1914.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
October 3rd, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 23rd May 1916.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor
Unit:
Führer 4.Panzer-Division / LIII.Armee-Korps / 2.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
January 6th, 1942
Awarded for his vigorous leadership of the Kampfgruppen Grolig and Lüttwitz during the winter of 1941/42. On 28.12.1941 a vastly superior Soviet force broke into the German positions in the area around Blocknja, Bagrinow, Krivzowa and Chmelewaja. This severely threatened the German Oka-position. However after fierce fighting in the period 29.12.1941-02.01.1942 Saucken and the forces were able to crush the enemy forces and restore the situation to a stable state.

790th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant
Unit:
Kommandeur 4.Panzer-Division / XXXXVI.Panzer-Korps / 9.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
August 22nd, 1943
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded for the performance of the 4. Panzer-Divison during Operation Kutuzov. In the course of the battle the Division took over the defense of an area south of Orel at Jablonowez. Saucken’s troops destroyed 62 enemy tanks, thus robbing the Soviets of the means to conduct a breakthrough and weakening them enough so that it was possible to push them back in a counterattack.

281st Award.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
December 3rd, 1943
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant
Unit:
Kommandeur 4.Panzer-Division / XXXXVI.Panzer-Korps / 9.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
January 31st, 1944
Awarded for his Division’s success against the Soviets during the hard defensive battles around Gomel in late 1943.

46th Award.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
July 5th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Panzertruppen
Unit:
Oberbefehlshaber Armeeoberkommando Ostpreußen
Awarded on:
May 8th, 1945
Awarded for his leadership and accomplishments throughout the war, with particular emphasis on his role in the battle for East Prussia during early 1945.

27th Award.
Ritterkreuz, Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
May 9th, 1945
Wehrmachtbericht

Sources

  • Photo: Wilco Vermeer, The Netherlands
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
    - Kursietis A.J., The wehrmacht at war 1939-1945 the units and commanders, ISBN 907532338-7
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9

Photo