Date of birth:

December 23rd, 1891 (Berlin, Germany)

Date of death:

April 18th, 1945 (Underway near Kolberg, Pomerania)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Brother of Generalleutnant Hellmut von der Chevallerie and son of Major General Hans von der Chevallerie

Fahnenjunker: 24.02.1910
Leutnant: 11.08.1911
Oberleutnant: 11.08.1915
Hauptmann: 20.09.1918
Major: 01.02.1931
Oberstleutnant: 01.08.1933
Oberst: 01.06.1935
Generalmajor: 01.03.1939
Generalleutnant: 01.01.1941
General der Infanterie: 01.02.1942

24.02.1910: entered the Heer - Guard Grenadier Regiment No. 5
10.1914: Reserve Grenadier Regiment No. 262
07.1915: WIA
09.1915: after his recovery, returned to the Reserve Grenadier Regiment No. 262
07.1916: deployed in various staffs
12.1916: adjutant - 34th Landwehr Infantry Brigade
11.1919: transferred back to the Guard Grenadier Regiment No. 5. 02.1919-05.1920: company commander - volunteer guard grenadier battalion - Hindenburg Freikorps
06.1920: Reichswehr Infantry Regiment 102
1924: 4th (Prussian) Infantry Regiment
1922-1925: chief - 6th company 4th (Prussian) Infantry Regiment
09.1925-1928: transferred to the Reichswehr Ministry
04.1927: personnel group of the Army Personnel Department (PA)
01.10.1928: transferred to the 1st Squadron of the 3rd (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment
01.1932: assigned to the staff of the 6th Division of the Reichswehr
01.09.1933: appointed commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 17th Infantry Regiment
01.10.1934: appointed commander of the Göttingen Infantry Regiment
15.10.1935: appointed commander of the 38th Infantry Regiment
06.10.1936: appointed commander of the 87th Infantry Regiment
12.10.1937: appointed chief of the 10th Department in the Army General Staff
15.08.1938: appointed head of the Central Department (GZ) of the Army General Staff
01.12.1939: division commander of the 83rd Infantry Division
and led the division into battle first in the western campaign
His only son, Hans-Rudolf, was KIA the 11.06.1940 as a lieutenant in the western campaign
10.12.1940: took over as commander of the new 99th light infantry divisionand took part in the Russian campaign
01.12.1941: transferred to the Führerreserve
30.12.1941: leader of the LIX. Army Corps
04.02.1944: transferred to the Führerreserve
02.06.1944-05.09.1944: commanded the 1st Army in France and fought his way back to Lorraine in the summer of 1944 under the most difficult circumstances
09.1944: transferred to the OKH's Führerreserve
31.01.1945: retired from active service
18.04.1945: reported MIA in the Kolberg area in Pomerania

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment Göttingen

Awarded on:

1935

Received in 1935

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 38

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 38

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 38

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 38

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Awarded on:

February 12th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 12th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 83. Infanterie-Regiment

Awarded on:

August 27th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 12th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Generalleutnant (Major-general)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 99. leichte Infanterie-Division

Awarded on:

October 23rd, 1941

The following wartime excerpt describes why Chevallerie was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“When the Korps commenced its decisive assault against Kiev it was the 99. leichte Division that made the deepest penetration into the enemy defenses up until the 17.09.1941. By the afternoon of that day the Division had reached the chain of lakes west of Myschelowka. Generalleutnant von der Chevallerie reconnoitred the best way to continue the attack while in the foremost line. This personal intervention created the decisive impetus that enabled the Division to reach its attack objective on the 19.09.1941 with unexpected swiftness.”

616th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

January 16th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

General der Infanterie (Lieutenant-General of Infantry)

Unit:

Kommandierender General, LIX. Armee-Korps

Awarded on:

December 19th, 1943

The following press article, dated 24.12.1943, describes why Chevallerie was awarded the Oakleaves to his Knight’s Cross…

“General von der Chevallerie outstandingly distinguished himself as the commanding general of an Armee-Korps during the fighting in September 1943 around Neschin and during November in the sector north of Kiev. Throughout this time his mission was to tie down much larger enemy forces, prevent a breakthrough of the German frontline and buy time for the creation of a new defensive front as well as friendly counterattack positions. His ruthlessness and calm forcefulness proved enough to repeatedly overcome local crises. The power of his personality and bravery in the foremost line created a comradeship among his subordinated troops that was firmly in the hand of the commanding general. Following weeks of heavy defensive battles against a great enemy superiority, General der Infanterie von der Chevallerie utilized the first small easing of pressure on his Korps’ frontline to go over to the offensive in his own operations. On the 24.11.1943 the southern wing of the LIX. Armee-Korps (the 291. Infanterie-Division) launched a surprise strike and reached the western edge of Domoletsch. Two Soviet divisions were encircled in Korosten, and these were destroyed by the 27.11.1943. Von der Chevallerie thereby succeeded in closing a threatening 40 km gap between his Korps and the XIII. Armee-Korps to the south.”

357th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 12th, 1915

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 1st, 1914

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 22nd, 1918

with swords

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

March 3rd, 1918

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1917

with war decoration

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1998.
  - Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Adelige Häuser B Band VI, Seite 73 mit Foto, Band 32 der Gesamtreihe, C. A. Starke Verlag, Limburg (Lahn) 1964
  - Axis Biographical Research
  - TITLE
  - General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie - Lexikon der Wehrmacht