Horst Stumpff
Encyclopedia
Horst Stumpff was a Panzer
General
in the German
army during World War II
.
He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in 1907 and was commissioned as a leutnant in the 7th Pomeranian Infantry Regiment "von der Goltz" on 18 August 1908. He was awarded the Iron Cross
first and second class in World War I
, during which he was wounded and by the end of the war he had reached the rank of Hauptmann
. He was then retained in the Reichswehr
in which he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
in September 1933 and Oberst
on 1 July 1935.
On 1 January 1938 he was given command of the 3rd Panzer Brigade and on 1 March 1939 he was promoted to Generalmajor and led the brigade during the invasion of Poland
. On 7 October 1939 he was appointed commander of the 3rd Panzer Division and in November 1940 he was given command of the new 20th Panzer Division and promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1941. He led the division on the Eastern Front
and on 29 September 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, but he was moved the leadership reserve shortly afterwards.
In April 1942 he was appointed as the military inspector of the recruiting area Königsberg
. In July 1944 he became the Inspector General of the Panzer troops in the replacement army and he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe
in this role on 9 November 1944. He died in Hamburg
aged 71.
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
General
General (Germany)
General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in 1907 and was commissioned as a leutnant in the 7th Pomeranian Infantry Regiment "von der Goltz" on 18 August 1908. He was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
first and second class in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, during which he was wounded and by the end of the war he had reached the rank of Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
. He was then retained in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
in which he was promoted to Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
in September 1933 and Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
on 1 July 1935.
On 1 January 1938 he was given command of the 3rd Panzer Brigade and on 1 March 1939 he was promoted to Generalmajor and led the brigade during the invasion of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. On 7 October 1939 he was appointed commander of the 3rd Panzer Division and in November 1940 he was given command of the new 20th Panzer Division and promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1941. He led the division on the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
and on 29 September 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, but he was moved the leadership reserve shortly afterwards.
In April 1942 he was appointed as the military inspector of the recruiting area Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
. In July 1944 he became the Inspector General of the Panzer troops in the replacement army and he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
in this role on 9 November 1944. He died in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
aged 71.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
on 29 September 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 20. Panzer-Division