Johann von Ravenstein
Encyclopedia
Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German officer in the armed forces and held the final rank of Lieutenant General
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
at the Battle of Waterloo
and received the Iron Cross
.
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
, participating in the battles of Verdun
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German officer in the armed forces and held the final rank of Lieutenant General
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
at the Battle of Waterloo
and received the Iron Cross
.
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
, participating in the battles of Verdun
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German officer in the armed forces and held the final rank of Lieutenant General
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
at the Battle of Waterloo
and received the Iron Cross
.
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
, participating in the battles of Verdun
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
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...
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
Family
Johann Theodor von Ravenstein was born in Strehlen into a military family. Among his ancestors was Johann Friedrich August von Ravenstein, who was an aide to BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and received 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....
.
Career
In 1909 Ravenstein joined the Grenadier-Regiment König Wilhelm I. Nr. 7 at Liegnitz. He transferred soon to the 7. West Prussian infantry regiment NR. 155 at OstrowoOstrowo
Ostrowo may refer to the following places in Poland:In Pomeranian Voivodeship :*Ostrowo, a seaside resort, part of the town of Władysławowo*Ostrowo, Bytów County*Ostrowo, Kartuzy County...
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
First World War
Ravenstein entered the First World War as a battalion adjutant officer and saw considerable action on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, participating in the battles of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
Battle of Champagne
The Battle of Champagne is the name of three battles fought in the Champagne region of northern France during World War I.*First Battle of Champagne *Second Battle of Champagne...
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames
In France, the Chemin des Dames is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the département of Aisne, between in the west, the Route Nationale 2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny. It is some thirty kilometres long and runs along a ridge between the valleys of the rivers Aisne and Ailette...
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
Bourg
Bourg is the French rendering of the Germanic root *burgs , related to the Germanic root *bergan "to protect, shelter"; and may refer to:-In France:* Bourg, Aisne, a defunct commune in France, now part of Bourg-et-Comin* Bourg,...
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
Second World War
Ravenstein saw combat both in the Polish campaign (1939) and the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1914) 2nd and 1st Class - Clasp to the Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939) 2nd and 1st Class - Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
with Swords - Pour le MéritePour le MériteThe Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
(28 June 1918) - 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...
(3 June 1940)
External links
Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German officer in the armed forces and held the final rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
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...
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
Family
Johann Theodor von Ravenstein was born in Strehlen into a military family. Among his ancestors was Johann Friedrich August von Ravenstein, who was an aide to BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and received 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....
.
Career
In 1909 Ravenstein joined the Grenadier-Regiment König Wilhelm I. Nr. 7 at Liegnitz. He transferred soon to the 7. West Prussian infantry regiment NR. 155 at OstrowoOstrowo
Ostrowo may refer to the following places in Poland:In Pomeranian Voivodeship :*Ostrowo, a seaside resort, part of the town of Władysławowo*Ostrowo, Bytów County*Ostrowo, Kartuzy County...
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
First World War
Ravenstein entered the First World War as a battalion adjutant officer and saw considerable action on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, participating in the battles of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
Battle of Champagne
The Battle of Champagne is the name of three battles fought in the Champagne region of northern France during World War I.*First Battle of Champagne *Second Battle of Champagne...
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames
In France, the Chemin des Dames is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the département of Aisne, between in the west, the Route Nationale 2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny. It is some thirty kilometres long and runs along a ridge between the valleys of the rivers Aisne and Ailette...
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
Bourg
Bourg is the French rendering of the Germanic root *burgs , related to the Germanic root *bergan "to protect, shelter"; and may refer to:-In France:* Bourg, Aisne, a defunct commune in France, now part of Bourg-et-Comin* Bourg,...
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
Second World War
Ravenstein saw combat both in the Polish campaign (1939) and the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1914) 2nd and 1st Class - Clasp to the Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939) 2nd and 1st Class - Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
with Swords - Pour le MéritePour le MériteThe Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
(28 June 1918) - 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...
(3 June 1940)
External links
Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein (1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German officer in the armed forces and held the final rank of Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He fought in the First and Second World Wars and was taken prisoner by New Zealanders at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
during the Second World War. After his return to Germany
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...
in 1948 he was active in Duisburg as a director of traffic.
Family
Johann Theodor von Ravenstein was born in Strehlen into a military family. Among his ancestors was Johann Friedrich August von Ravenstein, who was an aide to BlücherGebhard Leberecht von Blücher
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt , Graf , later elevated to Fürst von Wahlstatt, was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall who led his army against Napoleon I at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig in 1813 and at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 with the Duke of Wellington.He is...
at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and received 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....
.
Career
In 1909 Ravenstein joined the Grenadier-Regiment König Wilhelm I. Nr. 7 at Liegnitz. He transferred soon to the 7. West Prussian infantry regiment NR. 155 at OstrowoOstrowo
Ostrowo may refer to the following places in Poland:In Pomeranian Voivodeship :*Ostrowo, a seaside resort, part of the town of Władysławowo*Ostrowo, Bytów County*Ostrowo, Kartuzy County...
, and was promoted to Lieutenant.
First World War
Ravenstein entered the First World War as a battalion adjutant officer and saw considerable action on the Western FrontWestern Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, participating in the battles of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
, the Somme, and the Champagne Offensive
Battle of Champagne
The Battle of Champagne is the name of three battles fought in the Champagne region of northern France during World War I.*First Battle of Champagne *Second Battle of Champagne...
. In 1916 he received the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
. Altogether he was wounded three times. In the 1918 Spring Offensive
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
Ravenstein commanded the 1st Battalion of the Füsilier Regiment von Steinmetz (West Prussian) Nr. 37. On 27 May 1918 his battalion broke through the opposing line at Soissons
Soissons
Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones...
. After capturing the notorious Chemin des Dames
Chemin des Dames
In France, the Chemin des Dames is part of the D18 and runs east and west in the département of Aisne, between in the west, the Route Nationale 2, and in the east, the D1044 at Corbeny. It is some thirty kilometres long and runs along a ridge between the valleys of the rivers Aisne and Ailette...
, he succeeded, with 10 soldiers, to capture the bridge over the Aisne at Bourg
Bourg
Bourg is the French rendering of the Germanic root *burgs , related to the Germanic root *bergan "to protect, shelter"; and may refer to:-In France:* Bourg, Aisne, a defunct commune in France, now part of Bourg-et-Comin* Bourg,...
intact. His troops took 1500 prisoners and captured 32 cannons. For this accomplishment Ravenstein received the Pour le Mérite
Pour le Mérite
The Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
.
On 31 March 1920 he left the army and attended a university, where he studied political science. Later he became an electrician in a company located in Duisburg and worked in the city administration. In 1934 he rejoined the army as a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
attached to the 2nd Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to the lieutenant colonel and on 1 August 1939 to colonel.
Second World War
Ravenstein saw combat both in the Polish campaign (1939) and the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
(1940), during which he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. After the invasion of Greece in April 1941 he was promoted to major general. From 20 May to 29 November 1941 he commanded the 21st Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. On 1 October 1941 he was promoted to lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
. He was Rommel's 2IC in the desert. He was taken prisoner on 28 November 1941 at Point 175
Point 175
Point 175 was a keenly contested feature in the Battle of Sidi Rezegh during World War II. The battle was fought mainly between Italian and New Zealand troops resulting in the near destruction of the New Zealand 2nd Division....
by New Zealander soldiers. (These New Zealanders were to become prisoners themselves the same day.)
He first spent some time in the stop-over POW camp at Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, in the Union of South Africa before departing to Canada. In Canada he was a POW from 1942 to 1947, first in Bowmanville, Ontario, then at Grandeligne, Quebec, then at Farnham, Canada. He was transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11, Bridgend, Wales, in June 1946 and was repatriated to Germany in November 1947. Johann von Ravenstein died on 26 March 1962 in Duisburg at the age of 74 years.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1914) 2nd and 1st Class - Clasp to the Iron CrossIron CrossThe 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....
(1939) 2nd and 1st Class - Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von HohenzollernHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
with Swords - Pour le MéritePour le MériteThe Pour le Mérite, known informally as the Blue Max , was the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order for German soldiers until the end of World War I....
(28 June 1918) - 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...
(3 June 1940)