Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben
Encyclopedia
Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben (30 October 1894 – 18 June 1964) was a German officer 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...

 and 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...

.

World War I career

Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben joined the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...

 in August 1914 as a Fahnenjunker (a soldier accepted for officer training). He was assigned to the training and replacement Battalion of the 3rd Foot Guards
3rd Foot Guards (German Empire)
The 3rd Foot Guards were an infantry regiment of the Royal Prussian Army. The regiment was formed in 1860. As part of the Guards Corps it fought in the Second Schleswig War, the Austro-Prussian war, the Franco-Prussian war and World War I. The regiment was disbanded in 1919 with the Infantry...

. In September 1914, after completing his basic military training, he joined the 3rd Foot Guards in the field, being wounded just 13 days later. In spring 1916, he took command of an infantry company in the regiment and later that same year was appointed as the regimental adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...

 and ordnance officer. Wounded in November 1916, he later returned to his regimental post in January 1917.

World War II career

He served as a Regimental Commander with the 1st Panzer Division (Germany) during the French Campaign of 1940 and, following the French capitulation, he transferred to 14th Panzer Division (Germany)
14th Panzer Division (Germany)
The German 14th Panzer Division was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II. It was created in 1940 by the conversion of the 4th Infantry Division.- Commanding officers :...

 as the 108th Infantry Regiment commander based in France, in August 1940. He then served as a Brigade Commander with the 4th Panzer Division (Germany) 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...

, from June 1942. However, this Division was completely destroyed by February 1943 during the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...

. Von Schlieben then was delegated as the Commander of the 208th Infantry Division (Germany) remaining on the Eastern Front

In April 1943, he took command of the 18th Panzer Division (Germany)
18th Panzer Division (Germany)
The 18th Panzer Division was a German World War II armoured division that fought on the Eastern Front from 1941 until disbandment in 1943.- Commanding officers :*General der Panzertruppen Walther Nehring, 26 October 1940...

 which was deployed on the Eastern Front until the Division was disbanded following very heavy losses at the Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...

. In October 1943, von Schlieben was placed on the Führer Reserve until in December 1943 he was assigned the command of 709th Static Infantry Division (Germany) based in Normandy, France.
The 709th was a Static Infantry Division used for occupation duties in France and as a guard against allied raids and invasion. The Division was on the Normandy coast when the invasion took place, and thus fought in the early days of the Battle of Normandy, quickly becoming trapped in the Cotentin as U.S. forces sealed off the Peninsula the remnants of the Division fell back on Cherbourg.

On 23 June 1944, Generalleutnant von Schlieben was made the Commandant for the Battle of Cherbourg
Battle of Cherbourg
The Battle of Cherbourg was part of the Battle of Normandy during World War II. It was fought immediately after the successful Allied landings on June 6, 1944...

, a coastal port the German high Command had designated as a ‘fortress’. However, just 3 days later von Schlieben and over 800 other troops surrendered to Major General Manton S. Eddy
Manton S. Eddy
Manton Sprague Eddy was a lieutenant general of the United States Army.-Early life:Eddy graduated from Shattuck Military School in Faribault, Minnesota in 1913. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1916. Thoroughly the infantryman, Manton Eddy served in France in World War I in rifle and machine...

 the Commander of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division
U.S. 9th Infantry Division
The 9th Infantry Division was created as the 9th Division during World War I, but never deployed overseas. Later, the division was an important unit of the United States Army in World War II and the Vietnam War...

. After his capture, he was held at Trent Park
Trent Park
Trent Park is a country park, formerly the grounds of a mansion house which currently forms the Trent Park campus of Middlesex University in the north of London, United Kingdom...

 before he was transferred to Island Farm
Island Farm
Island Farm was a Prisoner of War Camp on the outskirts of the town of Bridgend, South Wales. It hosted a number of Axis prisoners, mainly German, and was the scene of the largest escape attempt by German POWs in Britain during World War II. Near the end of the war it became known as Special Camp XI...

 on 9 August 1945. He was released from captivity on 7 October 1947. Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben died on 18 June 1964 in Gießen
Gießen
Gießen, also spelt Giessen is a town in the German federal state of Hesse, capital of both the district of Gießen and the administrative region of Gießen...

.

Career promotions

  • Fahnenjunker: 1914
  • Fähnrich: 1915
  • Leutnant: 1915
  • Oberleutnant: 1925
  • Rittmeister: 1929
  • Major: 1935
  • Oberstleutnant: 1938
  • Oberst: 1941
  • Generalmajor: 1943
  • Generalleutnant: 1944

Notable decorations

1939-1943
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
    Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
    The 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...

    : 17 March 1943 - Oberst (Colonel) Commander of the 208th Infantry Division, Eastern Front The Iron Cross is exclusively awarded for bravery before the enemy and for excellent merits in commanding troops
  • German Cross
    German Cross
    The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...

     in Gold: 2 July 1942, Oberst (Colonel) Commander of 108th Regiment of the 14th Panzer Division, Eastern Front. A high award for bravery
  • Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar an award for bravery
  • Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar an award for bravery
  • War Merit Cross
    War Merit Cross
    The War Merit Cross was a decoration of Nazi Germany during the Second World War, which could be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel...

    , 2nd Class with Sword given to soldiers for exceptional service in battle above and beyond the call of duty
  • Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia, 1941/42 (The “East Medal”) awarded to honour those who participated in the first winter of the Barbarossa operation


1914-1918
  • Brunswick War Merit Cross, 1st Class to earn it, a holder of the War Merit Cross 2nd Class must have had two years of virtually uninterrupted service at the front
  • Brunswick War Merit Cross, 2nd Class Awarded 1914-18 to soldiers who were Brunswick citizens or served in a Brunswick unit and must have had a record of irreproachable service
  • Cross of Honor
    Cross of Honor
    The Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...

     for Combatants 1914-1918 for soldiers who fought on the front.
  • Wound Badge
    Wound Badge
    Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...

     in Black – one or two wounds


Others
  • Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
  • Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal)

Sources

  • Gordon A.Harrison, Cross Channel Attack
  • Jorge Rosado & Chris Bishop, German Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions
  • John Keegan, Six Armies in Normandy
  • De Wervelwind
    De Wervelwind
    De Wervelwind was a journal published in London and dropped by the Royal Air Force over the Netherlands during the Second World War. The final edition was larger and was handed out after the liberation of the Netherlands....

    3(22) June–July 1944 - Dutch war time propaganda newspaper

External links

  • http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk
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