Oswald Lutz
Encyclopedia
General Oswald Lutz was a German General
who oversaw the motorization of the German Army
in the late 1920s and early 1930s and was appointed as the first General der Panzertruppe
of the Wehrmacht
in 1935.
He joined the Bavarian Army Railway Battalion as an officer cadet in 1894 and was commissioned as a Leutnant in the 1st Bavarian Engineer Battalion in 1896. After service in the German Imperial Army in World War I
, he was retained in the Reichswehr
, in which he attained the rank of Oberstleutnant
in 1923, Oberst
in 1928, and Generalmajor on 1 April 1931, upon his appointment as the Inspector of Motor Transport Troops.
On 1 October 1931, Oberstleutnant Heinz Guderian
was appointed his chief-of-staff. Lutz then continued to oversee the motorization of the army, whilst Guderian created Germany's armoured forces and developed his influential Panzer
theory, which was widely publicized. Major Walter Nehring joined them in January 1932 and further developed the Panzer strategy.
Lutz was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1933, and became the first General der Panzertruppe on 1 November 1935 with his appointment as the Head of Mechanized Forces. He was retired from active duty in February 1938. During World War II
he was recalled to service and appointed on 22 September 1941 to head a minor special staff unit before being retired again on 31 May 1942. He died in Munich in 1944 aged 77 following an illness.
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:...
who oversaw the motorization of the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
in the late 1920s and early 1930s and was appointed as the first 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...
of the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
in 1935.
He joined the Bavarian Army Railway Battalion as an officer cadet in 1894 and was commissioned as a Leutnant in the 1st Bavarian Engineer Battalion in 1896. After service in the German Imperial Army 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...
, he was 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 attained the rank of 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 1923, 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...
in 1928, and Generalmajor on 1 April 1931, upon his appointment as the Inspector of Motor Transport Troops.
On 1 October 1931, Oberstleutnant Heinz Guderian
Heinz Guderian
Heinz Wilhelm Guderian was a German general during World War II. He was a pioneer in the development of armored warfare, and was the leading proponent of tanks and mechanization in the Wehrmacht . Germany's panzer forces were raised and organized under his direction as Chief of Mobile Forces...
was appointed his chief-of-staff. Lutz then continued to oversee the motorization of the army, whilst Guderian created Germany's armoured forces and developed his influential Panzer
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 :...
theory, which was widely publicized. Major Walter Nehring joined them in January 1932 and further developed the Panzer strategy.
Lutz was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1933, and became the first General der Panzertruppe on 1 November 1935 with his appointment as the Head of Mechanized Forces. He was retired from active duty in February 1938. 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 was recalled to service and appointed on 22 September 1941 to head a minor special staff unit before being retired again on 31 May 1942. He died in Munich in 1944 aged 77 following an illness.