Theodor Tolsdorff
Encyclopedia
Theodor Tolsdorff was a Lieutenant General in the German Army
and one of 27 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
in the Second World War. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was wounded fourteen times during the war.
and later became a farmer. He continued his education to become an administrator of an estate in Lehnharten. Later on, in 1934, at the age of 25, he joined as a volunteer the 1st Infantry Regiment in Insterburg. On 1 June 1934 Tolsdorff was promoted from the ranks to Lieutenant
.
bunker line. Soon afterwards he earned the Iron Cross 1st Class when he prohibited the enemy to break out when he attacked from close range. He was wounded in the shoulder at the end of the Polish Campaign.
as part of the army reserve. He participated in the French Campaign as his unit fought in Belgium and drove to the Flanders pocket, then south past Paris to the Saumur
area.
Tolsdorff again was in charge of the 14th Company. Passing through Latvia
, Estonia
and Lithuania
he assumed command of the battalion and again was severely wounded. While in the hospital he was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
on 4 December 1941 . He returned to the front in April 1942 and participated in the heavy fighting for Schlüsselburg. After the heavy fighting at Leningrad
and Lake Ladoga
, Tolsdorff lost half of his right foot due to deep splinter injuries. For the outstanding success in closing the Volkhov
pocket in June 1942, Tolsdorff received the German Cross
in gold. On the closing days of the Volkhov battle he again was injured in the head by a bullet. Tolsdorff was forced to remain in the hospital until 20 September 1942. On 1 January 1943 Tolsdorff was promoted to Major and made commander of the 1st Battalion.
Tolsdorff returned to his unit during the defensive battles at Lake Ladoga. In July 1943 the third and most difficult battle at Lake Ladoga began. After successfully fighting off the Soviet attack for fourteen days and participating in counterattacks in the neighbouring sector and restoring the situation, Tolsdorff was awarded the Oak Leaves on 15 September 1943.
On New Year's Eve 1943 the 1st Infantry Division transferred to the southern sector in the Vinnitsa-Odessa
area. Tolsdorff was now made in charge of the 1st Infantry Division's 22nd Infantry Regiment after its commanding officer, Oberst (Colonel) Ulrich Iffland, had been killed.
Again severely wounded by a shot in the stomach from close range, Tolsdorff managed to return to active duty within a few weeks. Tolsdorff was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Lublin hospital. After recovering from his wounds Tolsdorff was ordered to attend the officer cadet school at Metz
.
Back to the front in June 1944 Tolsdorff received the order to defend the city of Vilna. Tolsdorff held out long enough to evacuate the thousands of wounded from the city until relieve arrived from Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz
. This action resulted in his promotion to Oberst
and the awarding of the Oak Leaves with Swords on 18 July 1944.
In early August, when Tolsdorff received the Oak Leaves with Swords, Hitler personally ordered him to go to Hirschberg
for division commanders training. At the beginning of September, after completion of the course, Tolsdorff received orders from the Oberkommando des Heeres
(OKH) to go to Thorn
(East Prussia), to oversee the formation of the 340th Volksgrenadier Division
.
-Jülich
area on the west to defend against US forces trying to cross the Rhine. In December the unit was withdrawn to make preparations for the Ardennes offensive. The division fought as part of the 5th Panzer Army under command of Hasso von Manteuffel
.
On 18 March 1945, Major General
Tolsdorff received the Diamonds for personal bravery and his division's outstanding accomplishments. Tolsdorff received the Diamonds in Berlin, was promoted to Lieutenant General
and ordered to take command of the LXXXII Panzer Corps, which was stationed in the Amberg
area in Bavaria. On 8 May he surrendered in Austria
to the famed 101st Airborne
.
Holzey on 3 May 1945. Initially he was sentenced to two and a half years. A federal court overturned the decision and ordered a retrial. On 24 June 1960 Tolsdorff was declared not guilty. The same year, Tolsdorff was hired by the German Asphalt AG and held a position of manager until 1969 when he took over the branch office in Dortmund. Tolsdorff retired on 31 December 1974. Following a serious accident in which Tolsdorff suffered a double skull fracture,According to Fraschka the skull fracture occurred a few years before 1976 and is not directly linked to his death he died on 25 May 1978 in Dortmund.
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:...
and one of 27 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds
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...
in the Second World War. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was wounded fourteen times during the war.
Early life
Tolsdorf went to school in KönigsbergKönigsberg
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...
and later became a farmer. He continued his education to become an administrator of an estate in Lehnharten. Later on, in 1934, at the age of 25, he joined as a volunteer the 1st Infantry Regiment in Insterburg. On 1 June 1934 Tolsdorff was promoted from the ranks to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
Polish Campaign
During the Polish Campaign Tolsdorff led the 14th (anti-tank-gun) Company in the 22. Fusilier Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for actions against the Kamienna GóraKamienna Góra, Kielce County
Kamienna Góra is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Bodzentyn, within Kielce County, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, in south-central Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Bodzentyn and north-east of the regional capital Kielce....
bunker line. Soon afterwards he earned the Iron Cross 1st Class when he prohibited the enemy to break out when he attacked from close range. He was wounded in the shoulder at the end of the Polish Campaign.
French Campaign
Tolsdorff's unit was then transferred to the RhinelandRhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
as part of the army reserve. He participated in the French Campaign as his unit fought in Belgium and drove to the Flanders pocket, then south past Paris to the Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
area.
Eastern Front
During the beginning of Russian CampaignOperation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
Tolsdorff again was in charge of the 14th Company. Passing through Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
he assumed command of the battalion and again was severely wounded. While in the hospital he was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and awarded with the 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...
on 4 December 1941 . He returned to the front in April 1942 and participated in the heavy fighting for Schlüsselburg. After the heavy fighting at Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
and Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
, Tolsdorff lost half of his right foot due to deep splinter injuries. For the outstanding success in closing the Volkhov
Volkhov
Volkhov is an industrial town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated east of St. Petersburg, on the Volkhov River. Population: -History:...
pocket in June 1942, Tolsdorff received the 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. On the closing days of the Volkhov battle he again was injured in the head by a bullet. Tolsdorff was forced to remain in the hospital until 20 September 1942. On 1 January 1943 Tolsdorff was promoted to Major and made commander of the 1st Battalion.
On New Year's Eve 1943 the 1st Infantry Division transferred to the southern sector in the Vinnitsa-Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
area. Tolsdorff was now made in charge of the 1st Infantry Division's 22nd Infantry Regiment after its commanding officer, Oberst (Colonel) Ulrich Iffland, had been killed.
Again severely wounded by a shot in the stomach from close range, Tolsdorff managed to return to active duty within a few weeks. Tolsdorff was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) in the Lublin hospital. After recovering from his wounds Tolsdorff was ordered to attend the officer cadet school at Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
.
Back to the front in June 1944 Tolsdorff received the order to defend the city of Vilna. Tolsdorff held out long enough to evacuate the thousands of wounded from the city until relieve arrived from Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz
Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und Camminetz
Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz was a German Army officer. Strachwitz saw action in World War I, but rose to fame for his command of armored forces in World War II.-Early life:...
. This action resulted in his promotion to 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...
and the awarding of the Oak Leaves with Swords on 18 July 1944.
In early August, when Tolsdorff received the Oak Leaves with Swords, Hitler personally ordered him to go to Hirschberg
Hirschberg
The German word Hirschberg is composed of Hirsch and Berg . It may refer to:* several places in Europe, including:** Hirschberg, Thuringia, Germany.** Hirschberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....
for division commanders training. At the beginning of September, after completion of the course, Tolsdorff received orders from the Oberkommando des Heeres
Oberkommando des Heeres
The Oberkommando des Heeres was Nazi Germany's High Command of the Army from 1936 to 1945. The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht commanded OKH only in theory...
(OKH) to go to Thorn
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
(East Prussia), to oversee the formation of the 340th Volksgrenadier Division
340th Volksgrenadier Division (Germany)
The 340th Volksgrenadier Division was a volksgrenadier division of the Heer during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945....
.
Western Front
In mid-November the unit transferred to the AachenAachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
-Jülich
Jülich
Jülich is a town in the district of Düren, in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Jülich is well known as location of a world-famous research centre, the Forschungszentrum Jülich and as shortwave transmission site of Deutsche Welle...
area on the west to defend against US forces trying to cross the Rhine. In December the unit was withdrawn to make preparations for the Ardennes offensive. The division fought as part of the 5th Panzer Army under command of Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
.
On 18 March 1945, Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Tolsdorff received the Diamonds for personal bravery and his division's outstanding accomplishments. Tolsdorff received the Diamonds in Berlin, 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....
and ordered to take command of the LXXXII Panzer Corps, which was stationed in the Amberg
Amberg
Amberg is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Upper Palatinate, roughly halfway between Regensburg and Bayreuth. Population: 44,756 .- History :...
area in Bavaria. On 8 May he surrendered in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
to the famed 101st Airborne
101st Airborne Division (United States)
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
.
After the war
On 9 May 1947 Tolsdorff was released from American captivity. He took on various jobs like truck driver and construction worker until on 7 December 1952 he was put under arrest. He faced charges for the execution of HauptmannHauptmann
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...
Holzey on 3 May 1945. Initially he was sentenced to two and a half years. A federal court overturned the decision and ordered a retrial. On 24 June 1960 Tolsdorff was declared not guilty. The same year, Tolsdorff was hired by the German Asphalt AG and held a position of manager until 1969 when he took over the branch office in Dortmund. Tolsdorff retired on 31 December 1974. Following a serious accident in which Tolsdorff suffered a double skull fracture,According to Fraschka the skull fracture occurred a few years before 1976 and is not directly linked to his death he died on 25 May 1978 in Dortmund.
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....
(1939)- 2nd Class (22 September 1939)
- 1st Class (23 October 1939)
- Infantry Assault BadgeInfantry Assault BadgeThe Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...
(silver) - Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound 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...
(gold) - Tank Destruction BadgeTank Destruction BadgeThe Tank Destruction Badge was an award given to individuals of the Wehrmacht who destroyed an enemy tank single-handedly by an hand-held weapon. Anti-tank units were not eligible for this award...
- German CrossGerman CrossThe 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 on 23 August 1942 as HauptmannHauptmannHauptmann 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...
in the I./Infanterie-Regiment 22 - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and DiamondsKnight'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...
- Knight's Cross on 4 December 1941 as OberleutnantOberleutnantOberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
and chief of the 14./Infanterie-Regiment 22 - 302nd Oak Leaves on 15 September 1943 as MajorMajor (Germany)Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
and commander of the I./Füsilier-Regiment 22 - 80th Swords on 18 July 1944 as OberstleutnantOberstleutnantOberstleutnant 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...
and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 1067 and leader of the KampfgruppeKampfgruppeIn military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
Tolsdorff - 25th Diamonds on 18 March 1945 as Generalmajor and commander of the 340. Volksgrenadier-Division
- Knight's Cross on 4 December 1941 as Oberleutnant
- Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
(14 July 1944)