SS Brigadeführer, commander of the 10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg". He volunteered for the SS-Verfügungstruppe (later known as the Waffen-SS) in 1935 and served as a company commander in the SS-Regiment "Der Führer" in the Battle of France in 1940, and in the Balkans Campaign and Operation Barbarossa. In December 1941, he took command of SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland" and participated in the capture of Kharkov in 1943. In 1944 he took command of the SS Division Frundsberg and moved the division to Normandy. He was ordered to break the enemy's lines, to free approximately 125,000 troops of the 7th Army encircled in the Falaise pocket. The operation ended with heavy losses and serious damage. He was then sent to the Netherlands where he fought against the Allied offensive Operation Market Garden. His division was then transferred to Alsace, where he was ordered to establish a bridgehead to join the Colmar Pocket. After the failure of the December 1944/January 1945 offensive in Alsace, he was transferred to the Eastern Front, initially fighting in Pomerania and Brandenburg to hold the Oder Front. The division was subsequently transferred to Heeresgruppe Mitte where in late April it was ordered to counterattack the forces of Marshal Ivan Konev. He refused and was dismissed from command by Field Marshal Schoerner. He subsequently commanded an ad hoc battle group formed around the 24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS, the SS Officer's School at Graz and other smaller units. He surrendered to the British forces in Austria. His awards during service were the Tank Destruction Badge; the Iron Cross 2nd Class & 1st Class; German Cross in Gold; and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
SS Brigadeführer, commander of the 10th SS Panzer Division "Frundsberg". He volunteered for the SS-Verfügungstruppe (later known as the Waffen-SS) in 1935 and served as a company commander in the SS-Regiment "Der Führer" in the Battle of France in 1940, and in the Balkans Campaign and Operation Barbarossa. In December 1941, he took command of SS-Infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland" and participated in the capture of Kharkov in 1943. In 1944 he took command of the SS Division Frundsberg and moved the division to Normandy. He was ordered to break the enemy's lines, to free approximately 125,000 troops of the 7th Army encircled in the Falaise pocket. The operation ended with heavy losses and serious damage. He was then sent to the Netherlands where he fought against the Allied offensive Operation Market Garden. His division was then transferred to Alsace, where he was ordered to establish a bridgehead to join the Colmar Pocket. After the failure of the December 1944/January 1945 offensive in Alsace, he was transferred to the Eastern Front, initially fighting in Pomerania and Brandenburg to hold the Oder Front. The division was subsequently transferred to Heeresgruppe Mitte where in late April it was ordered to counterattack the forces of Marshal Ivan Konev. He refused and was dismissed from command by Field Marshal Schoerner. He subsequently commanded an ad hoc battle group formed around the 24th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS, the SS Officer's School at Graz and other smaller units. He surrendered to the British forces in Austria. His awards during service were the Tank Destruction Badge; the Iron Cross 2nd Class & 1st Class; German Cross in Gold; and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.
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