German Colonel General. Holder of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Original name Georg-Hans Reinhardt. Born in Bautzen, he served in the German army during World War I and remained in the army between the wars, rising to the rank of major general shortly before World War II broke out. He commanded the 4th Panzer Division during the invasion of Poland in 1939, and his division was the first to reach Warsaw, for which he was awarded the Knights Cross and a promotion to Lieutenant General. He commanded the XLI Panzer Corps in the Battle of France in 1940, which took part in the successful breakthrough in the Ardennes, earning him a promotion to General der Panzertruppe. XLI Corps took part in Operation Barberossa, the invasion of Russia, in 1941, and he was given command of the 3rd Panzer Army in October of that year, for the failed assault on Moscow. He was promoted to Colonel General at the beginning of 1942, which is equivalent to four star rank. During the next two years, the Third Panzer Army under his command fought on the defensive, finally being driven back into Poland and East Prussia in 1944. His strong defense in these battles earned him the Oak Leaves and Swords to his Knights Cross in May 1944. His final command was Army Group Centre in late 1944, but he could not stop the Russian onslaught and retired from active command in January 1945. He was mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht. He was tried as a war criminal in 1947 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment but was released in 1952. However, for his work after his release with the Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962, shortly before his death.
German Colonel General. Holder of the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Original name Georg-Hans Reinhardt. Born in Bautzen, he served in the German army during World War I and remained in the army between the wars, rising to the rank of major general shortly before World War II broke out. He commanded the 4th Panzer Division during the invasion of Poland in 1939, and his division was the first to reach Warsaw, for which he was awarded the Knights Cross and a promotion to Lieutenant General. He commanded the XLI Panzer Corps in the Battle of France in 1940, which took part in the successful breakthrough in the Ardennes, earning him a promotion to General der Panzertruppe. XLI Corps took part in Operation Barberossa, the invasion of Russia, in 1941, and he was given command of the 3rd Panzer Army in October of that year, for the failed assault on Moscow. He was promoted to Colonel General at the beginning of 1942, which is equivalent to four star rank. During the next two years, the Third Panzer Army under his command fought on the defensive, finally being driven back into Poland and East Prussia in 1944. His strong defense in these battles earned him the Oak Leaves and Swords to his Knights Cross in May 1944. His final command was Army Group Centre in late 1944, but he could not stop the Russian onslaught and retired from active command in January 1945. He was mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht. He was tried as a war criminal in 1947 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment but was released in 1952. However, for his work after his release with the Gesellschaft für Wehrkunde he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 1962, shortly before his death.
Bio by: Kenneth Gilbert
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