Alexander von Hartmann

Alexander von Hartmann
Born	11 December 1890 Berlin
Died	26 January 1943 (aged 52) Stalingrad
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1910–43
Rank	General der Infanterie (Posthumously)
Commands held	71. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of Stalingrad †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Alexander von Hartmann (11 December 1890 – 26 January 1943) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 71. Infanterie-Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Alexander von Hartmann was killed on 26 January 1943 at Stalingrad and was posthumously promoted to General der Infanterie.

At Stalingrad his divisional headquarters were known as "Hartmannstadt". Before his death von Hartmann stated, "I intend to go to my infantry in the front line...I will seek death among their ranks. Captivity for a general is dishonourable." He was killed instantly when he was shot in the head while standing upright on the railway embankment firing "shot after shot from his rifle."^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Knight's Cross Second Class of the Order of the White Falcon with Swords
• Wilhelm Ernst War Cross
• Cross of Honour of the House Order of Lippe, 4th class with Swords
• Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with War Decoration
• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Ottoman War Medal (Gallipoli Star, Ottoman Empire)
• Wound Badge in Black (1914)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 October 1942 as Generalleutnant and commander of 71. Infanterie-Division ^[2]

See also

• List of officers and commanders in the Battle of Stalingrad

References

Citations

1. Adam, Wilhelm; Ruhle, Otto (2015). With Paulus at Stalingrad. Translated by Tony Le Tissier. Pen and Sword Books Ltd. p. 180-182,195,198. ISBN 9781473833869.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 178.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Alexander von Hartmann @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived October 29, 2009)