Arthur Kullmer

Arthur Kullmer
Born	17 August 1896 Großbockenheim
Died	28 March 1953 (aged 56) Sverdlovsk
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	106. Infanterie-Division 296. Infanterie-Division 558. Volksgrenadier-Division XLIII. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Operation Bagration Bobruysk Offensive East Prussian Offensive Heiligenbeil Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Arthur Kullmer (17 August 1896 – 28 March 1953) was a German general who commanded several divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Arthur Kullmer died on 28 March 1953 in Soviet captivity.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (29 August 1916)^[1]
  • 1st Class (8 October 1918)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 in 1934
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (12 July 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 14 January 1942 as Oberstleutnant in Infanterie-Regiment 331^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 27 October 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 296. Infanterie-Division^[3]
  • 758th Oak Leaves on 28 February 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 558. Volksgrenadier-Division^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
3 December 1943	Im Mittelabschnitt war der Druck des Feindes gegen unsere Stellungen im Raum von Gomel schwächer. In den zähen und erbitterten Abwehrkämpfen der vergangenen Tage haben hier die main-frankische 4. Panzerdivision unter Generalleutnant von Saucken und die bayerische 296. Infanteriedivision unter Generalleutnant Kullmer bei schwierigen Kampfverhältnissen alle Durchbruchsversuche der Sowjets vereitelt.[5]	In the middle sector, the pressure of the enemy against our positions in area of Gomel was weaker. In the tough and fierce defensive battles of the past few days here have the Main-Frankish 4th Panzer Division under Lieutenant-General Von Saucken and the Bavarian 296th Infantry Division under Lieutenant General Kullmer, thwarted all Soviet break through attempts in difficult combat circumstances.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 426.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 262.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 229.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 81.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 619.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com