Georg von Bismarck

Georg von Bismarck

Georg von Bismarck (right)
Born (1891-02-15)15 February 1891
Neumühl
Died 31 August 1942(1942-08-31) (aged 51)
near El Alamein
Buried at Memorial Gardens at Tobruk
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1910–42
Rank Generalleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held Schützen-Regiment 7
20. Panzer-Division
21. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars

World War I

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Georg von Bismarck (15 February 1891 – 31 August 1942) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was 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.

Career

Bismarck joined the Hussar Regiment "Graf Goetzen" of the 2nd Silesian as a cadet in 1910. During World War I he initially served as a first lieutenant and later as adjutant on the front line of the western front until July 1916. He then was sent to the Carpathian, and later to Isonzo on the southern front. He finished the war serving again on the Western Front.

During the interwar years Bismarck served as an officer in the Reichswehr. In 1938 he was promoted to colonel and appointed commander of the Cavalry Rifle Regiment 7 in Gera.

At the outset of the Second World War Bismarck again served in frontline service. He took part in the Polish campaign in September 1939, and during the invasion of France in 1940 he commanded the 7th Schützen-Regiment (motorized infantry regiment) of Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division during its dash to the channel.

In 1941 he was promoted to deputy brigade commander, and later to commander of the newly formed 20th Panzer Division. He led the division during Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front as a part of Army Group Centre.

In January 1942 he was transferred to Africa to serve in the Africa Korps as commander of the 21st Panzer Division. Here he again served under the command of his former divisional commander, Erwin Rommel. On 1 April 1942 he was promoted to Major General.

Georg von Bismarck was killed by a mine while leading the 21st Panzer Division in the Battle of Alam el Halfa, 31 August 1942.[1][2] He was posthumously promoted to Generalleutnant.

Awards and decorations

Bismarck and Rommel discuss dispositions of the 21st Panzer Division while Fritz Bayerlein looks on

References

Georg von Bismarck stands before his command Pz III ready to meet Erwin Rommel

Citations

  1. ↑ Lewin p. 157
  2. ↑ Rommel p. 277
  3. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 114.

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. 
  • Lewin, Ronald (1998) [1968]. Rommel As Military Commander. New York: B&N Books. ISBN 978-0-7607-0861-3. 
  • Rommel, Erwin (1982) [1953]. Liddell Hart, B. H., ed. The Rommel Papers. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 978-0-306-80157-0. 
  • 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

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Horst Stumpff		 Acting commander of 20th Panzer Division
10 September 1941 – 13 October 1941 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma
Preceded by
Generalmajor Karl Böttcher		 Commander of 21st Panzer Division
11 February 1942 – 21 July 1942 		Succeeded by
Oberst Alfred Bruer
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