Karl Arndt

Karl Arndt
Born	10 March 1892 Groß Kauer, District of Glogau, Province of Silesia, German Empire present-day Kurów Wielki, Poland
Died	30 December 1981 (aged 89) Langenholthausen, Balve, Märkischer Kreis, North-Rhine Westphalia, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1911–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	293. Infanterie-Division 359. Infanterie-Division XXXIX. Panzerkorps
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Belgorod-Khar'kov Offensive Operation Lower Dnieper Offensive Lower Silesian Offensive Upper Silesian Offensive Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Karl Hermann Arndt (10 March 1892 – 30 December 1981) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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. Karl Arndt was captured by American troops in May 1945 and was held until 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (3 October 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (26 January 1918)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
  • in Silver (31 July 1918)^[2]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (31 December 1934)^[2]
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 1st Class (2 October 1936)^[2]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (17 June 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal (19 August 1942)^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 2 July 1944 as Generalleutnant in the 359. Infanterie-Division^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 23 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 511^[4]
  • 719th Oak Leaves on 1 February 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 359. Infanterie-Division^[5]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (22 January 1945)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
22 January 1945	Im Raum von Krakau hat die brandenburgische 359. Infanterie-Division unter Führung von Generalleutnant Arndt durch hervorragende Standhaftigkeit und beispielhaften Angriffsschwung den Durchbruch weit überlegener feindlicher Kräfte nach Süden über die Weichsel vereitelt und dadurch den Aufbau einer geschlossenen Abwehrfront ermöglicht.[6]	In the area of Krakow has the Brandenburg 359th Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Arndt shown outstanding steadfastness and exemplary attack momentum and thereby thwarted the breakthrough of far superior enemy forces south across the Vistula and thus enabled the construction of a closed defensive front.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 8.
2. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 99.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 17.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 101.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 80.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 413.

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.
• Stockert, Peter (2008). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 8 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 8] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.
• 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 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkrueztraeger 1939-1945
• Karl Arndt @ Axis Biographical Research