Otto Heidkämper

Otto Heidkämper
Born	13 March 1901 Lauenhagen
Died	17 February 1969 (aged 67) Bückeburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1918–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	4. Panzer-Division XXIV. Panzerkorps Division Nr. 464 Army Group Centre
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of Belgium Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Voronezh (1942) Battle of Stalingrad Operation Bagration Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive Lublin–Brest Offensive Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Otto Heidkämper (13 March 1901 – 17 February 1969) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. During the invasion of France he served as Ia or Chief of Staff to Erwin Rommel and his 7th Panzer 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 recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Otto Heidkämper was captured by American troops in early May 1945 and was released later that month.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (4 October 1939)
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (7 March 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 February 1943 as Oberst i.G. and Chef des Generalstabes XXIV. Panzerkorps ^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 181.

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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Otto Heidkämper @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 16, 2010)