Adelbert Schulz
Adelbert Schulz
|
|
---|---|
Adelbert Schulz
|
|
Born | Berlin |
20 December 1903
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Shepetivka |
Buried |
German War Cemetery at Starokostiantyniv
|
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/ |
Heer |
Years of service | 1935–44 |
Rank | Generalmajor |
Commands held | 1./Panzer-Regiment 25 I./Panzer-Regiment 25 Panzer-Regiment 25 7th Panzer Division |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Adelbert Schulz (20 December 1903 – 28 January 1944) was a Generalmajor (Major General) and division commander in the German Wehrmacht during World War II. He was one of 27 people to be awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten) and one of the youngest German generals. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade the Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. At the time of its presentation to Schulz it was Germany's highest military decoration.[Note 1]
Contents
Early life
Adelbert Schulz was born on 20 December 1903 in Berlin, the son of a civil servant (Beamter). He graduated from a Berliner Realgymnasium (secondary school) with his Abitur and took on an apprenticeship at a bank. To fulfill his ambition in becoming a bank director he attended a merchant college (Handelshochschule) from 1923 to 1924. In December 1925 he changed his mind and joined the Prussian police force at the Police school (Polizeischule) in Brandenburg. After completing his training in 1927 he was promoted to Polizeiwachtmeister and after eight years on 20 April 1934 of service was promoted to Polizeileutnant (second lieutenant) in Berlin. On 1 October 1935 Schulz transferred from the Police (preußischen kasernierten Landespolizei) to the Wehrmacht (German Army) as an Oberleutnant (first lieutenant).[1]
World War II
Schulz's unit took part in the occupations of Austria and the Sudetenland. During the western campaign and in 1940 was promoted to captain. He participated in the invasion of Belgium, attacks on French and British positions and assisted in the breakthrough to Cherbourg, serving under General Erwin Rommel. On the 29 September 1940 he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
Schulz was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross on 31 December 1941. On 6 August 1943 he received the Swords to his Knight's Cross and was promoted to colonel.
On 9 January 1944, he received Diamonds to his Gold Cross and was promoted to major general (Generalmajor) and made division commander in charge of Rommel's former division.
Schulz was wounded in action in the area of Shepetivka on 28 January 1944; he succumbed to his injuries in the field hospital the same day. His death was announced on 30 January 1944 in the Wehrmachtbericht.
A German Army barracks in Munster (Örtze) is named after Schulz.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Wound Badge in Black[3]
- Panzer Badge in Gold[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
- Knight's Cross on 29 September 1940 as Hauptmann and chief of the 1./Panzer-Regiment 25[4][5]
- 47th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 as Hauptmann and commander of the I./Panzer-Regiment 25[4][6]
- 33rd Swords on 6 August 1943 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Panzer-Regiment 25[4][7]
- 9th Diamonds on 14 December 1943 as Oberst and commander of the Panzer-Regiment 25[4][8]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht reference
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
---|---|---|
30 January 1944 | ... In diesen Kämpfen fand an der Spitze seiner Division der vor wenigen Tagen vom Führer mit der höchsten Tapferkeitsauszeichnung beliehene Kommandeur einer Panzerdivision Generalmajor Schulz den Heldentod. Mit ihm verliert das Heer einen seiner besten Offiziere, die Panzerwaffe einen vorbildlichen Kommandeur[9] | ... The commander of an armoured division major general Schulz, who received the highest award for bravery from the Führer a few days ago, found at the head of his division a heroic death in this combat. With him the army loses one of his best officers, the armoured force an exemplary commander. |
Notes
- ↑ In 1943, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign, in the military order of the Third Reich. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds as the highest military order was surpassed on 29 December 1944 by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten).
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Alman, Karl (2008). Panzer vor - Die dramtische Geschichte der deutschen Panzerwaffe und ihre tapferen Soldaten (in German). Würzburg, Germany: Flechsig Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88189-638-2.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Kurowski, Franz (2008). Generalmajor Adelbert Schulz Mit der 7. Panzerdivision in West und Ost (in German). Flechsig Verlag. ISBN 978-3-88189-767-9.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel
|
Commander of 7th Panzer Division January 1944 – 28 January 1944 |
Succeeded by Oberst Wolfgang Gläsemer |
- Articles containing German-language text
- Use dmy dates from September 2015
- 1903 births
- 1944 deaths
- People from Berlin
- Wehrmacht generals
- German police officers
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht