Anton Grasser

Anton Grasser
Born	11 November 1891 Bossendorf, Alsace-Lorraine, German Empire now Bossendorf, Alsace, France
Died	3 November 1976(1976-11-03) (aged 85) Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Heer Bundesgrenzschutz
Years of service	1913–18 1936–45 1951–53
Rank	General der Infanterie (Wehrmacht)
Commands held	25. Infanterie-Division 25. Panzergrenadier Division LVI. Panzerkorps XXVI. Armeekorps LXXII. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Uman Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Battle of Smolensk (1943) Battle of Narva (1944) Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Other work	Police Officer

Anton Grasser (3 November 1891 – 3 November 1976) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps. 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. Anton Grasser was captured by Allied troops in 1945 and was released in 1947. Anton Grasser joined the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards) in 1951, retiring in 1953.

In the 1950s, Grasser was involved in organizing an illegal underground army set up by Nazi veterans in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (18 June 1915)
  • 1st Class (6 June 1916)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1 July 1935)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (8 June 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal (22 August 1942)
• Infantry Assault Badge
• German Cross in Gold on 11 March 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 25. Infanterie-Division
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 June 1940 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 119
  • 344th Oak Leaves on 5 December 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 25. Panzergrenadier-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (23 September 1943)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (1953)

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards

Military offices
Preceded by Generalmajor Sigfrid Henrici	Commander of 25. Infanterie-Division 4 February 1942 – 23 June 1943	Succeeded by Renamed 25th Panzergrenadier Division
Preceded by Previously 25th Infantry Division	Commander of 25. Panzergrenadier-Division 23 June 1943 – 5 November 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Dr. Fritz Benicke
Preceded by General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach	Commander of LVI Panzer Corps 14 November 1943 – 9 December 1943	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Friedrich Hoßbach
Preceded by General der Infanterie Martin Grase	Commander of XXVI. Armeekorps 15 February 1944 – 11 May 1944	Succeeded by General der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin
Preceded by General der Artillerie Wilhelm Berlin	Commander of XXVI. Armeekorps 15 June 1944 – 6 July 1944	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Gerhard Matzky
Preceded by Generalleutnant August Schmidt	Commander of LXXII. Armeekorps 22 January 1945 – April 1945	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Werner Schmidt-Hammer
Preceded by none	Inspector of the Bundesgrenzschutz 18 May 1951 – 30 June 1953	Succeeded by Brigadegeneral Kurt Andersen