Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp

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Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp
Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1981-101-24, Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlenkamp.jpg
Willibald Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp in 1942
Born (1890-03-29)29 March 1890
Karlsruhe, Grand Duchy of Baden, German Empire
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Storozhevoye, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1910–42
Rank General der Panzertruppe
Commands held 4th Panzer Division
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

General Willibald Karl Moritz Robert Rudolf Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp[a] (29 March 1890 – 3 October 1942) was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II. 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.

Career

He joined the 5th Dragoon Regiment of the Imperial German Army in 1910 and in World War I he reached the rank of Hauptmann. He was then retained in the Reichswehr where he served as a staff officer and was appointed commander of Cavalry Regiment 4 in 1935. He was promoted to Oberst in 1936 and in 1938 he was appointed as the inspector of horses and motor transport.

On 1 March 1940 he was promoted to Generalmajor, and on 7 May 1940 he was named commander of the 29th Infantry Division.[1] For successfully crossing the Marne-Rhine Canal and advancing to the Swiss border he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 August 1940.

On 8 September 1940, he was given command of the 4th Panzer Division,[1] which he led at opening stages of Operation Barbarossa. In January 1942 he was promoted to Generalleutnant and commanding general of the XXIV Panzer Corps and he led the German advance on Voronezh. On 17 February 1942 he was awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross and on 1 June 1942 was promoted to General der Panzertruppe. During the summer 1942 offensive he led the corps to the Don River. On 3 October 1942, during a visit to the front at Storozhevoye, the forward trench he was visiting was attacked by Soviet soldiers and he was killed by a hand grenade.[citation needed]

Awards

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Monday, 5 October 1942 Bei den Kämpfen an der Don-Front fand der Kommandierenden General eines Panzerkorps, General der Panzertruppe Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp, Träger des Eichenlaubs zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, am 3. Oktober 1943 in vorderster Linie den Heldentod. Seite an Seite mit ihm fiel der Kommandeur einer ungarischen Division, Oberst Nagy, im Kampf um die Freiheit Europas.[5] In the fighting on the Don front the commanding general of an armored corps, General of Panzer Troops Freiherr von Langermann und Erlencamp, bearer of the Oak Leaf to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, met an heroic death on 3 October 1943 on the front line. Side by side with him fell the commander of a Hungarian division, Colonel Nagy, in the struggle for the freedom of Europe.

Footnotes

  • a Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron). In Germany since 1919, it forms part of family names. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Thomas 1998, p. 8.
  3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 233.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 58.
  5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, p. 309.

Bibliography

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External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Joachim Lemelsen
Commander of 29. Infanterie-Division
7 May 1940 – 1 July 1940
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Walter von Boltenstern
Preceded by Commander of 4. Panzer-Division
8 September 1940 – 27 December 1941
Succeeded by
General der Panzertruppen Dietrich von Saucken
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppen Leo Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg
Commander of XXIV. Armeekorps
7 January 1942 – 21 June 1942
Succeeded by
redesignated XXIV. Panzerkorps
Preceded by
XXIV. Armeekorps
Commander of XXIV. Panzerkorps
21 June 1942 – 3 October 1942
Succeeded by
General der Panzertruppen Otto von Knobelsdorff