Hans Bernhard Theodor von Arnim

April 4, 1889 (age 73)

Reichenbach (Eulengebirge) District, Prussia

Arnim joined the German Army in 1907. During the First World War he saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts. After the war, he remained in the Reichswehr and rose to command the elite 68th Infantry Regiment in Berlin. With the rise of Nazi Germany, Arnim was made a major-general in 1938. World World War II Arnim commanded the 52nd Infantry Division in both the Battles for Poland and France. In October 1940, Arnim was given command of the 17th. With the outbreak of the war against the Soviet Union, he was promoted to lieutenant general under Heinz Guderian, and was seriously wounded a few days after the start of the campaign. On 1 October 1941, he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and placed in command of XXXIX. Panzerkorps until November 1942, when he was appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa. When Adolf Hitler refused to allow Rommel to return to Tunisia, Arnim was promoted to full general (Generaloberst) on 4 December 1942, and made Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Africa from 23 February 1943 until his surrender to the Royal Sussex Regiment of the 4th Indian Division two months later on 12 May 1943. The American general replied to his aides to get as much information out of him as they could, but a personal meeting was out of the question. Eisenhower would not meet with any German officers until the final surrender. Instead Arnim was brought to the British 1st Army commander-in-chief, General Kenneth Anderson. Von Arnim served the rest of the war as a British prisoner of war interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi, and was released on 1 July 1947. He returned to Germany, where the estates he had held before the war had been taken and divided by the Soviet occupation authorities as part of a process of land reform. He died in Bad Wildungen, Hesse. Bibliography.

Hans Bernhard Theodor von Arnim

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military

Background

Arnim was born in Ernsdorf in the Prussian Province of Silesia (now Dzierżoniów, Poland), the son of General Hans von Arnim (1861–1931) and Martha Honrichs von Arnim (1865–1953).

Career

Arnim joined the German Army in 1907. During the First World War he saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts. After the war, he remained in the Reichswehr and rose to command the elite 68th Infantry Regiment in Berlin.

With the rise of Nazi Germany, Arnim was made a major-general in 1938.

World World War II Arnim commanded the 52nd Infantry Division in both the Battles for Poland and France. In October 1940, Arnim was given command of the 17th.

With the outbreak of the war against the Soviet Union, he was promoted to lieutenant general under Heinz Guderian, and was seriously wounded a few days after the start of the campaign. On 1 October 1941, he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and placed in command of XXXIX. Panzerkorps until November 1942, when he was appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa.

When Adolf Hitler refused to allow Rommel to return to Tunisia, Arnim was promoted to full general (Generaloberst) on 4 December 1942, and made Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Africa from 23 February 1943 until his surrender to the Royal Sussex Regiment of the 4th Indian Division two months later on 12 May 1943.

The American general replied to his aides to get as much information out of him as they could, but a personal meeting was out of the question. Eisenhower would not meet with any German officers until the final surrender. Instead Arnim was brought to the British 1st Army commander-in-chief, General Kenneth Anderson.

Von Arnim served the rest of the war as a British prisoner of war interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi, and was released on 1 July 1947.

He returned to Germany, where the estates he had held before the war had been taken and divided by the Soviet occupation authorities as part of a process of land reform. He died in Bad Wildungen, Hesse.

Bibliography.

Achievements

Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (16 September 1914) 1st Class (2 November 1914) Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg Knight"s Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (7 September 1918) Wound Badge in White (6 August 1918) Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (15 November 1934) Wehrmacht Long Service Award 1st Class (2 October 1936) Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (8 October 1939) 1st Class (3 November 1939) Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 17. Panzer-Division Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (addendum) on 13 May 1943 Ärmelband "Afrika" Eastern Front Medal 1941/42.

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