Background
BISMARCK, Klaus was born on March 6, 1912 in Jarchlin. Son of Gottfried and Gertrud von Bismarck (nee Kahn).
BISMARCK, Klaus was born on March 6, 1912 in Jarchlin. Son of Gottfried and Gertrud von Bismarck (nee Kahn).
High School, Doberan, agricultural education (training).
Bismarck was a highly decorated Lieutenant Colonel (Oberstleutnant of the Reserves) in the Wehrmacht during the Second World War. 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. According to his memoirs published in 1992 he refused to obey Hitler"s Commissar Order to execute all captured Russian political Commissars attached to the Russian Army whilst serving as an adjutant on the Russian front in 1941.
(Gitta Sereny, "Albert Speer - his battle with truth, Macmillan 1995) He is a relative of Otto von Bismarck, Germany"s first Chancellor, and was the son of Gottfried von Bismarck (1881–1928), Lord of Jarchlin and Kniephof, family estates located in Pomerania.
Bismarck received an honorary Doctor of Theology degree (Doctor h c theology) from the University of Münster. Wehrmachtbericht reference Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (9 October 1939) 1st Class (18 June 1940) Wound Badge (1939) in Silver Eastern Front Medal (15 July 1942) Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 31 December 1941 as Oberleutnant and leader of the World War II/Infanterie-Regiment 4 669th Oak Leaves on 26 November 1944 as Major and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 4 Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 24 November 1944 Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (3 October 1973) Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star (1982) Grand Federal Cross of Merit with Star and Sash (2 June 1989) Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (1989) Honorary Doctorate of Theology from the University of Münster Klaus-von-Bismarck-Saal (formerly Main Hall) at WDR Radio Cologne.
He was also the President of the German Evangelical Church Assembly from 1977 to 1979 and a member of its presidium from 1950 to 1995, as well as President of the Goethe Institute, 1977 to 1989.
Married Ruth-Alice von Wedemeyer in 1939.
