Career
He was awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 9 May 1945. Hitzfeld was promoted to Major on 1 April 1936 and returned to the Kriegsschule in Dresden, where he taught tactics and military history. He became the aide of the commander of the Kriegsschule on 10 November 1938.
He was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 August 1939 and became the commander of the 3rd Battalion of 158th Infantry Regiment (III/Infanterie-Regiment 158).
With this battalion he participated in the Battle of France. Hitzfeld transferred again in July 1941, this time taking command of the 213th Infantry Regiment (Infanterie-Regiment 213), which he commanded for a year on the Eastern Front.
After a period of convalescence, he was given the command of the 102. Infanterie-Division. Hitzfeld, whose nephew Ottmar Hitzfeld was a highly successful football manager in Europe, was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 April 1943 and officially put in command of the 102.
Infanterie-Division. He was promoted to Generalleutnant early November 1943 and had to turn over command of the Division.
He then took command of the infantry school in Döberitz and again turned over command on 1 November 1944. Hitzfeld was given command of the LXVII., which he led in the Battle of the Bulge. He was promoted to General der Infanterie on 1 March 1945 and made commanding general of the LXVII.
He shortly became commander of the 11.
Armee in April 1945. He declared Göttingen, which was crowded with refugees, as a free city. He was taken prisoner of war by American forces on 19 April 1945 from which he was released on 12 May 1947.
Iron Cross (1914) Promotions Bibliography.