Career
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. 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. On 8 September 1940, he was given command of the 4th Panzer Division, 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. (30 May 1940) (14 June 1940) Wehrmachtbericht reference.
