Horst Stumpff

Horst Stumpff
Born 20 November 1887(1887-11-20)
Gießen, Hessen
Died 25 November 1958(1958-11-25) (aged 71)
Hamburg
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1907–1945
Rank General der Panzertruppe
Commands held 3rd Panzer Division
20th Panzer Division
Battles/wars

World War I
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations Hans-Jürgen Stumpff (brother)

Horst Stumpff (20 November 1887 – 25 November 1958) 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 (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Contents

Career

He joined the Imperial German Army as an officer cadet in 1907 and was commissioned as a leutnant in the 7th Pomeranian Infantry Regiment "von der Goltz" on 18 August 1908. He was awarded the Iron Cross first and second class in World War I, during which he was wounded and by the end of the war he had reached the rank of Hauptmann. He was then retained in the Reichswehr in which he was promoted to Oberstleutnant in September 1933 and Oberst on 1 July 1935.

On 1 January 1938 he was given command of the 3rd Panzer Brigade and on 1 March 1939 he was promoted to Generalmajor and led the brigade during the invasion of Poland. On 7 October 1939 he was appointed commander of the 3rd Panzer Division and in November 1940 he was given command of the new 20th Panzer Division and promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 February 1941. He led the division on the Eastern Front and on 29 September 1941 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, but he was moved the leadership reserve shortly afterwards.

In April 1942 he was appointed as the military inspector of the recruiting area Königsberg. In July 1944 he became the Inspector General of the Panzer troops in the replacement army and he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe in this role on 9 November 1944. He died in Hamburg aged 71.

Awards

References

Citations
  1. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 417.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg		 Commander of 3. Panzer-Division
7 October 1939 – September 1940		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Friedrich Kühn
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Friedrich Kühn		 Commander of 3. Panzer-Division
4 October 1940 – 13 November 1940		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Walter Model
Preceded by
—		 Commander of 20. Panzer-Division
13 November 1940 – 10 September 1941		 Succeeded by
Oberst Georg von Bismarck