Karl Bülowius

Karl Bülowius (March 2, 1890 – March 27, 1945) was a German officer who served during the First World War and the Second World War. He also served eleven non-consecutive years for the Weimar Republic during the interwar period which began in 1919 and ended on September 1939.

Life and career

Early life and World War I

Karl Bülowius was born on March 2, 1890 in Königsberg, Germany (now Kaliningrad, Russia).^[1] He joined the Army of the German Empire in 1908 and became an officer cadet of the engineering troops where he would make his promotion to lieutenant sometime in the year 1909.^[1][2] Bülowius participated in the First World War, serving in various engineering departments that were involved in military duties in both Europe and Palestine.^[1][2] During the year 1918 (which would become the final year of the war), Bülowius was elevated to the rank of Hauptmann (captain).^[1] The First World War would end six months later on November 11 with a defeat for Germany and her allies - limiting Germany's army to 100000 men^[3] until Adolf Hitler broke the Treaty of Versailles fifteen years later. He abandoned the Army on December 31, 1920^[2] due to unfortunate circumstances surrounding the structure of Germany's post-World War I military.

However, Bülowius returned again four years later (during the Golden Age of the Weimar Republic) and would serve in various engineering and cavalry units during the 1920s and the 1930s.^[1]

World War II and suicide

At the beginning of World War II, he commanded Oberbaustab X.^[1] Bülowius became commanding officer (Pionierführer) of engineering parts of the 8th Army on October 26, 1939.^[1] Success in commanding the 8th Army would result in Bülowius holding on the same post when he was transferred to the 9th Army on May 15, 1940.^[1] Transferred to North Africa, Bülowius commanded the engineers of Panzer Army Africa on October 25, 1942. Between the 17th and the 25th of February 1943, he commanded the entire group.^[1] Bülowius held the position of post commander in von Manteuffel's former division on April 1943 and kept it until he was captured the following month.^[1] Von Manteuffel had been evacuated back to Germany due to exhaustion and later sent to the Eastern Front on a promotion to Major General.^[1]

He was captured by U.S. troops on May 9, 1943 near the end of the North African campaign.^[1] The North Africa campaign would end seven days later on May 16, 1943 when the Axis (mostly containing troops from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy) forces were forced to retreat to Southern Italy in a decisive defeat.^[4] Bülowius finished his career in the German Heer component by committing suicide on March 27, 1945 at the prisoner-of-war camp named Camp Forrest in Coffee County, Tennessee, USA.^[1]

Credentials

Promotions

• Lieutenant – 1909
• Hauptmann (Captain) – May 1918
• Generalmajor – April 1, 1942
• Generalleutnant – April 1, 1943

Awards

• Iron Cross (awarded twice during the course of World War I)
• German Cross in Gold – December 3, 1942

In fiction

Bülowius would make a "special guest appearance" in the Japanese video game Sgt. Saunders' Combat!. This officer is only seen during North Africa campaign of 1942-43. Due to the complicated spelling of his last name, he was playable in the game under his first name using the scenario mode only. In campaign mode, Bülowius can only be utilized by the AI opponent. He may be seen in other video games related to World War II that involve either the Eastern Front and/or the North Africa campaign.

Citations

Book

• Lannoy, Francois de; Josef Charita (2001). Panzertruppen: Les Troupes Blindees Allemandes German Armored Troops 1935-1945. Heimdal. ISBN 2840481510. 

Web

External links

• Rommel's desert commanders (Google Books)

Images