Maximilian von Edelsheim

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Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Edelsheim (born July 6, 1897 in Berlin , † April 26, 1994 in Konstanz ) was a German officer , most recently a general of the tank troops in the Second World War from the family of the Barons von Edelsheim .

Life

Edelsheim, a son of the Baden officer Franz von Edelsheim (1868–1939) and grandson of the Baden Minister Ludwig von Edelsheim , joined the 2nd Guard Uhlan Regiment in Berlin on August 11, 1914 as an officer candidate after the outbreak of the First World War was appointed Fahnenjunker on December 4, 1914 . With his regiment he came on 20 February 1915 the eastern front for the first time used and got there on March 30 was promoted to ensign and on December 15, 1915 to lieutenant . As such, he completed a machine gun course from February to March 1916 and then took over the machine gun platoon of his regiment. On January 14, 1917, he was transferred to Infantry Replacement Regiment No. 59. He stayed there until the end of the war. From January to March 1919 he was again briefly with his old Uhlan regiment and then joined the Hülsen Freikorps .

Subsequently, he was accepted into the Reichswehr and used in the 4th (Prussian) cavalry regiment in Potsdam . On July 31, 1925 Edelsheim was first lieutenant and on October 1, 1926 for two years as a training officer at the cavalry school in Hanover . In April 1929 he joined the staff of the 2nd (Prussian) Reiter Regiment in Osterode in East Prussia , was promoted to Rittmeister on April 1, 1931, and on October 1, 1931, he was chief of the 4th Squadron of the 4th Reiter Regiment in Perleberg . On May 15, 1935, he was transferred to the staff of the Potsdam Cavalry Command and then served as an adjutant in the 4th Cavalry Brigade. As such, he was transferred to Major on March 1, 1936 , and from April 1 to Senior Cavalry Officer 4 and from October 12, 1937 to Senior Cavalry Officer 2. On July 29, 1938 Edelsheim was transferred to the 6th Cavalry Regiment and charged with commanding the 2nd Battalion.

Edelsheim took over cycling department 1 in the 1st Cavalry Brigade on November 10, 1938 , became a lieutenant colonel on April 1, 1939 and led the association at the beginning of the Second World War in Poland and then in the western campaign . On September 30, 1941 he gave up command, took over the 22nd Cavalry Regiment and was promoted to colonel on December 17, 1941 . In January 1942 his regiment was named Schützen-Regiment 26, in October of the same year it was renamed to Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 26. From November 8, 1942 to March 1, 1943 Edelsheim was transferred to the Führerreserve . At the same time he completed a division leadership course in January and February 1943. On March 1, 1943, he was entrusted with the leadership of the re-established 24th Panzer Division in France and on June 1, 1943, while being promoted to major general , he was appointed its commander.

On May 20, 1944 Edelsheim was lieutenant general and on June 1, 1944 relieved of his post to continue with the leadership of the XXXXVIII. Panzer Corps to be commissioned. The appointment as commanding general and general of the tank troops took place on December 1, 1944. Shortly before the end of the war, he gave the corps to Lieutenant General Wolf Hagemann . On May 3, 1945, a delegation headed by General von Edelsheim traveled to Stendal for handover negotiations with the 9th US Army . On May 4, 1945, the American side under Major General James E. Moore rejected a formal surrender of the German side because of obligations to the Soviet Union, but accepted the "individual surrender" of soldiers of the German 9th Army and 12th Army and the takeover also civilian wounded, provided they are provided with sufficient escort personnel and medicine. As a result, German soldiers and civilians began to transition west across the Elbe. General von Edelsheim also went into American captivity , from which he was released on March 31, 1947.

Awards

literature

  • Dermot Bradley , Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand, Markus Rövekamp: The Generals of the Army 1921–1945, Volume 3 Dahlmann-Fitzlaff ; Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1994, ISBN 3-7648-2443-3
  • Gerd F. Heuer: General of the armored troop Maximilian Reichsfreiherr v. Edelsheim. He would have been 100 years old on July 6, 1997 . In: German Soldier Yearbook. 45th year 1997, p. 19

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Klaus-Dietmar Henke: The American occupation of Germany. In: Volume 27 of sources and representations on contemporary history , Oldenbourg Verlag, 1996, ISBN 9783486561753 , p. 674 ff
  2. ↑ a b Ranking list of the German Reichsheeres , Ed .: Reichswehrministerium , Mittler & Sohn Verlag, Berlin 1930, p. 156
  3. ↑ Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearers 1939-1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 287.
personal data
SURNAME Edelsheim, Maximilian von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Edelsheim, Maximilian Baron of
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German officer and general of the tank force in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH July 6, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH Berlin
DATE OF DEATH April 26, 1994
Place of death Constancy