Georg von Bismarck

Georg von Bismarck (15 February 1891 – 31 August 1942) was a German general during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

Georg von Bismarck
Bismarck (right) with Erwin Rommel
Born	15 February 1891
Died	31 August 1942 (aged 51) near El Alamein
Buried	Tobruk
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army (Wehrmacht)
Years of service	1910–42
Rank	Generalleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held	20th Panzer Division 21st Panzer Division
Battles/wars	North African Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Bismarck joined the army in 1910 and took part in World War I. During the interwar years he served as an officer in the Reichswehr. During World War II, Bismarck took part in the Invasion of Poland in September 1939. During the Battle of France in 1940, he commanded a motorized infantry regiment of Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division.

In 1941 he was promoted to commander of the newly formed 20th Panzer Division. He led the division during Operation Barbarossa on the Eastern Front as a part of Army Group Centre. In January 1942 he was transferred to Africa to serve in the Africa Korps as commander of the 21st Panzer Division. Here he again served under Rommel. Bismarck was killed by a mine while leading the 21st Panzer Division in the Battle of Alam el Halfa, 31 August 1942.[1]

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 September 1940 as Oberst and commander of Schützen-Regiment 7[2]

References

1. Lewin p. 157
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 114.

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Lewin, Ronald (1998) [1968]. Rommel As Military Commander. New York: B&N Books. ISBN 978-0-7607-0861-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)