Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz

Smilo Walther Hinko Oskar Constantin Wilhelm Freiherr[1] von Lüttwitz (23 December 1895 – 19 May 1975) was a German general during World War II and son of Walther von Lüttwitz. After World War II he joined the Bundeswehr on 1 June 1957 and retired on 31 December 1960.

Smilo Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Smilo von Lüttwitz as a Bundeswehr general, ca. 1960
Born	23 December 1895 Straßburg, German Empire
Died	19 May 1975 (aged 79) Koblenz, West Germany
Buried	Cemetery Rüngsdorf. Section 3
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer (Wehrmacht) (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1914–45 1957–60
Rank	General der Panzertruppe (Wehrmacht) Generalleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords; Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Relations	Walther von Lüttwitz (father)

Biography

Lütwitz was born on 23 December 1895 in Straßburg (now Strasbourg) into a family with a long history of military service. He joined the military service during the mobilisation on 3 August 1914 as an officer cadet in the 25th Division in Darmstadt. Lüttwitz was posted to the Eastern Front and saw combat at Tannenberg, Courland and Düna. He was severely wounded twice in 1915 and received the Iron Cross 1st class. He was commissioned as an officer in 1915.[2]

In 1916 Lüttwitz was transferred to a staff position with the X Corps in the Heeresgruppe Kronprintz for two years. The corps was under the command of his father General Walther von Lüttwitz. His father, a recipient of the Pour le Mérite, was one of the most highly decorated generals of the German Empire. He returned to front line duty in 1918 as an adjutant with the Darmstädter Dragoner in the temporary occupation of the Ukraine and southern Russia. By the end of World War I he had received both classes of the Iron Cross and the Wound Badge in Silver.[2] He remained in the Weimar Republic's Army, serving in various cavalry units. After the beginning of the Nazi leadership he joined the Panzer (armor) branch.

In 1939 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as adjutant in the XV Army Corps. He was later commanding an infantry regiment and the 4th Rifle Brigade. He served on the Eastern Front. Later, he commanded the 26th Panzer Division in Italy, the LXXXV Army Corps and the 9th Army. During this time, he learned of the government issued orders for summary justice. He opposed it and faced a trial but was allowed to retain command of his unit.

He was released from internment in 1947. He then went to the Evangelical Academy in Friedewald. During the period from 1954-1957 he was the head business manager for the relief organization Order of St. John in Rolandseck. Later he returned to the Evangelical Academy as Head of Administration.

In 1957, he joined the new West German army (Bundeswehr) as a lieutenant general. He was appointed commanding general of the III Corps in Koblenz. He retired in 1960. In 1963, he became chairman of the board for a defense industry. In 1955, Lüttwitz was made a knight in the Order of St. John. In 1963, he took over as president of that organization. At the end of his military service, Lüttwitz received the American Legion of Merit in recognition of his service.

Awards

• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (6 October 1939) & 1st Class (27 May 1940)[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 27 October 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 14 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of the Schützen-Regiment 12[5]
  • 426th Oak Leaves on 16 March 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division[5]
  • 76th Swords on 4 July 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 26. Panzer-Division[5]
• Rechtsritter (Knight of Justice) of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg)
• Great Cross of Merit with star
• Legion of Merit

References

Citations

1. Regarding personal names: Freiherr is a former title (translated as Baron). In Germany since 1919, it forms part of family names. The feminine forms are Freifrau and Freiin.
2. Williamson 2005, p 31.
3. Thomas 1998, p. 45.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 289.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 519.

Bibliography

• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
• Williamson, Gordon (2006). Knight's Cross, Oak-Leaves and Swords Recipients 1941–45. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-643-0.