Karl von Graffen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Karl von Graffen (6 June 1893 – 1 November 1964) was a highly decorated German general during World War II who held divisional and corps level commands. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
Karl von Graffen | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | 6 June 1893 |
| Died | 1 November 1964 (aged 71) |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
| Branch | Prussian Army Imperial German Army Reichswehr Army (Wehrmacht) |
| Service years | 1911–1945 |
| Rank | Generalleutnant |
| Commands | 58th Infantry Division LXXVI Panzer Corps |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Graffen was taken prisoner in May 1945 by the US 85th Infantry Division near Belluno, Italy, and was released in March 1948.
His Granddaughter, Angela Findlay, has written a book (In my Grandfather's Shadow ISBN: 9780552177726) about her relationship to his legacy[1]. Findlay has also discussed this on a number of Podcasts and at Book Festivals[2]
Awards and decorations
- Order of the Griffon (Mecklenburg), Knight's Cross on 29 September 1912
- Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 25 September 1914
- 1st Class on 25 November 1916
- Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin), 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 8 December 1914
- 1st Class on 6 October 1916
- Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary) 3rd Class with War Decoration on 25 July 1917
- Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg on 8 September 1917
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 9 January 1935
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class on 3 October 1936
- Order of St. Sava, Commander's Cross on 1 December 1938
- Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class
- 2nd Class on 17 June 1940
- 1st Class on 29 June 1941
- German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941
- Eastern Front Medal on 13 August 1942
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 August 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 58. Infanterie-Division[3]
Sources
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- 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.
- Findlay, Angela (2022). In My Grandfather's Shadow: A Story of War, Trauma and the Legacy of Silence. Bantam Press. ISBN 978-1787634060.
- Operation Report of 337th Infantry Regiment. National Archives, College Park, MD. 1945.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
