Richard Baltzer

World War II

In the summer of 1939, during the mobilization for World War II, he was appointed commander of the 217th Infantry Division, which he led during the Invasion of Poland. On 1 October 1939, he was promoted to lieutenant general. After the Polish campaign, the division was initially used as an occupation force in Poland. In the summer of 1940, the division was transferred to France also as an occupation force.

At the beginning of summer 1941 he led his division in Operation Barbarossa in the attack on northern Russia. On 31 January 1942 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. On 15 April 1942, he was relieved of command and transferred to the Führer reserve.
On 15 August 1942 he was appointed commander of the 156th Reserve Division, which guarded the French coast. In December 1943 he was transferred again to the Führer reserve. On 25 March 1944 he was appointed commander of the 182nd Reserve Division, which was renamed into 182nd Infantry Division on 1 March 1945. He fought with this division in France and later in Slovakia.

Marriage

On 5 October 1909 in Brandenburg an der Havel, 2nd Lieutenant Baltzer married his fiancée Magdalene Sack (b. 15 January 1890 in Posen), daughter of then Colonel (later General of the Artillery) and commander of the 6. Feldartillerie-Brigade Louis Ernst Wilhelm Sack (b. 6 August 1854 in Braunschweig; d. 1930 in Berlin) and his wife Klara Katharina, née Wahnschaffe (b. 20 May 1857 in Warsleben). They would have two children:

• Hans-Martin (b. 20 June 1913 in Gumbinnen), drafted into military service in WWII,  † 29 March 1943 as an Obergefreiter (Private First Class E-3/Senior Lance Corporal) of the Wehrmacht in Karbussel, Mga District, Leningrad Region during the Red Army Operation Polar Star
• Ursula (b. 15 December 1914 in Berlin-Schöneberg; d. 1988 or 1990); ∞ Potsdam 26 March 1937 Erhard "Egge" Heeren (b. 17 September 1911 in Northeim), Lieutenant Colonel of the Wehrmacht,  † 31 July 1944 near Troisgots, north-western France (invasion front)

Prussian Army

• 6 April 1904 Seekadett (Officer Candidate at Sea)
• 31 March 1905 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate)
• Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank)
• 18 November 1905 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 18 June 1906 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 15 February 1905
• 17 February 1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 18 June 1915 Hauptmann (Captain)

Police

• 1 December 1919 Polizei-Hauptmann (Police Captain)
• 31 January 1920 Polizei-Major (Police Major)
• 1 April 1930 Polizei-Oberstleutnant (Police Lieutenant Colonel)
• 21 March 1933 Polizei-Oberst (Police Colonel)
  • 18 May 1936 received administrative Rank Seniority (RDA) as an army Colonel from 1 June 1934 (13)
• 15 August 1933 Polizei-General (Police General)
• 22 June 1934 Generalmajor der Landespolizei (Major General of the State Police)

Wehrmacht

• 16 March 1936 Generalmajor (Major General) without Patent and RDA (ernannt)
  • 30 September 1937 received Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 October 1937 (9)
• 30 September 1939 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 October 1939 (8)