Walther von Hünersdorff

Walther von Hünersdorff
Born	(1898-11-28)28 November 1898 Cairo, Egypt
Died	field hospital at Kharkov
Buried	German War Cemetery, Kharkov
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1915–43
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	6. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Operation Winter Storm Battle of Kursk
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walther von Hünersdorff (28 November 1898 – 17 July 1943) was a German Generalleutnant serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

During the First World War von Hünersdorff entered the German army in 1915 and fought on the Western Front. He was promoted to lieutenant in October 1916. After the German capitulation, he remained in the Reichswehr. Von Hünersdorff was promoted to first lieutenant in 1925, captain in 1933, major in 1936 and lieutenant-colonel in 1938. At the start of the Second World War von Hünersdorff served on the staff of the 253rd Infantry Division but on October 25, 1939 he was transferred to the staff of the II Army Corps. On September 12, 1940 he was made chief of staff of the XV Army Corps. With XV Army Corps part of Panzergruppe 3, von Hünersdorff served during Operation Barbarossa. Hünersdorff was promoted to colonel on 1 July 1941. A year later he took command of Panzer-Regiment 11, the panzer regiment of the 6th Panzer Division. He served with 6th Panzer during 4th Panzer Army's attempts to relieve the encircled Sixth Army at Stalingrad. In February 1943 von Hünersdorff was promoted to overall command of the 6th Panzer Division. In May 1943 he was promoted to major general.

Following the Battle of Kursk Hünersdorff and a number of his staff were attacked by a group of Heinkel He 111s which had mistakenly targeted them while attempting to support the division, wounding Hünersdorff. He chose to remain with his unit rather than going to the field hospital. That same day he was struck in the head by a sniper's round. Hünersdorff was immediately flown on a Fieseler Fi 156 to a hospital at Kharkov. There he was operated on by a leading brain surgeon, Dr Wilhelm Tönnis, formerly a professor at the University of Würzburg. He succumbed to his injuries on 17 July 1943 and was buried at the Military Cemetery at Kharkov. The funeral was attended by his wife, Oda, who was serving in Kharkov as a nurse. A large number of the upper officer corps attended, including 4th Panzer Army commander Hermann Hoth and Army Group South commander Erich von Manstein. Hünersdorff was posthumously promoted to lieutenant general.

Awards

General Hünersdorff directing 6th Panzer Division at the outset of the Battle of Kursk

The wife of Walther Hünersdorff (with flowers) at the funeral of her husband

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (14 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (27 May 1940)
• Panzer Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 26 January 1942 as Oberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) with Panzer-Gruppe 3
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 22 December 1942 as Oberst and commander of the Panzer-Regiment 11
  • 259th Oak Leaves on 14 July 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of the 6. Panzer-Division

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Erhard Raus	Commander of 6. Panzer Division 7 February 1943 – 17 July 1943	Succeeded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli