The Devil's General

The Life of Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz, "The Panzer Graf"

Raymond Bagdonas

• Publisher: Casemate
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781612002224
• eBook ISBN: 9781612002231
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military Biographies
• Index: History

A detailed military biography of the most highly decorated Nazi regimental commander in WWII.
 
The most highly decorated German regimental commander of World War II, Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz first won the Iron Cross in the Great War. He was serving with the 1st Panzer Division when the Polish campaign inaugurated World War II. Strachwitz's exploits as commander of a panzer battalion during the French campaign earned him further decorations before he transferred to the newly formed 16th Panzer Division. There, he participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and then Operation Barbarossa, where he earned the Knight's Cross.
 
At Stalingrad, he reached the Volga and fought on the northern rim of Sixth Army's perimeter. Severely wounded during battle, he was flown out of the Stalingrad pocket and was thus spared the fate of the rest of Sixth Army. Upon recuperation, he was named commander of the Grossdeutschland Division's panzer regiment and won the Swords to the Knight's Cross during Manstein's counteroffensive at Kharkov. Wounded twelve times during the war, and barely surviving a lethal car crash, Strachwitz finally surrendered to the Americans in May 1945.
 
Historian Raymond Bagdonas, though impaired by the disappearance of 16th Panzer Division's official records at Stalingrad, and the fact that many of the Panzer Graf's later battlegroups never kept them, has written a vividly detailed account of this combat leader's life, as well as ferocious armored warfare in World War II.

ONE

EARLY YEARS

THE ARMOURED FORCE WAITED IMPATIENTLY TO DO battle. The surging horde from the east would soon be upon them, ready to tear the heart out of Christian Europe.

It could be a scene from Upper Silesia in 1945, where Lieutenant General Hyazinth Graf (Count) Strachwitz von Gross Zauche und Camminetz waited with his Panzerjäger (Tank-hunter) Brigade to block the Russians invading his beloved Silesian homeland. But instead it was Liegnitz, 9 April 1241, where the 20,000-strong army of Duke Henry II The Pious was preparing to fight a Mongol force of similar size. In his army were the flower of Silesian chivalry, among whom were several knights and retainers of the von Strachwitz family.

The Mongol horde was a diversionary force, sent to plunder parts of Poland and divide the Christians while the main force invaded Hungary. At Liegnitz the Mongols surrounded and destroyed the Polish and Silesian cavalry, before attacking the infantry from the flanks and routing them. Duke Henry attempted to flee but was caught and beheaded. To count the dead, the Mongols cut off the right ear of the fallen, filling nine large bags with their grisly trophies. The entire von Strachwitz contingent, 14 family members and their retainers, was wiped out. But it was not in vain, for the casualties suffered by the Mongol diversionary force made them loathe to proceed further, and they retreated to join their main force. It was believed by many that Duke Henry’s sacrificial battle had forced the Mongol retreat and he was declared a hero.

The von Strachwitz family was proud of their ancestors’ heroic stand, which set a precedent for military service and glory which then became part of the family ethos. Over the years the family garnered wealth, titles and position. The brothers Christof and Maximillian were created barons (Freiherr) in 1630. Johann Moritz von Strachwitz (1721–81) was the apostolic vicar and bishop of Breslau, highlighting the family’s strong and enduring connection with the Roman Catholic Church.

Moritz Graf von Strachwitz (1822–47) was a renowned lyric poet, indicating that not all in the family were involved in, or famous for power and politics; however Hyazinth Graf von Strachwitz (1835–71) resumed the prior trend by entering the German Reichstag.

The family became wealthier through the time-honoured way of the aristocracy—marriage to wealthy heiresses. It was much easier than having to work for a living, tending to unprofitable estates or through vulgar commerce, which at that time were below the diginity of the aristocracy. This way they added Zauche and Camminetz to their name: the former came from the marriage of Nicholas von Strachwitz to Katherine von Zauche, the daughter of a prominent Breslau family, added to distinguish the line from the Strachwitzs of Gabersdorf; the latter was added by the acquisition of the village and estate of Kaminetz and Dombrowka by Karl von Strachwitz.

The family seat was in Gross-Stein, named for the limestone deposits in the ground. The manor house and estate were purchased in 1808, then steadily built up to comprise an estate of 10,150 acres, of which 2,920 acres were farmland, 6,764 were forest and 41 acres consisted of gardens and parkland. The estate also held a quarry, limekiln and distillery. The family used it as their principal residence until 1944 when it was turned into a hospital.

Silesia had a very chequered history, forming at times part of Greater Moravia, Bohemia, Poland, the Holy Roman Empire, Austria, Prussia and finally the Greater German Reich, first under the Hohenzollern kaisers and then under the Third Reich. The Poles, when their country was not being dismembered and part of another empire, laid claim to it, a claim which would later involve von Strachwitz in fighting to keep it German, as for him it had always been.

Hyacinth was born on 30 July 1893, his parents’ second child. His mother was Maria Aloysia Hedwig Frederike Therese Octavia Grafin (Countess) von Matuschka and Freiin (Baroness) von Toppaczan und Spaetden, named after many ancestors, who was just 20 years old when she gave birth to her son. His father was also named Hyacinth (1864–1942), in accordance with the family tradition that dictated the first-born son was always named Hyacinth after St Hyacinth, a Dominican preacher who was canonised in 1594. The saint was connected to the family by marriage in the distant past. Being very proud of the connection, the family had venerated the saint ever since. The Panzer Graf later adopted to spell his Christan name “Hyazinth,” particularly during his army career, and his army documentation reflects this. Hyazinth was particularly close to his older sister, Aloysia, born on 28 June 1892. His younger siblings were Celaus, born 1 December 1894, Elisabeth born 20 December 1897, Manfred born 17 April 1899—who also became a panzer commander in World War II—Mariano, born 28 November 1902 and Margarethe, born 12 July 1905.

Hyazinth’s upbringing was one of aristocratic privilege and luxury, tempered by strict discipline and devotion to church, family and class. Tradition and responsibility went hand in hand with noble rank and lineage, and these were to be young Hyazinth’s guiding principles throughout his life. Even in the less class-conscious army of Nazi Germany he insisted on being addressed as Graf and was singularly conscious of his family history and status. Living on a large agricultural estate, horsemanship and farming were a part of his daily life, and it was especially in riding that he excelled, taking to it with a natural talent. So his young life was sheltered and, for his time, idyllic. Given his rural background and interest in an outdoor life it was only natural that he would be steered towards a military career, the more so as under Kaiser Wilhelm II (r. 1888-1918), Germany became a militarised state with the army, especially the officer corps, enjoying a high prestige within all levels of society. It was expected, almost incumbent upon higher-ranking families to have at least one son enter the military.

For its part, the army looked to the higher classes to supply its officers while the elite guards regiments looked to the aristocracy to provide theirs. When it came to advancement, high social rank was more important than educational achievement, thus, the dull-witted or lazy scions of the aristocracy were treated, initially in their careers, equally to the intelligent and industrious, and well ahead of any diligent or clever members of the middle classes.

There were two main routes to becoming an officer: candidates from rich and upper-class families went through the cadet school system, while the less privileged went straight to a regiment. To do this, an officer aspirant had to be recommended by the colonel of the regiment. Often the aspirants were known to the colonel or another ranking officer, or had some other connection to the regiment. The potential officer then had to spend six months in the ranks as an advantageur or officer candidate, which gave him a few privileges but also saddled him with high expectations and sometimes extra bullying and punishments to test his mettle. He had to either provide evidence of his higher educational qualifications or pass an examination. On completion of his service in the ranks and proof of his leadership abilities and character, he had to be approved in turn by his future company, battalion and regimental commanders. This method of promoting from the ranks was widely used by the 1930s, with front-line soldiers being designated as officer candidates for a lengthy period before being sent to an officer candidate school.

The alternative route saw boys, often as young as ten, enter one of the eight cadet preparatory schools in Germany, and remain there until seeking admission to the central cadet school at Gross Lichterfelde—the German equivalent to the British Sandhurst or American West Point—at the age of 15. Hyazinth von Strachwitz attended Whalstatt Junior Cadet School in Silesia, a popular choice for the Silesian upper classes. Johann von Ravenstein, who would earn a Pour le Merite in the Great War, and achieve fame fighting the British under Erwin Rommel in Africa, was a graduate, as was the fighter ace Manfred von Richthofen, and General Erwin von Witzleben.

The life that von Strachwitz experienced at Wahlstatt was austere and often harsh. Discipline was strict, and bullying rife. The staff was generally second rate, and a great deal of control was left to the older boys, with a head boy called the aclteuter in charge of each dormitory. His word was law and most were little dictators lording over their charges with little restraint or supervision from the senior staff. Punishments for the smallest infractions, real or imagined, were routine, and at times bordering on the sadistic. No matter, for it all ostensibly built character.

The young von Strachwitz wore a military uniform, his classes were called companies, with teachers holding nominal military rank. Drill and discipline were the watchwords of the school and every activity was carried out to shouted orders, even praying and sleeping.

The school was deeply unpopular with most, if not all of its students, and Hyazinth von Strachwitz would have been no exception. Manfred von Richthofen disliked it so much that he expressed his poor opinion of it and his contempt for its staff in his memoirs.

From Whalstatt, von Strachwitz went on to the Central Cadet School at Gross Lichterfelde, on the southern outskirts of Berlin, where he would live and study until he received his commission. The Kaserne was a rather ugly red-brick building whose cornerstone was laid on 1 September 1873 in the presence of the Kaiser himself. The original construction included an administration building, residential area for senior officers, and two chapels, Catholic and Protestant. Later additions included a barracks, mess hall, stables, gymnasium, shooting ranges and a hospital. All this was constructed for the princely sum of nine million marks, an enormous amount of money for the time. As befitted Germany’s premier cadet school, the staff was highly competent. In 1911 Lichterfelde had a staff of 72 real officers—as opposed to the mostly nominal or low rankers at Wahlstatt—and military instructors, as well as a civilian staff of 41 professors, teachers, chaplains and doctors. Its academic status was equivalent to the German Gymnasium, or senior high school, meaning that basic education subjects were given priority alongside military studies and physical education. Its guiding principles were obedience, comradeship and duty. These were not just hollow words, but concepts for the cadets to live by and follow.

A wide range of subjects were on offer for the 1,000 cadets, and Hyazinth would have studied mathematics, history, drawing, geography and languages, ranging from Latin, English and German to French. Military studies were a compulsory part of the curriculum. The academic subjects were studied in the mornings, with the afternoons reserved for sport, which included football, tennis, hockey, riding and fencing. Hyazinth proved to be an excellent fencer and swordsman and was well above average in athletics, but it was in horsemanship that he excelled, becoming the top in his class.

Three meals a day were provided, with breakfast eaten standing up, a practice which Princess Louise of Prussia—the youngest of whose three sons attended Lichterfelde in 1907—found “strange and bad for their health.”¹ She also disapproved of the fact that the boys did not bathe in the evenings, since the military governor of the college at the time, Captain von Gartner, did not regard personal hygiene important. It was all she could do to persuade him to allow the cadets a small jug of water for this purpose. His replacement, Freiherr (Baron) von Schleintz, was a little more amenable, but by this time the princess was thoroughly sick of fighting the system.

The best of the cadets, which would have included von Strachwitz, were often called upon to attend the Kaiser on special occasions at the Emperor’s Neues Palais (New Palace) at Potsdam. Here duties included waiting on the tables of the great and mighty—ambassadors, generals, ministers and visiting royalty—with one privileged cadet standing directly behind the Kaiser’s chair, often for very long periods of time (causing the future General Ravenstein to almost faint on one occasion). However this was a small price to pay for the privilege of overhearing the Kaiser’s tabletalk. Other duties included running errands and messages, as well as any other tasks required by senior courtiers. Notwithstanding the lowly nature of these tasks, to serve was considered an honour, and the cadets would have vied for the opportunity. Just to be in the corridors of power and overhear privileged conversations was considered enough for some. The court marshal, Graf Robert Zedlitz-Triitschler, was a Silesian nobleman and landowner who would have been aware of the young von Strachwitz and may well have kept a paternal eye on him.

Physical fitness was vital, with emphasis on gymnastics, which was practised daily. The best gymnasts were expected to leap from a springboard over two rows of cadets interlocking their rifles with fixed bayonets. Duelling, although forbidden and not commonplace, still happened in secret, as a cadet’s honour, like an officer’s, was paramount. The scars often inflicted during these encounters were worn with pride.

The regime was demanding, but for von Strachwitz—young, fit, smart enough to handle the academic side, and totally committed to sports and the outdoor life—the experience as a whole was an enjoyable one, and far removed from his time at Wahlstatt. Von Ravenstein, von Richthofen, von Kleist and others had similar appreciation for Lichterfelde, and given the future careers of these men it could be said that the cadet school was hugely successful in its raison d’être—turning out accomplished future officers.

The young Graf von Strachwitz would have enjoyed his time there, mixing with an exclusive group of young men with similar backgrounds, interests and prospects to himself. The physical life and comradeship appealed, and it allowed for free rein and appreciation of his horsemanship, the love of which would stand him in good stead for his career. Prowess with women was equally prized by the testosterone-charged young cadets. The cadets were considered a good catch by most young women, and with his dark good looks von Strachwitz undoubtedly attracted some attention.

As in many exclusively male structured societies, homosexuality almost certainly existed, and although forbidden, was rarely brought to light as exposure would have demeaned the reputation of the cadet school and indeed the whole of the officer corps. There was a major scandal in Germany in 1907 when accusations of homosexuality were made that involved the Kaiser’s senior aides-de-camp, including his close friend and confidante Prinz (Prince) Phillip zu Eulenburg, whose friendship with von Moltke, a cavalry officer and military commander of Berlin, raised eyebrows. The scandal was in reality part of a court power play to remove von Eulenburg from the Kaiser’s close circle since, apart from jealousy, there were those who considered von Eulenburg’s influence on the Kaiser to be far too pacifist. The Kaiser abandoned von Eulenburg and his ADCs, and insisted that von Moltke sue in order to clear his name and prevent any tarnishing of the Kaiser by association. In four trials over two years, a whole lurid tale of perversion and homosexuality came out. The accusation of tawdry orgies in the Garde du Corps, von Strachwitz’s regiment of choice, would have particularly concerned him at the time.

Scandals at the top and in the Garde du Corps notwithstanding, Gross Lichterfelde enjoyed a high reputation throughout German society. Among its many graduates were Colonel General Hans Guderian, father of the German Panzer arm (graduated 1907); Manfred von Richthofen; Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, army group commander on both Western and Eastern fronts; Werner von Blomberg, War Minister under Hitler, Erwin von Witzleben, a major conspirator against Hitler; Field Marshal von Hindenburg, president of the Weimar Republic and World War I army commander; Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, army group commander of Army Group North in the invasion of Russia; Field Marshal von Manstein, commander of Army Group South in Russia; Franz von Papen, chancellor of the Weimar Republic; and Reichmarshall Herman Goering, Luftwaffe commander-in-chief. Three thousand Lichterfelde graduates gave their lives for Germany in World War I. So important was it to Germany’s military officer corps and ethos that after Germany’s defeat in 1918, the Allies insisted on its closure, accurately assessing it as a hotbed of Prussian militarism. It became a state high school and later the barracks for Hitler’s bodyguard regiment, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler.

On graduating from Lichterfelde, Hyazinth von Strachwitz’s name was submitted for commissioning to the elite Garde du Corps, the personal bodyguard of the German Emperor. Founded in 1741 by Frederick the Great, it was the premier regiment of the German Army, ranking higher even than the Emperor’s Foot Guards. Garrisoned in Potsdam, it formed part of the elite 1st Guards Cavalry Division. The Garde du Corps’ officers were almost exclusively aristocrats. In 1890, 98% of the corps’ officers were noble, and although members of the middle classes were admitted, they occupied the technical, clerical and quartermaster positions, thus relieving the aristocrats of the boring but very essential service tasks. After 1908 the Kaiser began recruiting more army officers from the middle classes, but by 1914 the process was still incomplete and had ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Early Years
• Chapter 2: World War I and Captivity
• Chapter 3: Post-war Freikorps Actions
• Chapter 4: Joining the Nazi Party and SS
• Chapter 5: The Inter-war Years and the Invasion of Poland
• Chapter 6: The Battle of France
• Chapter 7: Romania and Yugoslavia
• Chapter 8: Operation Barbarossa
• Chapter 9: The Battles of Dubno and Uman
• Chapter 10: The Battle of Nikolayev
• Chapter 11: The Battle of Kiev
• Chapter 12: The Battle of Kalach
• Chapter 13: The Road to Stalingrad
• Chapter 14: Inside the Cauldron
• Chapter 15: The Grossdeutschland Division
• Chapter 16: The Third Battle of Kharkov
• Chapter 17: To Kill Hitler
• Chapter 18: Operation Citadel
• Chapter 19: The Battle of Kursk
• Chapter 20: Operations Strachwitz
• Chapter 21: The Battle of Tukum
• Chapter 22: The Battle for Germany
• Chapter 23: Captivity and Post-war Years
• Appendix 1: The Awards of Hyazinth Graf von Strachwitz
• Appendix 2: Rank Equivalents
• Appendix 3: Civil Ranks and Titles of Nobility
• Appendix 4: Holders of the Panzer Assault Badge in Gold
• Appendix 5: Aces of the Panzerwaffe
• Appendix 6: German Army List of Civil Courage
• Bibliography
• Index