Hellmut von der Chevallerie

Hellmut von der Chevallerie
Born 9 November 1896
Berlin
Died 1 June 1965(1965-06-01) (aged 68)
Wiesbaden
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1914–45
Rank General of the Infantry
Commands held 22nd Panzer Division
13th Panzer Division
273rd Reserve Panzer Division
Battles/wars

First World War
Second World War

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations Kurt von der Chevallerie (brother)

Hellmut von der Chevallerie (9 November 1896 – 1 June 1965) was a highly decorated General of the Infantry in the German Wehrmacht during the Second World War, who commanded the 13th Panzer Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Chevallerie was captured by Allied troops in 1945 and was released in 1947.

World War II

Chevallerie began World War II as Adjutant to the general staff of XII. Army Corps under Army Group C in Wiesbaden, where he had been posted since 6 October 1936. In January 1940, he was moved into the command staff of a reserve infantry regiment. In July 1940, Chevallerie took command of an infantry regiment in the 10th Panzer Division, and 2nd Army, then 1st Army. He led this unit into the Battle of France.

In mid-1941, Chevallerie's regiment (as part of the 10th Panzer Division, 2nd Panzer Group), Army Group Center fought in the areas of Minsk and Smolensk, and was awarded two Clasp to the Iron Cross medals in July 1941 and promoted to Oberst in December. On 9 March 1942 he took command of the 10th Rifle Brigade, and kept this command after its re-designation as 10th Panzergrenadier-Division. On 19 April 1942, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold.

After spending parts of the summer 1942 in reserve, he took command of 22nd Panzer Division on 8 October 1942, which was in reserve in the Don River curve at the time. On 1 November 1942 he was promoted to Generalmajor and was given command of 13th Panzer Division, which he led into the Battle of the Caucasus.[1] Severely wounded just one month into his command, he had to give up his command to his deputy Wilhelm Crisolli on 1 December 1942, and did not return to command until 15 May 1943.[2] In the meantime, he had been awarded Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 April 1943 and had been promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 May 1943. On 25 October 1943 he was wounded again and was moved to the reserve (Führerreserve).

On 15 November 1943 he took command of the 273rd Reserve Panzer Division in the southwest of France, and went back into the reserve on 10 May 1944. On 15 August 1944 he took command of 233rd Reserve Panzer Division in Denmark. On 1 November 1944 he was given command of the Truppenübungsplatz Bergen, and went back into reserve on 20 February 1945. On 1 April 1945 he took command of the Sudentengau, which he handed over on 9 May 1945 upon the capitulation of Germany, and entered confinement as a prisoner-of-war until June 1947.

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Glantz & House 2009, p. 27.
  2. ↑ Mitcham 2006, p. 114.
  3. ↑ Federl 2000, p. 60.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 190.

Bibliography

  • Federl, Christian (2000). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939–1945 Die Panzertruppe [The Knight's Cross Wearers of the German Armoured Divisions 1939–1945 The Panzer Force] (in German). Zweibrücken, Germany: VDM Heinz Nickel. ISBN 978-3-925480-43-0. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Wearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Possessors of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Glantz, David M.; House, Jonathan (2009). To the Gates of Stalingrad: Soviet-German Combat Operations, April-August 1942. Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1630-5. 
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2006). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3. 
  • 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 Wearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Forces Allied 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; Wegmann, Günter (1998). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C–Dow [The Knight's Cross Wearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 4: C–Dow] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2534-8. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Wilhelm von Apell		 Commander of 22. Panzer-Division
7 October 1942 – 1 November 1942 		Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Eberhard Rodt
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppe Traugott Herr		 Commander of 13. Panzer-Division
1 November 1942 – 1 December 1942 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli
Preceded by
Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli		 Commander of 13. Panzer-Division
15 May 1943 – 1 September 1943 		Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Eduard Hauser
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