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| Dietrich von Saucken
- Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds |
|
| Rank:
Lt. General (General der Panzertruppe) |
| Date
of Award: May 8, 1945 |
| Cross
Class: Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds |
| Branch
of Service: Army Wehrmacht |
Description
of Action: Dietrich von Saucken (16 May 1892 – 27 September 1980) was a German general in the Wehrmacht Heer during World War II.
Born in Fischhausen, East Prussia, Saucken joined the German Army in 1910 and achieved the rank of lieutenant in June 1912. As a colonel he served in the pre-war Wehrmacht and was promoted to the rank of major general on January 1, 1942. Appointed to command the 4th Panzer Division at the end of 1941, he later served as commandant of the German School for Mobile Troops (Schule für Schnelle Truppen). In late June 1944, as deputy commander of the III Panzer Corps, he formed an ad hoc unit known as "Group von Saucken" from the remainders of several units that had been smashed in the Soviet assault on Army Group Centre. This grouping (later XXXIX Panzer Corps) attempted to defend the occupied city of Minsk and temporarily maintained an escape route across the Berezina River for retreating German soldiers in the face of overwhelmingly superior Soviet forces.
In the last months of the war, Saucken led the Second Army in its defence of East and West Prussia, ordering the surrender of his army one day after the unconditional surrender of all German forces on May 8, 1945. After surrendering von Saucken went into Soviet captivity. He was sentenced to 25 years hard labour, commutted to 30 months. Saucken was released in 1955. He died in 1980.
Saucken was one of the few German officers to receive the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds during the Second World War. Ref Wikipedia |
| Mini
Biography: |
| http://ww.generals.dk/general/von_Saucken/Dietrich/Germany.html |
| From:
Second World War Award Winners |
| Listing
Date: Jun 27, 2008 |
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