Günther Krappe (13 April 1893 – 31 December 1981) was a German officer in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. He commanded the 61st Infantry Division. On March 5, 1945, in the village of Wollchow (where his estate was located) near Szczecin, Krappe was captured by soldiers of the 10th Polish Infantry Regiment from the 4th Infantry Division. He remained in captivity until March 1, 1949.

Promotions

*Leutnant (22 March 1914) *

Oberleutnant (English: First Lieutenant) is a senior lieutenant Officer (armed forces), officer rank in the German (language), German-speaking armed forces of Germany (Bundeswehr), the Austrian Armed Forces, and the Swiss Armed Forces. In Austria, ''Oberle ...

(20 May 1917) *

Hauptmann () is an officer rank in the armies of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is usually translated as ''captain''. Background While in contemporary German means 'main', it also has, and originally had, the meaning of 'head', i.e. ' literall ...

(1 February 1925) *

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

(1 April 1934) *

Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...

(1 August 1936) *

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...

(1 April 1939) *Generalmajor (1 November 1942) *

Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...

(1 October 1943)

Career

Entered Army Service (25 September 1912)
Fahnenjunker in the 34th Fusilier-Regiment (25 September 1912 – 1914)
Platoon & Company Leader (1914–1918)
Transferred into the 4th

Reichswehr ''Reichswehr'' (; ) was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first two years of Nazi Germany. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshaped ...

-Infantry-Regiment (1 October 1919 – 1922)
Adjutant of II. Battalion of the 4th Infantry-Regiment (1922–1 June 1926)
Company-Chief in the 4th Infantry-Regiment (1 June 1926 – 1 October 1930)
Chief Intelligence Officer (Ic) in the Staff of the 2nd Division (1 October 1930–1 October 1935)
Commander of II. Battalion of the 59th Infantry-Regiment (1 October 1935–1 October 1937)
Commander of III. Battalion of the 73rd Infantry-Regiment (1 October 1937–1 July 1939)
Commander of the 1st Supplemental-Regiment, Danzig (1 July 1939 – 1 October 1939)
Military-Attaché in

Budapest Budapest is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns of Hungary, most populous city of Hungary. It is the List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, tenth-largest city in the European Union by popul ...

(1 October 1939 – 30 April 1941)
Military-Attaché in

Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...

(1 October 1941 – 1 December 1942)
Führer-Reserve

OKH The (; abbreviated OKH) was the high command of the Army of Nazi Germany. It was founded in 1935 as part of Adolf Hitler's rearmament of Germany. OKH was ''de facto'' the most important unit within the German war planning until the defeat ...

(1 December 1942 – 18 January 1943)
Division-Leader-Course, Panzer Troop School Wünsdorf (18 January 1943 – 12 February 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 61st Infantry Division (12 February 1943 – 1 May 1943)
Commander of the 61st Infantry-Division (1 May 1943 – 11 December 1944)
Führer-Reserve OKH (15 December 1944 – 10 February 1945)
Course for Commanding Generals (4 November 1944 – 31 January 1945)
Delegated with the Leadership of X. Waffen SS-Corps der SS (10 February 1945 – 6 March 1945)
In Soviet captivity (6 March 1945 – 1 March 1949)
Released (1 March 1949)

Awards and decorations

* 1914

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

, 1st and 2nd class *

War Merit Cross The War Merit Cross () was a state decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the end of the conflict it was issued in four degrees and had an equivalent civil award. A " de-Nazified" version of the War Merit Cross was reissued in 1957 ...

, 2nd Class (Brunswick) *

Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (), commonly referred to as the Hindenburg Cross or the German WWI Service Cross, was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Weimar Republic, by an order dated 13 July ...

Wehrmacht Long Service Award The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a List of military decorations of the Third Reich, military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March 1936, Adolf ...

, 4th to 1st class * 1939 Clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st and 2nd class *

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was order of precedence, lower in preceden ...

on 11 April 1944

and commander of the 61st Infantry Division.Fellgiebel 2000, p. 272.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* *

External links

Günther Krappe
at feldgrau.com * :pl:Łobez#Historia Günther Krappe - Er kämpfte in der Nähe Łobez {{DEFAULTSORT:Krappe, Gunther 1893 births 1981 deaths Military personnel from the Province of Pomerania Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Prussian Army personnel Reichswehr personnel German Army personnel of World War I German Army generals of World War II