__NOTOC__ Karl Böttcher (25 October 1889 – 21 October 1973) was a German general in the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previou ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), 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. The Knight' ...

. Böttcher served in the Deutsches Afrikakorps under Erwin Rommel where he commanded an artillery regiment. Later Böttcher was made commander of the 21st Panzer Division. Böttcher surrendered to the Western Allies in 1945 and was interned until 1947.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia e ...

(1914) 2nd Class (November 1914) & 1st Class (July 1916) *

Frederickscross The Frederickcross (German: "Friedrich Kreuz or Friedrich-Kreuz") was instituted in 1914 by the ruling Duke of Anhalt, Frederick II of Anhalt as a decoration not unlike the Iron Cross for merit in time of war. There are three versions of the Fred ...

(27 January 1916) * Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1 January 1935) *

Wehrmacht Long Service Award The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the institution of a service awar ...

1st Class (2 October 1936) *

Memel Medal The Return of Memel Commemorative Medal (''Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkehr des Memellandes''; 22. März 1939) was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded during the interwar period, the last in a series of Occupation Medals. Description ...

(10 December 1939) *

Clasp to the Iron Cross The Clasp to the Iron Cross (Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz) was a white metal medal clasp displayed on the uniforms of German Wehrmacht personnel who had been awarded the Iron Cross in World War I, and who again qualified for the decoration in Worl ...

(1939) 2nd Class (5 June 1940) & 1st Class (15 November 1940) *

on 13 December 1941 as ''

generalmajor is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and Royal Danish Air Force. As a tw ...

'' and commander of 21st Panzer Division * Italian Military Order of Savoy (14 January 1942)

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bottcher, Karl 1880s births 1974 deaths People from Toruń People from West Prussia Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) German Army personnel of World War I Prussian Army personnel Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German prisoners of war in World War II Reichswehr personnel Officers of the Military Order of Savoy