Hitler’s Heroes During Operation Barbarossa

Profiles the 178 generals awarded the Knight’s Cross during the early months of Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union.

This is a study of the officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the Knight’s Cross during the early period of Hitler’s assault upon the Soviet Union. This takes us from the great onslaught of Operation Barbarossa, through to Hitler’s decision to abandon his attempt to capture Moscow and adopt a temporary defensive stance due to the early onset of winter. Such was the scale of operations during these momentous first six months of the war on the Eastern Front there were endless opportunities for officers to display courage and leadership. This resulted in a total of 178 generals – twenty-six Generalmajors; fifty-six Generalleutnants, eighty-four full Generals, eleven Generalobersts and one Generalfeldmarschall – being awarded the Knight’s Cross in this period alone.

One such recipient was General der Artillerie Erich Marcks who personally directed the fire of his guns against enemy bunkers at very close range. On the day he was notified of his award of the Knight’s Cross he was seriously wounded and had to have his left leg amputated. Despite this he returned to service in March 1942 and was later awarded the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves.

General der Infanterie Ernst Schroth, the Commanding General of the XII Army Corps, was awarded the Knight’s Cross for his part in the attack on the Brest-Litvosk Fortress in June 1941. Considered a staunch supporter of Hitler, he was appointed to the Court of Honour which investigated those members of the Wehrmacht who had participated in the 20 July 1944 Valkyrie plot to kill the Führer.

Hermann-Heinrich Behrend was just a Major when he was awarded the Knight’s Cross on 15 July 1941. This was for his actions while commanding I. Battalion of the 489th Infantry Regiment in its successful breakthrough of the enemy’s heavily defended lines southeast and east of Tauroggen in Lithuania on 22 June 1941. Behrend continued to display great courage and resourcefulness, which saw him rise to the rank of Generalmajor and the later awards of both the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves, and the Knight’s Cross with Oakleaves and Swords

With each of these 178 entries there is a detailed description of how and where the Knight’s Cross was won and in the case of the higher awards, such as the Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds, who presented the award, where and when. This study provides details of their rank and command at the time of the award as well as also detailing their career during the war and after, with investigations into their fate and post-war life. The book is completed with a considerable number of photographs of many of these officers.