| Ludwig Crüwell | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 20 March 1892 Dortmund |
| Died | 25 September 1958 (aged 66) Essen |
| Allegiance |  German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Rank | General der Panzertruppe |
| Commands held | 11. Panzer Division Afrika Korps |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves |
Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958), was a German general known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Legally it was Germany's highest military decoration at the time of its presentation to Ludwig Crüwell.[Note 1] Crüwell was captured by the British on 29 May 1942, after his plane was forced to land.
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Career [edit]
Crüwell had became commander of the Afrika Korps on 31 July 1941, answering to General Erwin Rommel, who on the same day took command of Panzer Army Africa, consisting of one infantry and two panzer divisions.
On 29 May 1942, Crüwell was inspecting operations by air in Libya. His Fieseler Fi 156 pilot mistook British troops for Italian soldiers and landed. Although the pilot was fatally wounded, Crüwell survived and was taken prisoner.[1] General Crüwell remained a prisoner and on March 22, 1943, was intentionally placed with another POW, General Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma (captured in November 1942 while in temporary command of the Afrika Korps), who during the meeting disclosed intelligence regarding the V-2 rocket , i.e.; surprise that London was not yet in ruins from German rockets being tested at a "special ground near Kummersdorf" he had visited. This led to the British investigating Peenemnunde and following confirmation bombing raid the Peenemünde facilities[2]
Awards [edit]
- Hanseatenkreuz Hamburg
- Silesian Eagle 1st Class
- Iron Cross (1914)
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
- Panzer Badge in Silver
- "Afrika" Cuffband
- Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 14 May 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 11. Panzer-Division[4]
- 34th Oak Leaves on 1 September 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 11. Panzer-Division[4]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 2 June 1942
Notes [edit]
- ^ Until late September 1941, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves was second only to the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), which was awarded only to senior commanders for winning a major battle or campaign, in the military order of the Third Reich. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves as highest military order was officially surpassed on 28 September 1941 by the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern), however the first presentation of the Swords to Adolf Galland was made prior to this date on 21 June 1941.
References [edit]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Alman, Karl (1998). Ritterkreuzträger des Afrikakorps (in German). Rastatt, Germany: VPM Verlagsunion Pabel Moewig. ISBN 3-8118-1457-5.
- von Braun, Wernher (Estate of); Ordway III, Frederick I., and Dooling, David Jr. (1985—first edition) [1975]. Space Travel: A History. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 0-06-181898-4.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.
External links [edit]
Media related to Ludwig Crüwell at Wikimedia Commons
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by none |
Commander of 11. Panzer Division 1 August 1940 – 15 August 1941 |
Succeeded by Generalleutnant Günther Angern |
| Preceded by General der Panzertruppe Philipp Müller-Gebhard |
Commander of Afrika Korps 15 September 1941 – 8 March 1942 |
Succeeded by General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring |
| Preceded by General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring |
Commander of Afrika Korps 19 March 1942 – 28 May 1942 |
Succeeded by General der Panzertruppe Walther Nehring |
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- 1892 births
- 1958 deaths
- People from Dortmund
- Wehrmacht generals
- German military personnel of World War I
- German military personnel of World War II
- People from the Province of Westphalia
- Recipients of the Silver Medal of Military Valor
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht
- Recipients of the Iron Cross
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