GENERALLEUTNANT KARL BÖTTCHER

He was a Rommel's Artillery Group Commander and was in charge of several divisions during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl Böttcher was captured by the Western Allies in 1945 and was held until 1947.

• Born: 25.10.1889 in Thorn, West Prussia
• Died: 9.2.1975 in Bad Wimpfen

Promotions:

• Officer-Candidate (13 Mar 1909)
• Lieutenant (27 Jan 1910)
• Senior lieutenant (25 Feb 1915)
• Captain (18 Aug 1917)
• Major (01 Nov 1930)
• Lieutenant-Colonel (01 May 1934)
• Colonel (01 Apr 1936)
• Major-General (01 Mar 1940)
• Lieutenant-General (01 Mar 1942)

Military Carrer:

• Officer-Candidate in the 5th Foot-Artillery-Regiment (13 Mar 1909 - 03 Aug 1914)
• Detached to the War-School in Hersfeld (Apr 1909 - Dec 1909)
• Detached to the Rifle-Factory in Danzig (02 Apr 1912 - 22 Apr 1912)
• Detached to Course F at the Military-Technical-Academy (01 Oct 1913 - 31 Dec 1913)
• Detached to the Flying-Half-Battalion 'Thorn' (15 Apr 1914 - 30 July 1914)
• Battery-Leader in the 5th Reserve-Foot-Artillery-Regiment (03 Aug 1914 - 28 June 1915)
• Detached as Artillery-Observer to the 46th Flying-Battalion (27 Dec 1914 - 15 Mar 1915)
• Transferred to the 46th Flying-Battalion (28 June 1915 - 06 June 1916)
• Detached to Observer-Courses at Jüterbog (01 Sep 1915 - 30 Sep 1915)
• Assigned to the Replacement-Battalion of the 6th Foot-Artillery-Regiment (06 June 1916 - 09 Aug 1916)
• Leader of the Replacement-Battery of the 1st Guards-Foot-Artillery-Regiment (09 Aug 1916 - 29 Aug 1916)
• Battery-Leader in the 5th Reserve-Foot-Artillery-Regiment (29 Aug 1916 - 18 Sep 1917)
• Transferred to the Replacement-Battalion of the 5th Foot-Artillery-Regiment (18 Sep 1917 - 20 Nov 1917)
• Teacher at the Foot-Artillery-Firing-School in Jüterbog (20 Nov 1917 - 29 Sep 1918)
• Commander of the 149th Foot-Artillery-Battalion (29 Sep 1918 - 09 Dec 1918)
• Transferred to the Replacement-Battalion of the 28th Foot-Artillery-Regiment (09 Dec 1918 - 20 Jan 1919)
• Battery-Leader in the 5th Foot-Artillery-Regiment (20 Jan 1919 - 01 June 1919)
• Detached to the Military-Riding-School in Hannover (01 June 1919 - 01 Oct 1919)
• transferred into the Battalion-Staff of the 7th Reichswehr-Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1919 - 16 May 1920)
• Adjutant of the Commander of the Troop-Exercise-Centre at Kummersdorf (16 May 1920 - 01 Oct 1920)
• Command-Leader with the Commander of the Troop-Exercise-Centre at Kummersdorf (01 Oct 1920 - 10 Sep 1921)
• Transport-Squad-Chief in the 1st Transport-Battalion (10 Sep 1921 - 01 Oct 1925)
• Battery-Leader in the 1st Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1925 - 01 Oct 1927)
• Major in the Staff of the I. Battalion of the 1st Artillery-Regiment (01 Oct 1927 - 01 Oct 1929)
• Teacher in the Training-Staff I of the Artillery-School in Jüterbog (01 Oct 1929 - 15 Oct 1935)
• Commander of the I. Battalion of the 59th Artillery-Regiment (15 Oct 1935 - 06 Oct 1936)
• Commander of the 1st Artillery-Regiment (06 Oct 1936 - 01 Apr 1939)
• Artillery-Officer of the Fortifications of Oppeln and at the same time, was Commandant of Kattowitz (01 Apr 1939 - 26 Aug 1939)
• Staff-Officer of Artillery in the Border-Protection-Section-Command 3 (26 Aug 1939 - 30 Sep 1939)
• Artillery-Commander 104 (30 Sep 1939 - 01 Dec 1941)
• Commander of the 21st Panzer-Division (01 Dec 1941 - 18 Feb 1942)
• Führer-Reserve - Military-District-Command VIII (Sick-Leave) (18 Feb 1942 - 25 Nov 1942)
• Commander of the 345th Infantry-Division (25 Nov 1942 - 01 Mar 1943)
• Führer-Reserve OKH and Detached to the Reformation-Staff of the 29th Motorised-Infantry-Division (01 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
• Detached to Army-Group D then Army-Group Felber (11 Mar 1943 - 01 Apr 1943)
• Führer-Reserve OKH (01 Apr 1943 - 09 Apr 1943)
• Temporary-Commander of the 326th Infantry-Division (09 Apr 1943 - 08 May 1943)
• Commander of the 326th Infantry-Division (08 May 1943 - 31 May 1943)
• Führer-Reserve OKH (31 May 1943 - 01 Oct 1943)
• Placed to the Supervision of Training in Military-District-Command VIII (01 Oct 1943 - 12 Oct 1943)
• Commander of the 347th Infantry-Division (12 Oct 1943 - 10 Dec 1943)
• Führer-Reserve OKH (10 Dec 1943 - 01 Mar 1944)
• Higher Artillery-Commander 305 (01 Mar 1944 - 10 Mar 1945)
• Special-Purpose-General of Artillery 4 (2nd Panzer-Army) (10 Mar 1945 - 08 May 1945)

Awards:

• 1914 Iron Cross Second Class
• 1914 Iron Cross First Class
• 1939 Bar to 1914 Iron Cross Second Class
• 1939 Bar to 1914 Iron Cross First Class
• knight´s Cross: 13. 12. 41

Notes:

• In captivity (8.5.1945 - 25.6.1947).
• Released (25.6.1947).

Thanks to Francisco de Asís Romero y Medina,

Ken McCanliss and Valdis J. Kursietis

EXTRA INFORMATION NEEDED