Rudolf Holste (9 April 1897 – 4 December 1970) was a German general during World War II. He commanded the XLI Panzer Corps during the Battle of Berlin, allegedly abandoning his troops on 1 May 1945, one day before the city capitulated.
On 22 April 1945, Holste became part of a poorly conceived and incredibly desperate plan that Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel and Colonel General Alfred Jodl proposed to Adolf Hitler. The plan envisaged for the few remaining German forces in central Germany to attack the Soviet forces encircling Berlin. The plan called for General Walther Wenck's Twelfth Army on the Elbe and Mulde fronts to be turned around and to attack towards the east, then linking up just south of Berlin with General Theodor Busse's Ninth Army. Then both armies would strike in a northeastern direction towards Potsdam and Berlin. Wenck's objective would be the autobahn at Ferch, near Potsdam.
Holste's directive was to attack from the area northwest of Berlin with his XLI Panzer Corps across the Elbe between Spandau and Oranienburg. To give Holste as much punch as possible, ObergruppenführerFelix Steiner (who had been himself the subject of another desperate attempt by Hitler to save Berlin, a few days earlier) was to turn over to Holste his mechanized divisions (the 25th Panzer-Grenadiers and the 7th Panzer). Wenck's army did make a turn around and attacked towards Berlin, but was soon halted outside of Potsdam by strong Soviet resistance. Neither Busse nor Holste made much progress towards Berlin. By the end of the day on 27 April, the Soviet forces encircling Berlin linked up and the forces inside Berlin were cut off.
Late in the evening of 29 April, General Hans Krebs contacted Jodl by radio from Berlin and requested an immediate report on the whereabouts of Holste's spearhead.[1] On 30 April, Jodl replied that Holste's Corps was on the defensive.[citation needed] Early on the morning of May 1, Holste is reported to have appeared at Twelfth Army HQ having abandoned his troops.[2] A day later, on 2 May, the Battle for Berlin came to an end when General Helmuth Weidling unconditionally surrendered the city to the Soviets. Holste surrendered 8 May 1945. In 1947, he was released.
Awardsedit
Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (24 July 1915) & 1st Class (16 November 1917)[3]
Beevor, Antony (2002). The Fall Of Berlin 1945. New York: Viking Penguin Group. p. 379.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [First published 1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN978-3-7909-0284-6.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.
Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN978-3-7648-2299-6.
Zetner, Kurt (1963). Illustrierte Geschichte Des Zweiten Weltkriegs. Munich: Sudwest Verlag. p. 566.
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Rudolf Holste news newspapers books scholar JSTOR October 2012 Learn how and when to remove this message Rudolf Holste 9 April 1897 4 December 1970 was a German general during World War II He commanded the XLI Panzer Corps during the Battle of Berlin allegedly abandoning his troops on 1 May 1945 one day before the city capitulated Rudolf HolsteBorn9 April 1897 1897 04 09 Hessisch OldendorfDied4 December 1970 1970 12 05 aged 73 Baden BadenAllegiance German Empire to 1918 Weimar Republic to 1933 Nazi GermanyService wbr branchArmy Wehrmacht RankGeneralleutnantCommands held14th Infantry Division 4 Kavallerie Division XLI Panzer CorpsBattles warsWorld War IIAwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Contents 1 Career 1 1 Battle of Berlin 2 Awards 3 Citations 4 BibliographyCareer editHolste joined the German Army on in August 1914 and was commissioned as an officer in 1915 During World War II he commanded 14th Infantry Division the 4th Cavalry Division and the XLI Panzer Corps On 15 November 1944 he was promoted to major general Generalleutnant Battle of Berlin edit Main article Battle of Berlin On 22 April 1945 Holste became part of a poorly conceived and incredibly desperate plan that Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel and Colonel General Alfred Jodl proposed to Adolf Hitler The plan envisaged for the few remaining German forces in central Germany to attack the Soviet forces encircling Berlin The plan called for General Walther Wenck s Twelfth Army on the Elbe and Mulde fronts to be turned around and to attack towards the east then linking up just south of Berlin with General Theodor Busse s Ninth Army Then both armies would strike in a northeastern direction towards Potsdam and Berlin Wenck s objective would be the autobahn at Ferch near Potsdam Holste s directive was to attack from the area northwest of Berlin with his XLI Panzer Corps across the Elbe between Spandau and Oranienburg To give Holste as much punch as possible Obergruppenfuhrer Felix Steiner who had been himself the subject of another desperate attempt by Hitler to save Berlin a few days earlier was to turn over to Holste his mechanized divisions the 25th Panzer Grenadiers and the 7th Panzer Wenck s army did make a turn around and attacked towards Berlin but was soon halted outside of Potsdam by strong Soviet resistance Neither Busse nor Holste made much progress towards Berlin By the end of the day on 27 April the Soviet forces encircling Berlin linked up and the forces inside Berlin were cut off Late in the evening of 29 April General Hans Krebs contacted Jodl by radio from Berlin and requested an immediate report on the whereabouts of Holste s spearhead 1 On 30 April Jodl replied that Holste s Corps was on the defensive citation needed Early on the morning of May 1 Holste is reported to have appeared at Twelfth Army HQ having abandoned his troops 2 A day later on 2 May the Battle for Berlin came to an end when General Helmuth Weidling unconditionally surrendered the city to the Soviets Holste surrendered 8 May 1945 In 1947 he was released Awards editIron Cross 1914 2nd Class 24 July 1915 amp 1st Class 16 November 1917 3 Clasp to the Iron Cross 2nd Class 19 September 1939 amp 1st Class 14 October 1939 3 German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 as Oberstleutnant in Artillerie Regiment 73 4 Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight s Cross on 6 April 1942 as Oberst and commander of Artillerie Regiment 73 5 Oak Leaves on 27 August 1944 as Oberst and commander of 4 Kavallerie Brigade 6 Citations edit Zetner 1963 p 566 Beevor 2002 p 379 a b Thomas 1997 p 300 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 195 Fellgiebel 2000 p 234 Fellgiebel 2000 p 87 Bibliography editBeevor Antony 2002 The Fall Of Berlin 1945 New York Viking Penguin Group p 379 Fellgiebel Walther Peer 2000 First published 1986 Die Trager des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 1945 Die Inhaber der hochsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile The Bearers of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 1945 The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches in German Friedberg Germany Podzun Pallas ISBN 978 3 7909 0284 6 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Thomas Franz 1997 Die Eichenlaubtrager 1939 1945 Band 1 A K The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939 1945 Volume 1 A K in German Osnabruck Germany Biblio Verlag ISBN 978 3 7648 2299 6 Zetner Kurt 1963 Illustrierte Geschichte Des Zweiten Weltkriegs Munich Sudwest Verlag p 566 Military offices Preceded byGeneralleutnant Walther Krause Commander of 14 Infanterie Division1 January 1943 15 May 1943 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Hermann Florke Preceded byFormed from 4 Kavallerie Brigade Commander of 4th Cavalry Division28 February 1945 29 March 1945 Succeeded byGeneralleutnant Helmuth von Grolman Preceded byGeneralleutnant Wend von Wietersheim Commander of XLI Panzer Corps19 April 1945 8 May 1945 Succeeded byNone Portal nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rudolf Holste amp oldid 1206497030, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
