Walther von Hünersdorff

Walther von Hünersdorff (28 November 1898 – 17 July 1943) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 6th Panzer Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and was killed during the Battle of Kursk.

Walther von Hünersdorff
Born	(1898-11-28)28 November 1898 Cairo, Egypt
Died	17 July 1943(1943-07-17) (aged 44) Kharkov, Soviet Union
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army (Wehrmacht)
Years of service	1915–43
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	6th Panzer Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of Kursk  †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Burial of Hünersdorff

Life

Walther von Hünersdorff was born in 1898 in Cairo. He entered the Imperial German Army in 1915 as a member of 4th Hussar Regiment and participated in World War I. In 1916, he became a First Lieutenant. After the war Hünersdorff stayed in the Reichswehr. When World War II broke out, Hünersdorff served on the staff of the newly raised 253rd Infantry Division. On 25 October 1939 Hünersdorff was transferred to the II Army Corps, led by Adolf Strauß. On 12 September 1940, Hünersdorff became the chief of staff of the XV Army Corps, led by Hermann Hoth. With the now renamed Panzergruppe 3 he participated in Operation Barbarossa. On 7 February 1943 Hünersdorff became commander of the 6th Panzer Division, being promoted to Generalmajor in May. His division participated in the Battle of Kursk. During the battle Hünersdorff and a number of his staff officers were attacked by a group of Heinkel He 111s in a friendly fire accident, wounding Hünersdorff.^[1] On the same day Hünersdorff was shot in the head by a Soviet sniper, being critically injured. He died in a hospital at Kharkov on 17 July 1943. Hünersdorff was posthumously promoted to Generalleutnant.^[2]

Awards

• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (14 May 1940) & 1st Class (27 May 1940)^[3]
• German Cross in Gold on 26 January 1942 as Oberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) with Panzer-Gruppe 3^[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 22 December 1942 as Oberst and commander of the Panzer-Regiment 11^[5]
  • 259th Oak Leaves on 14 July 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of the 6. Panzer-Division^[5]

References

Citations

1. Wegmann 2009, p. 382.
2. "Hünersdorff, Walther von". WW2 Gravestone. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
3. Thomas 1997, p. 311.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 203.
5. Scherzer 2007, p. 409.

Bibliography

• 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.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• 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. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Wegmann, Günter (2009). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil VIIIa: Panzertruppe Band 2: F–H [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part VIIIa: Panzer Force Volume 2: F–H] (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2389-4.

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Erhard Raus	Commander of 6. Panzer Division 7 February 1943 – 17 July 1943	Succeeded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Crisolli