Theodor Kretschmer

Theodor Kretschmer
Born	26 November 1901 Burghaun
Died	5 December 1986 (aged 85) Schlitz
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1919–45
Rank	Generalmajor
Commands held	16th Panzer Division 17th Panzer Division
Battles/wars	World War II Upper Silesian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Theodor Kretschmer (26 November 1901 – 5 December 1986) was a German general (Generalmajor) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Kretschmer joined the German Army in 1919 and was commissioned in 1924. After a number of staff positions he briefly became commander of the 16th Panzer-Division in late 1944 before taking over as the commander of the 17th Panzer Division on 1 February 1945. Kretschmer was promoted to Major General on 1 April 1945. He surrendered his division on 11 May 1945 east of Prague. Convicted in the Soviet Union as a war criminal, he was held until 1955.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 March 1945 as Oberst and commander of 17. Panzer-Division^[2]

References

Citations

1. Mitcham, p. 141
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 225.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [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. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2000). The Panzer Legions. United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.
• 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.