Hans-Jürgen von Arnim

Hans-Jürgen Bernhard Theodor von Arnim (4 April 1889 – 1 September 1962) was a German Generaloberst who served during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross or the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. {| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents
[hide] *1 Early life
 * 2 Military career
 * 2.1 World War II
 * 3 Awards
 * 4 See also
 * 5 References
 * 6 External links
 * }

[edit] Early life
Arnim was born in Ernsdorf in the Prussian Province of Silesia, the son of General Hans von Arnim (1861–1931) and Martha Honrichs (1865–1953).

[edit] Military career
Arnim joined the German Army in 1907. During the First World War he saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts. After the war, he remained in the Reichswehr and rose to command the elite 68th Infantry Regiment in Berlin. With the rise of Nazi Germany, Arnim was made a major-general in 1938.

[edit] World War II
Arnim commanded the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52nd_Infantry_Division_(Germany) 52. Infanterie-Division ] in both the Battles for Poland and France. In October 1940, Arnim was given command of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th_Panzer_Division_(Germany) 17. Panzer-Division ]. With the outbreak of the war against the Soviet Union, he was promoted to lieutenant general under Heinz Guderian, but was seriously wounded a few days after the start of the campaign. Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen von Arnim (left) and General der Panzertruppe Hans Cramer (centre) in British captivity at Trent Park camp in 1943On 1 October 1941, he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and placed in command of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XXXIX_Panzer_Corps_(Germany) XXXIX. Panzerkorps ] until November 1942, when he was appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa. When Adolf Hitler refused to allow Rommel to return to Tunisia, Arnim was promoted to full general (Generaloberst) on 4 December 1942, and made Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Africa and de facto commander of the Afrika Korps from 9 March 1943 until his capture by the British Indian Army's 4th Infantry Division two months later on 12 May 1943.[1] After he was captured, Arnim allegedly expected to be met by his opposite numbers and asked to see Dwight D. Eisenhower. The American general replied to his aides to get as much information out of him as they could, but a personal meeting was out of the question. He would not meet with any German officers until the final surrender.[2] Instead he was brought to the British 1st Army C-in-C, General Kenneth Anderson.

Arnim served the rest of the war as a British prisoner of war interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi,[3] and was released on 1 July 1947. He returned to Germany and died in Bad Wildungen, Hesse.

Arnim's Steyr 1500A Afrika Korps staff car from the North African campaign is exhibited at Eastbourne Redoubt in the United Kingdom.

[edit] Awards
General von Arnim's Staff Car at the Eastbourne Redoubt.*Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (2 November 1914)
 * 1st Class (16 September 1914)
 * Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
 * House Order of Hohenzollern (7 September 1918)
 * Wound Badge in Silver (1918)
 * Cross of Honor
 * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (8 October 1939)
 * 1st Class (3 November 1939)
 * German Cross in Gold (18 May 1942)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (4 September 1941)
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (addendum) on 13 May 1943
 * Ärmelband “Afrika"

[edit] See also

 * Eastbourne Redoubt

[edit] References

 * Citations
 * 1) ^ I Was There! - How Von Arnim Surrendered at Last, The War Illustrated, June 11, 1943.
 * 2) ^ ALLIES, by John S. D. Eisenhower
 * 3) ^ German Prisoner of War Camp, Clinton, MS
 * Bibliography
 * Alman, Karl (1998). Ritterkreuzträger des Afrikakorps (in German). Rastatt, Germany: VPM Verlagsunion Pabel Moewig. ISBN 3-8118-1457-5.
 * Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
 * Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
 * 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.