Hans Cramer
Encyclopedia
General Hans Cramer was a Panzer
General
in the German
army who was captured by the British during both world wars.
Cramer joined Prussian cadet corps before World War I
. During the war he became a leutnant and company commander and battalion adjutant
in the 15th infantry regiment before his capture by the British in August 1918.
Released in the spring of 1919 he was retained in the Reichswehr
. He initially served in the 18th Infantry Regiment and joined the 13th Cavalry Regiment on 1 January 1923. After service in various other units he was promoted to Hauptmann
on 1 February 1931. On 1 January 1936, he was promoted to Major
and on 1 February 1939 to oberstleutnant
. After the mobilization he was on 26 August 1939 appointed Commander of the cavalry training department. He served in Poland
and on 1 October 1941 was promoted to Oberst
and was posted to the Panzer Regiment 10. On 25 March 1941 he was appointed commander of Panzer Regiment 8. In April 1941, his unit became part of the German Africa Korps. On 24 June 1941 he was severely wounded in the battle of Sollum, part of Operation Battleaxe
, and three days later was awarded Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
for his role in the battle. On 1 April 1942 Cramer was appointed as Chief of Staff at OKH and on 1 November he was promoted to Generalmajor and 22 January 1943 he was again promoted to Generalleutnant On 10 February 1943 he was moved to the reserve.
He returned to Africa and on 1 May 1943 was promoted to General der Panzertruppe
. On 12 May 1943 with the capitulation of the German forces in North Africa he was taken into captivity by the British. From 16 May 1943 February 1944 he was held in the special prison for captured German generals and staff officers at Trent Park
. Because of his severe asthma he was released in May 1944 and returned to Germany.
During his repatriation journey, he was allowed to see the real 21st Army Group preparing for the invasion of Europe, but was told he was in Kent. This was part of the broader Allied deception campaign, Operation Fortitude
, prior to D-Day
.
After repatriation Cramer was appointed to Panzer Group West in France, but as a former prisoner of war he fell under suspicion of complicity after the 20 July plot and from 26 July to 5 August 1944 he was held in the Gestapo
prison on the Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse in Berlin
and in a satellite of the Ravensbrück concentration camp
and on 14 September 1944 he was dismissed from the Wehrmacht
. From 24 December 1944 until the German surrender he was under house arrest. From May 1945 until 15 February 1946 he was appointed by the British as the supreme commander of all the German troops captured in Holstein
.
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
General
General (Germany)
General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army who was captured by the British during both world wars.
Cramer joined Prussian cadet corps before World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During the war he became a leutnant and company commander and battalion adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
in the 15th infantry regiment before his capture by the British in August 1918.
Released in the spring of 1919 he was retained in the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
. He initially served in the 18th Infantry Regiment and joined the 13th Cavalry Regiment on 1 January 1923. After service in various other units he was promoted to Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
on 1 February 1931. On 1 January 1936, he was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and on 1 February 1939 to oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
. After the mobilization he was on 26 August 1939 appointed Commander of the cavalry training department. He served in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and on 1 October 1941 was promoted to Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and was posted to the Panzer Regiment 10. On 25 March 1941 he was appointed commander of Panzer Regiment 8. In April 1941, his unit became part of the German Africa Korps. On 24 June 1941 he was severely wounded in the battle of Sollum, part of Operation Battleaxe
Operation Battleaxe
Operation Battleaxe was a British Army operation during the Second World War in June 1941 with the goal of clearing eastern Cyrenaica of German and Italian forces; one of the main benefits of this would have been the lifting of the Siege of Tobruk....
, and three days later was awarded Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
for his role in the battle. On 1 April 1942 Cramer was appointed as Chief of Staff at OKH and on 1 November he was promoted to Generalmajor and 22 January 1943 he was again promoted to Generalleutnant On 10 February 1943 he was moved to the reserve.
General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
. On 12 May 1943 with the capitulation of the German forces in North Africa he was taken into captivity by the British. From 16 May 1943 February 1944 he was held in the special prison for captured German generals and staff officers at Trent Park
Trent Park
Trent Park is a country park, formerly the grounds of a mansion house which currently forms the Trent Park campus of Middlesex University in the north of London, United Kingdom...
. Because of his severe asthma he was released in May 1944 and returned to Germany.
During his repatriation journey, he was allowed to see the real 21st Army Group preparing for the invasion of Europe, but was told he was in Kent. This was part of the broader Allied deception campaign, Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude was the codename for a World War II military deception employed by the Allied nations as part of an overall deception strategy during the build up to the 1944 Normandy Landings...
, prior to D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
.
After repatriation Cramer was appointed to Panzer Group West in France, but as a former prisoner of war he fell under suspicion of complicity after the 20 July plot and from 26 July to 5 August 1944 he was held in the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
prison on the Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
and in a satellite of the Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück concentration camp
Ravensbrück was a notorious women's concentration camp during World War II, located in northern Germany, 90 km north of Berlin at a site near the village of Ravensbrück ....
and on 14 September 1944 he was dismissed from the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
. From 24 December 1944 until the German surrender he was under house arrest. From May 1945 until 15 February 1946 he was appointed by the British as the supreme commander of all the German troops captured in Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1914)- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (19 September 1939)
- 1st Class (3 October 1939)
- Panzer BadgePanzer BadgeThe Panzer Badge was a German medal awarded to armour troops during World War II. It was introduced during World War II in December 1939 .- History :The Tank Combat Badge, or Panzer Badge, first existed in the German Army during World War I, and was later...
in Silver (4 October 1941) - German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (5 March 1942) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 27 June 1941 as an OberstleutnantOberstleutnantOberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
and commander of Panzer-Regiment 8
- Knight's Cross on 27 June 1941 as an Oberstleutnant
- Ärmelband AfrikaCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....