Karl-Heinz Keitel
Encyclopedia
Karl-Heinz Keitel was a Sturmbannführer
(Major) in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
.
, the eldest son of Wilhelm Keitel
who would rise to become Chief of the OKW, the German Military High Command, during World War II
.
Karl-Heinz joined the Heer
in 1934 and served in various cavalry units following the outbreak of war in 1939. In June 1943 he was assigned to the Kavallerie-Schule in Potsdam-Krampnitz, and served as a battalion commander, and later the regimental commander of the Kavallerie-Regiment Nord. On the 5th August 1944, he transferred into the Waffen-SS
and served with the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Maria Theresia”
. On the 20th October of that year, he was promoted to command SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Regiment 17 / 22.SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Maria Theresia” in the area of Hungary. In November 1944, combined with the Florian Geyer division, the “Maria Theresia” was assigned to the garrison of Budapest
. On the 12th December he was wounded in action while defending against Red Army
probing attacks into Budapest for which he was awarded the Wound Badge
in Black.
In March he transferred to the 37. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Lützow”
as its commander, and led the 2000 strong remnants of the division in heavy fighting around Wiener-Neustadt as part of 6. SS-Panzer Armee. He was reportedly promoted Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the closing months of the war, but this has never been confirmed and is not recorded in his service records; a quite common occurrence in the final days of the Third Reich.
. Together they had one son (Hans-Christof, born 23 July 1939) and three daughters (Sybilla, born 17 December 1940; Jutta, born 14 May 1942; and Stephanie, born 26 December 1943). At the time of the marriage, his father Wilhelm Keitel made no attempt to hide the fact that through the engagement of his son to Blomberg's daughter, he was working towards an entente with his superior, Field-Marshal von Blomberg himself.
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Military service
Karl-Heinz Keitel was born on the 2 January 1914, in WolfenbüttelWolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, the eldest son of Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Keitel
Wilhelm Bodewin Gustav Keitel was a German field marshal . As head of the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and de facto war minister, he was one of Germany's most senior military leaders during World War II...
who would rise to become Chief of the OKW, the German Military High Command, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Karl-Heinz joined the Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
in 1934 and served in various cavalry units following the outbreak of war in 1939. In June 1943 he was assigned to the Kavallerie-Schule in Potsdam-Krampnitz, and served as a battalion commander, and later the regimental commander of the Kavallerie-Regiment Nord. On the 5th August 1944, he transferred into the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
and served with the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Maria Theresia”
22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia
The 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia. was a German Waffen SS cavalry division which saw action on the Eastern Front during the Second World War...
. On the 20th October of that year, he was promoted to command SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Regiment 17 / 22.SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Maria Theresia” in the area of Hungary. In November 1944, combined with the Florian Geyer division, the “Maria Theresia” was assigned to the garrison of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. On the 12th December he was wounded in action while defending against Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
probing attacks into Budapest for which he was awarded the Wound Badge
Wound Badge
Wound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
in Black.
In March he transferred to the 37. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division “Lützow”
37th SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Lützow
37. SS Freiwilligen Kavallerie Division "Lützow" was ordered to be formed in February 1945, consisting of remnants of 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer and 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia, including former's SS Pionier Battalion 8, in addition to mostly 16- or 17-year old...
as its commander, and led the 2000 strong remnants of the division in heavy fighting around Wiener-Neustadt as part of 6. SS-Panzer Armee. He was reportedly promoted Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the closing months of the war, but this has never been confirmed and is not recorded in his service records; a quite common occurrence in the final days of the Third Reich.
Personal life
On 20 October 1938, he married Dorothee von Blomberg, daughter of Werner von BlombergWerner von Blomberg
Werner Eduard Fritz von Blomberg was a German Generalfeldmarschall, Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces until January 1938.-Early life:...
. Together they had one son (Hans-Christof, born 23 July 1939) and three daughters (Sybilla, born 17 December 1940; Jutta, born 14 May 1942; and Stephanie, born 26 December 1943). At the time of the marriage, his father Wilhelm Keitel made no attempt to hide the fact that through the engagement of his son to Blomberg's daughter, he was working towards an entente with his superior, Field-Marshal von Blomberg himself.