Can anybody identify this General of the Wehrmacht?

[SS-Researcher]

Hi guys!
I hope that someone of you is able to help me, I posted the pics for an user from another forum who is desperately looking for any information available about the person.

Does anyone know this General? According to the comment on the back of the photo, it was made on the 20th of April 1941 during a parade.
Is the displayed person perhaps a later holder of the Knight's Cross?
I am thankful for every clue.

Thanks in advance and best wishes from Germany!


Florian

[J.N. Houterman]

Don't recognize the man, but his name is written on the photo. On top it says: General .....

Can't make much of it, though. Perhaps "Keiser" ?
[Gen.Lt.z.V. Erich von Keiser, born 1883, Kommandeur des Kriegsgefangenenwesen Wehr-Ersatz-Kreis II, later Wehrkreis III (1941-1944)].

Success.

Cheers,

Hans

[SS-Researcher]

So - just to clarify it - the man on the picture IS Erich von Keiser?

Hans - thx for your help so far!

Best wishes
Florian

[Stauffenberg II]

I´m pretty sure it means "General Kniess"
http://www.feldgrau.com/search-officers2.php?ID=1014

Here is a pic of Kniess (I think from VJK)

Regards,
Stauffenberg II

[SS-Researcher]

Thank you, StauffenbergII!

I think that you are on the right way. The name on the back of the photo could really read "Kniess" and the faces of both pictures Generals are pretty similar.

Can anyone confirm that it is Kniess?

Thanks in advance
Florian

[J.N. Houterman]

Stauffenberg II is obviously better trained in reading German handwriting. Congratulations! I'm convinced it should be Kniess.

Enclosed a pic of Field Marschal Erwin Rommel visiting the Corps sector of Kniess on the Mediterranean coast, early May 1944.

Regards,

Hans

[Stauffenberg II]

And once again, I´m deeply impressed by your outstanding pic archive.

[J.N. Houterman]

Forgot to indicate that the general standing at the extreme right on the Rommel picture is:

Generalleutnant René de l'Homme de Courbière
(24.1.1887-7.5.1946), then commander of the 338th Infantry Division.

Regards,

Hans

[SS-Researcher]

Hi JNH and StauffenbergII!
Thank you so much for your help so far!

Three more questions :

1. Was Kniess a Knight's Cross holder? If so, when did he receive it?
2. Was Kniess a German Cross in Gold holder? If so, when did he receive it?
3. Does anyone know his date of death?

Thanks in advance and best wishes from Germany once again!

Florian

[J.N. Houterman]

Your answers:
1. No
2. No
3. Died in 1956. Exact date unknown to me.

Regards,

Hans

[VJK]

Hi!

I have a source that indicates that Kniess received the German Cross in Gold on 3. August, 1942.

Regards,

VJK

[Glenn2438]

Kniess died on the 10th of November 1956.

Regards
Glenn

[J.N. Houterman]

To make up a bit for a hasty response regarding the DKiG I've uploaded a biographical sketch of Kniess (in German) at my website:

http://houterman.htmlplanet.com/bio/german/Kniess.htm

Regards,

Hans

[USAF1986]

Hi! Here are the decorations of General der Infanterie Baptist Knieß from Scheibert and the 1930 Rangliste:

• German Cross in Gold: 3 August 1942, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 215th Infantry Division.
• Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords and Crown
• Hesse General Honor Decoration, “for Bravery”

I recall reading a post-war U.S. interrogation report of Knieß wherein he attempted to describe the role of his corps in the Ardennes Offensive. The interrogator prefaced the report by likening Knieß to an "absent-minded professor" – he couldn’t recall a coherent chronology of the offensive and kept asking the interrogator himself for details!

Regards,
Shawn

[USAF1986]

Also, per the 1930 Rangliste, Knieß' promotion to Major was 1 December 1928 (2).

As of 1 May 1930, the date of the Rangliste, he was commander of the Training Battalion of the 21st (Bavarian) Infantry Regiment at Erlangen.

Regards,
Shawn