Dietrich Kraiss

Dietrich Kraiss
Kraiss during World War II
Born	16 November 1889 Stuttgart, Germany
Died	6 August 1944 (aged 54) near Saint-Lô, France
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Imperial German Army Reichswehr  Wehrmacht Heer
Years of service	1909–44
Rank	Generalleutnant
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Dietrich Kraiss (16 November 1889 – 6 August 1944) was a German general during World War II, awarded the German Cross in Gold and the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Kraiss was a commander of the 90th Infantry Regiment (from September 1939 to March 1941), 168th Infantry Division (from July 1941 to March 1943) and 355th Infantry Division until May 1943. In November 1943 he took command of the 352nd Infantry Division which was in 1944, with six other divisions, located in Normandy in front of the Allied invasion. His 352nd Infantry Division had 7,409 soldiers and kept defensive positions around St. Lô. He died on August 6, 1944 of injuries sustained 2 days earlier.

Awards and decorations

• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (3 October 1939)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 28 February 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of the 168. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 23 July 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 168. Infanterie-Division
  • 549th Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 352. Infanterie-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (11 June 1944)
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th class with 1st class

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 402.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 250.

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.
• 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.