Dietrich von Saucken

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Dietrich von Saucken
16 May 1892(1892-05-16) — 27 September 1980 (aged 88)
Dietrich von Saucken
Place of birth	Fischhausen, East Prussia
Place of death	Pullach
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Years of service	1910 - 1945
Rank	General der Panzertruppen
Commands held	4th Panzer Division Second Army
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	House Order of Hohenzollern Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit dem Eichenlaub mit Schwertern und Brillanten

Dietrich von Saucken (16 May 1892 – 27 September 1980) was a German general in the Wehrmacht Heer during World War II.

Born in Fischhausen, East Prussia, Saucken joined the German Army in 1910 and achieved the rank of lieutenant in June 1912. As a colonel he served in the pre-war Wehrmacht and was promoted to the rank of major general on January 1, 1942. Appointed to command the 4th Panzer Division at the end of 1941, he later served as commandant of the German School for Mobile Troops (Schule für Schnelle Truppen). In late June 1944, as deputy commander of the III Panzer Corps, he formed an ad hoc unit known as "Group von Saucken" from the remainders of several units that had been smashed in the Soviet assault on Army Group Centre. This grouping (later XXXIX Panzer Corps) attempted to defend the occupied city of Minsk and temporarily maintained an escape route across the Berezina River for retreating German soldiers in the face of overwhelmingly superior Soviet forces.

In the last months of the war, Saucken led the Second Army in its defence of East and West Prussia, ordering the surrender of his army one day after the unconditional surrender of all German forces on May 8, 1945. After surrendering von Saucken went into Soviet captivity. He was sentenced to 25 years hard labour, commutted to 30 months. Saucken was released in 1955. He died in 1980.

Saucken was one of the few German officers to receive the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves, Swords, and Diamonds during the Second World War.

[edit] Character traits

A cavalry officer who regularly wore both a sword and a monocle, Saucken personified the aristocratic Prussian conservatives who despised the braune Bande (brown mob) of Nazis. When he was ordered to take command of the 2nd Army on March 12, 1945, he was told by Hitler that he must take his orders from Albert Förster, the Gauleiter (Nazi governor) of Danzig. Saucken replied "I have no intention of placing myself under the orders of a Gauleiter". In doing this he had bluntly contradicted Hitler and not addressed him as Mein Fuhrer. To the surprise of everyone who was present, Hitler capitulated and replied "All right Saucken, keep the command to yourself".^[1]

[edit] Awards

• House Order of Hohenzollern
• Austrian Military Merit Cross (3. Class)
• Bavarian Military Merit Cross (3. Class)
• Panzer Badge in Silver (3. Class)
• War Merit Cross with Swords
• Wound Badge in Gold
• Iron Cross 2. and 1. class
• Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
  • Knight's Cross (6 January 1942)
  • 281. Oak Leaves (22 August 1943)
  • 46. Swords (31 January 1944)
  • 27. Diamonds (8 May 1945)
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht (3 December 1943; 5 July 1944; 9 May 1945)

[edit] References