Walter Poppe
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Walter Poppe (8 August 1892-1968), born in Kassel, served as a Generalleutnant during the Second World War leading the German 59th Infantry Division, subordinate to Hans Reinhard's LXXXVIII.Armeekorps.
He had initially joined the army on January 20, 1914, and served as a Leutnant in World War I
On January 12, 1942, he succeeded Wilhelm Wetzel as command of the 255.Infanterie-Division between the Eastern Front and France until it was disbanded in October 1943, at which point he succeeded Otto Lasch as command of the 217.Infanterie-Division on the Eastern Front, until it was also disbanded a month later on November 15.
He participated in Operation Market Garden, leading the 59th Infantry Division where he led his troops across a river crossing between Breskens and Flushing. After the war he was credited as a 'Military Advisor' on the 1974 film A Bridge Too Far even though he had died in 1968.
By war's end, he held command of the 467.Infanterie-Division.
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[edit] Ranks Held
[edit] Commands Held
- Inf.Regt.465 1 September 1939
- 255 Inf.Div. 12 January 1942
- 217 Inf.Div. (m.d.F.b.) Oct - 15 November 1943
- 364 Inf.Div. 15 December 1943 - 21 January 1944
- 77.Inf.Div. 1 February 1944 - 25 April 1944
- 59.Inf.Div. 5 July 1944 - Feb.45
- 467.Inf.Div. April45
[edit] Awards
- Iron Cross I
- Black Wound Badge
- German Cross in Gold - May 30, 1942
- his ribbon bar may have been EK2,EH3bX,HH,BO5
[edit] References
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit. Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 - 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II. Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, 2001. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
