Otto Lancelle

Summary

Otto Lancelle (27 March 1885 – 3 July 1941) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II and a recipient of both the Pour le Mérite and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest military awards of German Empire and Nazi Germany, respectively. During the Interwar period, he joined the Der Stahlhelm, Bund der Frontsoldaten and Nazi Party, and participated in the Beer Hall Putsch.[1]

Otto Lancelle
Otto Lancelle in 1939
Born(1885-03-27)27 March 1885
Xanten, Germany
Died3 July 1941(1941-07-03) (aged 56)
Krāslava, Soviet Union
Allegiance German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy; SA
Years of service1905–41
RankGeneralleutnant (Posthumously); SA-Oberführer (SA)
Commands held121st Infantry Division
Battles/warsWorld War I

World War II

AwardsPour le Mérite
1914 Iron Cross I & II Class
1939 I & II Class
House Order of Hohenzollern
Prussian Life Saving Medal
Order of the Zähringer Lion Merit Cross
Wound Badge in Silver
German Sports Badge
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
ChildrenKraft Lancelle

Lancelle was killed by a sniper on 3 July 1941 at the Krāslava Bridgehead on the Daugava near Krāslava, Latvia. He was the first German general, who was killed in (de facto) Soviet territory after the attack on the Soviet Union. He was posthumously promoted to Generalleutnant and awarded the Knight's Cross.

Lancelle was first buried next to the Krāslava Lutheran Church, and later reinterred in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Polish town of Rzgów was renamed Lancellenstätt in his honor by the occupiers from 1943 to 1945. A memorial marker on the site of his death was installed by his son Kraft in July 1994, which was removed by authorities in November 2022.[2]

Awards and decorations edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ Wohnungs- und Geschäftsanzeiger für Stadt- und Landkreis Merseburg. 1929, Merseburg: Rößner, 1929, p. 314, retrieved 2022-12-28
  2. ^ Barkāns, Elmārs (2022-11-28). "Starp vairākiem desmitiem okupekļu nogāzts arī viens nacistu intrigantam veltīts piemineklis. FOTO". Jauns.lv.
  3. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 490.

Bibliography edit

  • 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Military offices
Preceded by
General der Artillerie Curt Jahn
Commander of 121. Infanterie-Division
6 May 1941 – 3 July 1941
Succeeded by
General der Artillerie Martin Wandel