Richard Baltzer
Richard Baltzer (Danzig, 1 June 1886 – Prague, 10 May 1945) was a German Lieutenant general during World War II who commanded several divisions. BiographyIn the summer of 1939, during the mobilization for World War II, he was appointed commander of the 217th Infantry Division, which he led during the Invasion of Poland. On 1 October 1939, he was promoted to lieutenant general. After the Polish campaign, the division was initially used as an occupation force in Poland. In the summer of 1940, the division was transferred to France also as an occupation force. At the beginning of summer 1941 he led his division in Operation Barbarossa in the attack on northern Russia. On 31 January 1942 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. On 15 April 1942, he was relieved of command and transferred to the Führer reserve. On 10 May 1945, after the surrender of the Wehrmacht, he was killed in Prague in circumstances that remain unknown. References |