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**Scott C.** · 12-05-2009, 12:08 PM

...And after PMing Paul, please post them here too please

**Guardian 5** · 12-05-2009, 02:58 PM

Paul and Scott – Thanks for stopping by. I don’t know of a list off-hand, but hopefully one of our resourceful forum members will come through with one.

This subject has been heavily discussed over on the DDR forum as well. I believe someone there sourced a document that listed all of the NVA generals who has also served in the Wehrmacht. I can’t recall if this list was limited to those who had been general officers in both regimes.

One of the most famous quips exchanged by the German States during the Cold War was this zinger from a political scientist in Leipzig, then part of the DDR:

“West Germany changed the uniform but kept the old generals. We kept the uniform but changed the generals.”

Paul – Given your main interest area, here are some individuals that may be of special interest to you. Not only were they generals in both the Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr, but they also served in the Imperial Army:

Adolph Heusinger. The first Inspector General of the Bundeswehr.

· Served as an enlisted man, Fähnrich, and Lieutenant with 7. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 96
· Wounded several times at Verdun and in Flanders
· Captured by the British in 1917
· Holder of the Prussian EK I & II; Brunswick’s War Merit Medal 2nd Class, the Reuss Silver Merit Medal with Swords, the Reuss Honor Cross 3rd Class with Swords, and the Wound Badge in Black
· Also served in the Reichswehr, thus making him one of the few Bundeswehr officers that had served in four different German Armies
· In World War II, he was standing at Hitler’s side in the Wolf’s Lair when Claus von Stauffenberg’s bomb detonated.

See a complete biography at: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Adolf_Heusinger

Friedrich Foertsch. The second Inspector General of the Bundeswehr.

· Served as an enlisted man with 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175
· Holder of the Prussian EK II
· Served in the Freikorps “Feldmarschall Hindenberg” before joining the Reichswehr
· Awarded the Knight’s Cross as the Chief of Staff, 18.Armee, on the Eastern Front in World War II
·
See a complete biography at:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/top...drich_Foertsch

Hans Speidel

· Joined the Imperial Army in 1914
· Well known as Rommel’s chief of staff in the West and un-indicted anti-Hitler conspirator
· Forced to resign and retire as a high ranking NATO military commander by Charles DeGaulle

Well Gents, I hope this is a good start to the list. Who else has a name?

All the best - TJ

**Gordon Craig** · 12-05-2009, 04:45 PM

Paul,

I started working on this yesterday. Very timely question. It will take me a while but I hope to start posting some info in the next week or so. I think a list without any service history wouldn't be of a lot of use or interest to most of the forum members. I am trying to do separate lists for Heer, Luftwaffe and Marine.

Regards,

Gordon

**tony james** · 01-02-2010, 02:43 PM

here's a few to add to the list.

heinrich trettner
generalleutant fallschrim/luffwaffe
general bundeswehr

host neimack
generalmajor wehrmacht
brigadegeneral bundeswehr

friedrich ruge
vizeadmiral kreigsmarine
vizeadmiral bundesmarine

hellmuth mader
generalmajor wehrmacht
generalleutant bundeswehr

gerhard matzky
general der infantrie
generalleutant bundeswehr

paul reichelt
generalleutant wehrmacht
generalmajor bundeswehr

all holders of the knights cross

tony

**SirHarry1** · 01-02-2010, 06:08 PM

BW General who was Waffen-SS

Hello to everyone,

I served in the German Army in 1984/85 as a PFC in HHC III. (GE) Corps in Koblenz. Our then new Deputy Commanding General was one of two ex-Waffen-SS members who made General in the BW. Unfortunately I cannot recall the name of the man, but I believe he was a Gebirgsjäger.
I know thats not a great help to answer the question, but when I read it that old story came back to my mind.

Have a great year fellas!

Harry

**Axel** · 02-07-2010, 11:26 PM

Originally posted by Thomas J. Cullinane Jr. View Post

Paul and Scott – Thanks for stopping by. I don’t know of a list off-hand, but hopefully one of our resourceful forum members will come through with one.

This subject has been heavily discussed over on the DDR forum as well. I believe someone there sourced a document that listed all of the NVA generals who has also served in the Wehrmacht. I can’t recall if this list was limited to those who had been general officers in both regimes.

One of the most famous quips exchanged by the German States during the Cold War was this zinger from a political scientist in Leipzig, then part of the DDR:

“West Germany changed the uniform but kept the old generals. We kept the uniform but changed the generals.”

Paul – Given your main interest area, here are some individuals that may be of special interest to you. Not only were they generals in both the Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr, but they also served in the Imperial Army:

Adolph Heusinger. The first Inspector General of the Bundeswehr.

· Served as an enlisted man, Fähnrich, and Lieutenant with 7. Thüringisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 96
· Wounded several times at Verdun and in Flanders
· Captured by the British in 1917
· Holder of the Prussian EK I & II; Brunswick’s War Merit Medal 2nd Class, the Reuss Silver Merit Medal with Swords, the Reuss Honor Cross 3rd Class with Swords, and the Wound Badge in Black
· Also served in the Reichswehr, thus making him one of the few Bundeswehr officers that had served in four different German Armies
· In World War II, he was standing at Hitler’s side in the Wolf’s Lair when Claus von Stauffenberg’s bomb detonated.

See a complete biography at: http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Adolf_Heusinger

Friedrich Foertsch. The second Inspector General of the Bundeswehr.

· Served as an enlisted man with 8. Westpreußisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 175
· Holder of the Prussian EK II
· Served in the Freikorps “Feldmarschall Hindenberg” before joining the Reichswehr
· Awarded the Knight’s Cross as the Chief of Staff, 18.Armee, on the Eastern Front in World War II
·
See a complete biography at:
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/top...drich_Foertsch

Hans Speidel

· Joined the Imperial Army in 1914
· Well known as Rommel’s chief of staff in the West and un-indicted anti-Hitler conspirator
· Forced to resign and retire as a high ranking NATO military commander by Charles DeGaulle

Well Gents, I hope this is a good start to the list. Who else has a name?

All the best - TJ

Very interesting indeed...the DDR with all of their new-found fervor for their new-found state had to rid themselves of many old TR generals given that they were headed by extreme opposites...if I can recall correctly I do not remember one piece of NVA militaria even containing some hue of an iron cross...it would be interesting to find any resemblance iron cross on any NVA militaria ^^

**Johnny R** · 02-08-2010, 08:32 AM

One very interesting book on NVA Generals and the influence of the WH on the NVA and other military organizations in DDR etc. is Das feldgrau Erbe by Daniel Niemetz. I have seen books for the BW also but do not have titles.

**juoneen** · 02-08-2010, 01:29 PM

Joseph kammhuber....first inspector general of the post war bundesluftwaffe.

**PaulChep** · 02-13-2010, 09:55 AM

Thank you all.

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Bw Generals that were TR Generals

Bw Generals that were TR Generals

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