Hermann leopold august von oppeln-bronikowski was a german army officer and olympic equestrian champion who rose to the rank of generalmajor during the second world war. Born on 2 january 1899 in berlin into a prussian noble family with deep military roots his father was a general of the infantry. He entered cadet school in 1912 first at bensberg and later at gross-lichterfelde. During the first world war he volunteered for frontline service and was commissioned as a leutnant in late 1917. He fought on the western front with infantry regiment prince carl no. 118 earning both classes of the iron cross 1914 by october 1918 at a young age. After the war he continued his career in the reichswehr transitioning through various cavalry and infantry postings while steadily advancing in rank.
In parallel with his military duties von oppeln-bronikowski excelled in competitive dressage. He represented germany at the 1936 summer olympics in berlin where he contributed to the team gold medal riding the east prussian gelding gimpel. The horse had previously helped secure gold in 1928. Individually he placed tenth. His horsemanship and cavalry background later informed his reputation as a bold and energetic commander once the wehrmacht began emphasizing armored warfare. By 1939 he had reached the rank of major and commanded the reconnaissance battalion of the 24th infantry division during the invasion of poland. For his performance he received the 1939 clasps to both classes of the iron cross.
With the expansion of the panzer forces von oppeln-bronikowski transferred to armored units in 1941. He commanded panzer-regiment 35 then panzer-regiment 204 of the 22nd panzer division on the eastern front. In the desperate winter fighting of 1942-43 near army group don his kampfgruppe conducted aggressive counterattacks that helped delay soviet encirclement efforts connected to stalingrad destroying hundreds of enemy tanks and guns despite heavy losses. On 1 january 1943 he was awarded the knight's cross of the iron cross as an oberst. He later commanded panzer-regiment 11 with the 6th panzer division and earned the german cross in gold in august 1943 before being wounded.
In 1944 von oppeln-bronikowski took command of panzer-regiment 22 within the 21st panzer division stationed in normandy. On 6 june he led immediate counterattacks against the allied landings pushing some elements toward the coast although superior numbers and air power forced withdrawals. His regiment held defensive lines around caen for roughly a month under intense pressure. For these actions he received the oak leaves to the knight's cross on 28 july 1944 as the 536th recipient. Described by contemporaries as exuberant and dashing he was known for his frontline leadership style though occasional tensions with superiors arose linked to his personal habits including drinking.
By late 1944 he prepared to assume command of the 20th panzer division on the eastern front. Promoted to generalmajor with effect from 1 january 1945 he led the division during the final defensive battles in silesia. His forces conducted counterattacks near the oder river defended neisse opened a temporary corridor toward breslau and relieved encircled troops at bautzen freeing around 1 200 soldiers. For his leadership in these actions he was awarded the swords to the knight's cross with oak leaves on 17 april 1945 as the 142nd recipient. On 8 may 1945 upon hearing of the unconditional surrender he dissolved the division in orderly fashion allowing small groups to attempt breakout toward american lines. He was taken prisoner shortly afterward and after interrogation and a period of internment was released in 1947 classified as innocent.
After the war von oppeln-bronikowski worked as a civil engineering consultant and participated in early planning for the reconstruction of the west german bundeswehr. He remained active in equestrian circles serving as a riding instructor and helping prepare the canadian dressage team for the 1964 tokyo olympics. He was also interviewed by author cornelius ryan during research for the book the longest day. Hermann von oppeln-bronikowski died of a heart attack on 19 september 1966 in gaissach bavaria at the age of 67. He was survived by his wife edelgard von kleist whom he had married in 1931 and their three children. His career bridged the old prussian cavalry tradition olympic achievement and the mechanized battles of the second world war marking him as one of the more colorful and capable panzer leaders of his generation.
In parallel with his military duties von oppeln-bronikowski excelled in competitive dressage. He represented germany at the 1936 summer olympics in berlin where he contributed to the team gold medal riding the east prussian gelding gimpel. The horse had previously helped secure gold in 1928. Individually he placed tenth. His horsemanship and cavalry background later informed his reputation as a bold and energetic commander once the wehrmacht began emphasizing armored warfare. By 1939 he had reached the rank of major and commanded the reconnaissance battalion of the 24th infantry division during the invasion of poland. For his performance he received the 1939 clasps to both classes of the iron cross.
With the expansion of the panzer forces von oppeln-bronikowski transferred to armored units in 1941. He commanded panzer-regiment 35 then panzer-regiment 204 of the 22nd panzer division on the eastern front. In the desperate winter fighting of 1942-43 near army group don his kampfgruppe conducted aggressive counterattacks that helped delay soviet encirclement efforts connected to stalingrad destroying hundreds of enemy tanks and guns despite heavy losses. On 1 january 1943 he was awarded the knight's cross of the iron cross as an oberst. He later commanded panzer-regiment 11 with the 6th panzer division and earned the german cross in gold in august 1943 before being wounded.
In 1944 von oppeln-bronikowski took command of panzer-regiment 22 within the 21st panzer division stationed in normandy. On 6 june he led immediate counterattacks against the allied landings pushing some elements toward the coast although superior numbers and air power forced withdrawals. His regiment held defensive lines around caen for roughly a month under intense pressure. For these actions he received the oak leaves to the knight's cross on 28 july 1944 as the 536th recipient. Described by contemporaries as exuberant and dashing he was known for his frontline leadership style though occasional tensions with superiors arose linked to his personal habits including drinking.
By late 1944 he prepared to assume command of the 20th panzer division on the eastern front. Promoted to generalmajor with effect from 1 january 1945 he led the division during the final defensive battles in silesia. His forces conducted counterattacks near the oder river defended neisse opened a temporary corridor toward breslau and relieved encircled troops at bautzen freeing around 1 200 soldiers. For his leadership in these actions he was awarded the swords to the knight's cross with oak leaves on 17 april 1945 as the 142nd recipient. On 8 may 1945 upon hearing of the unconditional surrender he dissolved the division in orderly fashion allowing small groups to attempt breakout toward american lines. He was taken prisoner shortly afterward and after interrogation and a period of internment was released in 1947 classified as innocent.
After the war von oppeln-bronikowski worked as a civil engineering consultant and participated in early planning for the reconstruction of the west german bundeswehr. He remained active in equestrian circles serving as a riding instructor and helping prepare the canadian dressage team for the 1964 tokyo olympics. He was also interviewed by author cornelius ryan during research for the book the longest day. Hermann von oppeln-bronikowski died of a heart attack on 19 september 1966 in gaissach bavaria at the age of 67. He was survived by his wife edelgard von kleist whom he had married in 1931 and their three children. His career bridged the old prussian cavalry tradition olympic achievement and the mechanized battles of the second world war marking him as one of the more colorful and capable panzer leaders of his generation.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermann_von_Oppeln-Bronikowski
https://gmic.co.uk/topic/85662-oppeln-bronikowski-hermann-von/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/12987/Oppeln-Bronikowski-von-Hermann-Leopold-August.htm
https://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2015/10/generalmajor-hermann-von-oppeln.html
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-n-r/