Hitler's Heroes During The Defeat in the East : Knight's Cross Generals on the Eastern Front, 13 February 1944 9 May 1945

Profiles German generals awarded the Knight's Cross during the final months of World War II, detailing their actions and fates.The fourth in a series of books that examine German officers who were promoted to the rank of general and who were also awarded the KnightCross, this volume covers the last months of the Second World War. During the period from 13 February 1944 to Germanysurrender on 9 May 1945, there were 115 generals who received the award. This total comprised eighteen full Generals; fifty-eight Generalleutnants and thirty-nine Generalmajors.One of these men was Generalleutnant Gustav Heistermann von Ziehlberg, who was awarded the KnightCross, on 27 July 1944, whilst Commander of the 28th J er Division for actions in the Soviet Union. However he was arrested by the Gestapo in November 1944 in connection with the July bomb plot against Hitler. He was later stripped of all awards and executed by firing squad on 2 February 1945.On 26 March 1944, General der Infanterie Hans Krebs was awarded the

KnightCross and in February 1945 he received the KnightCross with Oakleaves. During the last weeks of the war he served as Acting Chief of Operations Staff of the Army General Staff, succeeding Generaloberst Heinz Guderian who had been sacked by Hitler. Krebs moved his headquarters to Hitlerbunker during the last days of the Reich and after Hitlersuicide he met up with Soviet generals to try and negotiate Germanysurrender, but this failed. Together with General Wilhelm Burgdorff, he shot himself later that same day.With each individualentry there is a detailed description of how and where the KnightCross was won. [Publisher's Text]