Date of birth:

March 28th, 1899 (Uelzen/Hannover, Germany)

Date of death:

June 10th, 1969 (Goslar/Lowersaxony, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Karl-Richard Kossmann (Koßmann) finally reached the rank of Generalmajor. He was a POW to the Soviets from May 10th, 1945 until January 7th, 1956.

Promotions:
1919: Fahnenjunker;
1921: Fähnrich;
April 1st, 1922: Leutnant;
February 1st, 1927: Oberleutnant;
April 1st, 1934: Hauptmann;
June 1st, 1938: Major (RDA: August 1st, 1937) ;
November 1st, 1940: Oberstleutnant im Generalstab;
June 1st, 1942: Oberst im Generalstab;
April 20th, 1945: Generalmajor.

Career:
1917: Kriegsfreiwilliger, kaiserliche Armee;
?: Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 73;
?: Freikorps;
1919: Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 19;
1920: 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
1924: 2. Kompanie, 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
?: Adjutant, I. Bataillons, 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
1929: 2. Kompanie, 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
1930: 16. Kompanie, Ausbildungs-Bataillon, 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
1932: 2. Kompanie, 16. Infanterie-Regiment;
1934: Kriegsakademie;
April 15th, 1936: Generalstab des Heeres;
1937: Kompaniechef, Infanterie-Regiment 59;
November 10th, 1938: Lehrer, Kriegsakademie;
August 25th, 1939: Gruppenleiter, Stab, Generalquartiermeisters, OKH;
June 1940: Rüstungskommission;
January 15th, 1941: Ia, 15. Infanterie-Division;
January 15th, 1942: Chef des Generalstabes, VII. Armeekorps;
April 1st, 1942: Chef des Stabes, Militärbefehlshaber Frankreich;
June 1944: Kommandeur, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 74;
1945: Kommandeur, 10. Panzergrenadier-Division.

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Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

March 23rd, 1918

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

September 13th, 1918

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

November 8th, 1918

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

May 15th, 1920

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

December 29th, 1934

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1936

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Gruppenleiter, Generalstab des Heeres, Heer

Awarded on:

May 31st, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Gruppenleiter, Generalstab des Heeres, Heer

Awarded on:

July 30th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant im Generalstab (Lieutenant-colonel to the General Staff)

Unit:

Ia, I. Generalstabsoffizier, Stab, 15. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

April 14th, 1942

other sources give 17.04.1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant im Generalstab (Lieutenant-colonel to the General Staff)

Unit:

Ia, I. Generalstabsoffizier, Stab, 15. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

August 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 74, 19. Panzer-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

March 23rd, 1945

At 07:00 on the 15.01.1945 the Soviets launched an attack with strong tank forces and mounted infantry. Conducted in the wake of a half-hour artillery barrage, the goal of this attack was to expand their deep penetration into the lines of the 6. Volksgrenadier-Division and achieve a breakthrough towards Jedlinek.

In response the Germans sent out the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 74 and the Panzer-Regiment 27 for a counterattack. Panzergrenadier elements were deployed in a trench network to the north of Bierwec while the entire Pz.Rgt. 27 arrived in the woods 300 metres south of Bierwec. At 07:30 the Pz.Gren.Rgt. 74’s SPW Bataillon set out for a frontal counterattack with the support of Sturmgeschütze. Shortly after this the remaining German Panzers and Sturmgeschütze launched a further counterattack from the left flank.

This powerful counterattack was too much to handle for the attacking Soviet forces, and they suffered heavy losses. In barely a half hour of combat the Germans claimed 51 enemy tanks destroyed. 29 of these were credited to the Pz.Gren.Rgt. 74 and its attached two Panzerjäger-Kompanien, while another 22 were credited to the Pz.Rgt. 27. The result was that the Soviets were forced to fall back, and they remained quiet in this frontline sector up until the evening.

Oberst Koßmann was the driving force behind this successful counterattack, and he was therefore awarded the Knight’s Cross after the battle.

• Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer collection (CC Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0)
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - Karteikarte.
  - Generalmajor Karl-Richard Kossmann - Lexikon der Wehrmacht
  - Knobelsdorff, O., Geschichte der niedersächsischen 19. Panzer-Division, Podzun Pallas Verlag, Friedberg, Germany, 1985