Lucht, Walther
- Date of birth:
- February 26th, 1882 (Berlin, Prussia, Germany)
- Date of death:
- March 18th, 1949 (Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany)
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberst (Kolonel)
- Unit:
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 44 ("Arko"), 44. Infanterie-Division
- Awarded on:
- May 17th, 1940
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberst (Kolonel)
- Unit:
- Artillerie-Kommandeur 44 ("Arko"), 44. Infanterie-Division
- Awarded on:
- June 23rd, 1940
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalmajor (Brigadier)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 87. Infanterie-Division
- Awarded on:
- March 12th, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalleutnant (Major-general)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 336. Infanterie-Division
- Awarded on:
- January 30th, 1943
“Generalleutnant Lucht had a decisive share in the defense against enemy breakthrough attempts in the Don region.”
The text refers his leadership of the 336. Infanterie-Division during its desperate battles on the Chir river front in December 1942. Starting on the 04.12.1942, this Division was among the handful of truly steadfast German units along this sector. On the 07.12.1942 it undertook a successful counterattack, and on the next day it held its ground against overwhelming Soviet forces with the support of the 11. Panzer-Division.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- General der Artillerie (Lieutenant-General of Artillerie)
- Unit:
- Kommandierender General des LXVI. Armee-Korps
- Awarded on:
- January 9th, 1945
Awarded in recognition of his successful command of the LXVI. Armee-Korps during the defensive battles in fall 1944 and in the Battle of the Bulge. On the 04.09.1944 Lucht and his Korps, as part of the 19. Armee, were able to establish a link with 1. Armee and thereby prevent an impending Allied advance along this sector and into German territory. He went on to distinguish himself in the Vogesen and Eifel regions. In the Battle of the Bulge it was his Korps which surrounded the bulk of the US 106th Infantry Division (capturing 8000 prisoners in the process) and thereafter seized St. Vith. This was the second-largest mass capitulation of US forces in the whole war, second only to Bataan.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Medalla de la Campaña de España 1936-1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Awarded on:
- October 14th, 1914
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
- Awarded on:
- October 19th, 1915
Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- Period:
- First World War (1914-1918)
Sources
- Photo 1: Gareth Collins
- Photo: Gareth Collins via Axis Biographical Research
- - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
- Kursietis, Andris J., The Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945, Aspekt, The Netherlands, 1999
- Axis Biographical Research
- lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de
- unithistories.com
Photo
Looking for reliable information or news facts about WW2? Do you want to create your own battlefield tour to sights of wars from the past? Or are you interested in war medals and their recipients? TracesOfWar.com tells you more!
More information
© STIWOT, 1999-2024. All rights reserved. Privacy statement, cookies, disclaimer and copyright