Stahel, Rainer Joseph Karl August (Generalmajor)

Date of birth:: January 15th, 1892 (Bielefeld/Westernphalia, Germany)
Date of death:: November 30th, 1955 (POW-camp Woikowo, Soviet Union)
Buried on:: German War Cemetery Cherntsy
Row: 5. Grave: 5.
Nationality:: German

Biography

01.04.1911: entered the Heer (Inf.)
18.10.1912: promoted to Leutnant - RDA 23.08.1910
00.00.1914-00.00.1918: served with the Infanterie then with the Artillerie - wounded twice - including severe head injuries due to a mine explosion
27.01.1916: promoted to Oberleutnant
11.04.1918: promoted to acting Hauptmann, then released from service
28.02.1918-00.07.1925: detached to serve in the Finnish forces
03.03.1918-01.01.1919: served in the Finnish army (Art.) as an acting Major
15.03.1920-31.07.1925: with the Schutzkorps A.B.O. / Finland as an Oberstleutnant
00.00.1922-00.00.1924: attended University of Abo, Finland
00.00.1925-00.00.1933: worked for an insurance company in Bielefeld
06.11.1933: Referent to Wa Prw. 2 in the Heereswaffenamt for the development of machine guns for aircraft
22.03.1934: promoted to Hauptmann
01.04.1935: promoted to Major
01.06.1935: transferred to the Luftwaffe and designated an Erg.-Offizier (Luftwaffe) with a rank of Hauptmann (E) and appt Referent für die Entwicklung von leichten Flakwaffen / RLM
01.04.1936: promoted to Major (E)
15.11.1938: Batterie-Chef in der leichte Flak-Abt. 73
26.08.1939: Kdr. leichte Reserve-Flak-Abt. 731
01.11.1939: promoted to Oberstleutnant (E)
19.02.1940: Kdr. Reserve-Flak-Abt. 226
26.02.1940: concurrently attended the Lehrgang (course) for Abt.-Kdr. at Flak-Schule I
01.05.1940: Kdr. Reserve-Flak-Abt. 151
01.08.1940: Lw.-Kontroll-Offizier with the Kontroll-Kommission I in unoccupied France, Bourges
00.00.1941: activated
10.01.1941: concurrently acting Chef des Stabes / Lw.-Kontroll-Kommission I, Bourges
25.03.1941: Kdr. Flak-Rgt. 34 (mot)
01.11.1941: promoted to Oberleutnant / A2
18.01.1942: Kdr. Flak-Rgt. 99 (mot), awarded the Ritterkreuz
01.03.1942: promoted to Oberst
15.04.1942: provisional Kdr. 4. Lw-Felddiv. (Kdr. responsible for its formation) and concurrently Kdr. Lw-Kampfgruppe Stahel
21.01.1943: promoted to Generalmajor
01.02.1943: ordered to the Luftflotte 4 theater in South Russia
01.04.1943: awarded the Eichenlaub
21.05.1943: Kdr. Flak-Brigade 22
01.06.1943: transferred to Reichsführer SS and appointed Chef des Sonderstabes Stahel (this temporary assignment does not appear to have been carried out)
16.06.1943: transferred from the Luftflotte 4 area to Luftflotte 2 for further assignment
28.07.1943: assigned responsibility for the Flak protection of the entire northern coast of Sicily
10.09.1943: concurrently appointed Kdt. of Rom (Rome)
07.07.1944: appointed Kdt. der Festung Wilna (Vilnius/Lithuania)
18.07.1944: awarded the Schwerter as Kdt. Festerplatz Wilna
22.07.1944: promoted to Generalleutnant
25.07.1944: Stadt-Kdt. of Warschau
26.08.1944: Kampf-Kdt. in the area north of Bukarest
29.08.1944: became Soviet POW
30.11.1955: died of heart failure in Lager Woikowo, USSR (Camp Voikovo, Russia)
Passed Swedish interpreter exam, spoke "fair" French and Finnish

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: July 16th, 1941

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 12th October 1914.

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:: September 18th, 1941

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 24th March 1915.

1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberstleutnant (Wing Commander)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Flak-Regiment 99 (motorisiert), Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:: January 18th, 1942

Awarded for his success in the infantry role during the winter of 1941/42 as part of Heeresgruppe Mitte. In the area near Anissowo Goroditsche he successfully conducted the prolonged defense of an airfield (one critical to the German defensive scheme no less) with only Luftwaffe troops, an airfield company and his own staff.

397th Award.

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberst (Group Captain)
Unit:: Kommandeur, Luftwaffe-Kampfgruppe (Stalingrad)
Awarded on:: January 4th, 1943

Awarded for stabilizing a critical situation with a hastily assembled Kampfgruppe in the Don-Chir bend during the fighting near Stalingrad in the winter of 1942/43.

169th Award.

Wehrmachtbericht

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalmajor (Air Commodore)
Unit:: Kommandant, Fester Platz Wilna
Awarded on:: July 14th, 1944

The brave garrison of the old Lithuanian capital Vilnius, led by their commander Stahel under orders broke through the Soviet encirclement after five days of resistance against superior enemy forces and fought through to the in the west waiting German troops under the command of Colonel Tolsdorf (sic). Duty and steadfastness of these combat troops deserve the highest recognition. In this battle for the city a Luftwaffe flak unit under command of Captain Müller has also distinguished itself.

Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Generalmajor (Air Commodore)
Unit:: Kommandant, Fester Platz Wilna
Awarded on:: July 18th, 1944

Awarded for his actions while serving as the commander of Fortress Vilnius. During the weeklong battle he conducted the fighting from the initial attacks to the encirclement to the breakout. At the head of his troops he was able to reach German lines along the Neman river on 13.07.1944.

79th Award.

Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: October 12th, 1914

Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)
Awarded on:: March 24th, 1915

Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (1918)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (1918)

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer

Period:: First World War (1914-1918)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938

Vapaudenristin 3.luokka (VR 3)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Vapaudenristin 2.luokka (VR 2)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Sources

Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1991.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
- Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
- Die träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eiserne Kreuz 1939 - 1945
- Verleihungsurkunde Ritterkreuz dated 18th January 1942