Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

July 17th, 1917

with swords

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Captain)

Unit:

Bataillons-Kommandeur, Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment 109

Awarded on:

November 28th, 1917

Period:

Silesian Uprisings (1919-1921)

Period:

Silesian Uprisings (1919-1921)

Period:

First World War (1914-1918)

Awarded on:

1934

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 478, 258. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

September 20th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 478, 258. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

October 10th, 1941

At 10:00 on the 03.09.1941 the 258. Infanterie-Division (located along the Desna front) was ordered to dispatch its mobile reserves to the railway station at Dubrowka. This intervention group was placed under the command of Oberst von Wolff, and consisted of the A.A. 258, 3./Pi 258, Pz.-Jäger-Abt. 258, parts of the Nachrichten-Abt. (under Leutnant Schröder), and the 4. & 9./AR 258 (these two Batterien were horse-drawn and didn’t arrive until the next day).

Having arrived at the designated location, Wolff and his intervention group were ordered to eliminate a Soviet penetration in the sector of the 34. Infanterie-Division by attacking it in the northern flank (about 2 km northeast of Rapitschi-Ssobolewa) and pushing it back. Immediately after receiving this order in the area of operations, Oberst von Wolff decided to attack despite the fact that the situation was unclear and that evening was setting in.

He began a thrust towards Nowyj-Ssalynj, and continued the assault in the morning of the next day (the 05.09.1941). Although the Soviets had meanwhile taken defensive measures in the ravine-covered terrain, and only minimal support from heavy weapons was available (the artillery had not yet arrived!), the German attack made it to the eastern edge of Nowyj-Ssalynj. Over 800 prisoners were captured, as well as 3 guns, 21 heavy machine-guns and numerous mortars.

This swift action by Oberst von Wolff surprised the Soviets, and prevented them from carrying on their advance to the vital Roslavl—Bryansk road. At the time the road was being used as the supply route for Panzergruppe Guderian, which was currently in the process of encircling Soviet forces at Kiev from the north. For his decisive contribution to the German operations, as well as the initiative and bold drive he demonstrated, Oberst von Wolff would be awarded the Knight’s Cross.

posthumously awarded