Rudolf Kaempfe

Rudolf Kaempfe (17 February 1893 – 23 December 1962) was a German general during World War II who held commands at the division and corps level.

Rudolf Kaempfe
Born10 April 1883
Moscow
Died23 December 1962(1962-12-23) (aged 79)
Stuttgart
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy (Wehrmacht)
Years of service1902–45
RankGeneral der Artillerie
Commands held31st Infantry Division
XXXV Army Corps
Battles/warsWorld War I

World War II

AwardsGerman Cross

Biography

Kaempfe fought in the First World War on the Western Front and in Serbia.

In April 1937, he received command of the 31st Infantry Division, with which he participated in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France.
In May 1941, he became the commander of the Höheres Kommando z.b.V. XXXV, later renamed as XXXV Army Corps. At the beginning of the summer of 1941, he participated with his Corps in the attack on Central Russia. On 1 July 1941, he was promoted to general of artillery. On December 19, 1941, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. In autumn 1942, he gave up his command and was transferred to the Führerreserve.

In connection with the assassination attempt on Hitler of 20 July 1944, he was arrested on 21 July 1944 by the Gestapo. When the war ended in May 1945, he was not liberated, but was taken captive by the Red Army and deported to the Soviet Union. He was released from captivity in the Autumn of 1949 and returned to Germany.

Sources

Military offices
Preceded by
None
Commander of 31st Infantry Division
1 April 1937 – 22 May 1941
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Kurt Kalmuekoff
Preceded by
General der Kavallerie Rudolf Koch-Erpach
Commander of XXXV Army Corps
22 May 1941 - 19 June 1942
Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Edgar Theißen
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Edgar Theißen
Commander of XXXV Army Corps
13 August 1942 - 1 November 1942
Succeeded by
Generaloberst Lothar Rendulic
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