Georg Lindemann (8 March 1884 – 25 September 1963) was a German general during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. He commanded a division in Poland and France, a corps in the Balkans and Russia, 18th Army outside
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
In 1936, Lindemann was promoted to Major General and given command of 36th Infantry Division, which took part in the 1940
Battle of France
The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...
. Lindemann was promoted to Lieutenant General and given command of the L Army Corps, which he led in Operation Marita in April 1941.
In June 1941, at the start of
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and several of its European Axis allies starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during World War II. More than 3.8 million Axis troops invaded the western Soviet Union along ...
, L Corps was part of Army Group North. Lindemann led L corps towards
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. L Corps was briefly shifted to Army Group Centre during the Battle of Smolensk, then returned to Army Group North. L Corps reached the edge of Leningrad in August.
On 16 January 1942, Lindemann took command of the 18th Army, a part of Army Group North. In the summer of 1942, he was promoted to Generaloberst. Lindemann commanded 18th Army in the fighting around Leningrad and the January 1944 retreat to Narva. He was promoted to command of Army Group North on 31 March 1944. On 4 July 1944, he was relieved and transferred to the Reserve Army. On 1 February 1945, he was appointed commander of German occupation troops in Denmark. After German forces surrendered in Denmark on 5 May 1945, Lindemann dismantled the German occupation until 6 June 1945, when he was arrested at his headquarters in
Silkeborg
Silkeborg () is a Denmark, Danish town with a population of 52,571 (1 January 2025).Freudenstadt,
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
.
Awards and decorations
*
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...
(1914) 2nd Class (9 September 1914) & 1st Class (28 July 1915)Thomas 1998, p. 28.
* Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 September 1939) & 1st Class (30 October 1939)
*
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...
** Knight's Cross on 5 August 1940 as ''
Generalleutnant
() is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries.
Austria
Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...
'' and commander of the 36. Infantry-Division
** Oak Leaves on 21 August 1943 as '' Generaloberst'' and commander of the 18.ArmeeFellgiebel 2000, p. 62.
*The Soviet city of Gatschina near
Leningrad
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
was renamed after him in Lindemannstadt between 1942 and 1944.