Viktor von Schwedler (18 January 1885 – 30 October 1954) was a general in the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

who commanded an army

corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

and a

military district Military districts (also called military regions) are formations of a state's armed forces (often of the Army) which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters ...

during World War II. He was awarded the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 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 order of precedence, lower in preceden ...

. Schwedler was made commanding general of the IV. Army Corps following the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair of 1938. He was transferred to the '' Führerreserve'' in October 1942. On 1 March 1943 he was appointed commanding general of the 4th Military District in

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

a position he held until 31 January 1945. He was still responsible for the measures after the bombing of Dresden on 13 February and 15 February 1945.

Early life and WW1

Viktor von Schwedler was born on 18 January 1885 in

Sankt Goarshausen Sankt Goarshausen (abbreviated St. Goarshausen) is a town located in the Rhein-Lahn-Kreis in Nassau on the eastern shore of the Rhine, in the section known as the Rhine Gorge, directly across the river from Sankt Goar, in the German state Rhi ...

. His father was an army officer. Viktor followed in his father's footsteps and after studying in various military schools, he joined the

Imperial German army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...

in early 1904 as a non-commissioned officer candidate. The following year, he became an officer in the 26th Infantry Regiment (1st Magdeburger) with the rank of second lieutenant. He later transferred to 88th Infantry Regiment (2nd Nassau). Schwedler served in the German General Staff at the beginning of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and spent the entire war in staff duties. He was promoted to the rank of

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in November 1914.

Reichswehr

During the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...

, Schwedler served as a staff officer in the 3rd Cavalry Division in

Kassel Kassel (; in Germany, spelled Cassel until 1926) is a city on the Fulda River in North Hesse, northern Hesse, in Central Germany (geography), central Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Regierungsbezirk Kassel (region), Kassel and the d ...

(1919), the 5th Military District in Stuttgart (1921–1919), and the Command Group 2 in Kassel. In 1923, he was promoted to the rank of major and commanded the 13th mortar company in the 15th infantry regiment in Kassel (1924-1925). Then he joined the staff of the 3rd Infantry Division in

Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...

. In early 1926, he was transferred to the Army Personnel Office in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

. Schwedler with the rank of

Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...

took command of the 2nd Battalion of the 9th Prussian Infantry Regiment in Berlin-Lichterfelde On February 1, 1929 . Two years later, he became Chief of Staff of the 3rd Infantry Division in Frankfurt-Oder. He was promoted to the rank of

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...

in 1932. He was selected as the head of the Army Personnel Office in October 1933. Schwedler was promoted to the rank of

Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...

in October 1934 and exactly two years later to the rank of

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 ...

Wehrmacht

Following the seizure of power by the

Nazi Party The Nazi Party, officially the National Socialist German Workers' Party ( or NSDAP), was a far-right politics, far-right political party in Germany active between 1920 and 1945 that created and supported the ideology of Nazism. Its precursor ...

and the removal of some elements opposed to the state, Schwedler, who had relations with General

Werner von Fritsch Thomas Ludwig Werner Freiherr von Fritsch (4 August 1880 – 22 September 1939) was a German ''Generaloberst'' (Full General, full general) who served as Oberkommando des Heeres, Commander-in-Chief of the German Army (Wehrmacht), German Army fro ...

, the deposed commander in chief of the army, was promoted to the rank of

General der Infanterie General of the infantry is a military rank of a General officer in the infantry and refers to: * General of the Infantry (Austria) * General of the Infantry (Bulgaria) * General of the Infantry (Germany) ('), a rank of a general in the German Impe ...

and was placed in command of military district IV with headquarters in

on February 1, 1938. His previous key position was given to Bodewin Keitel who was a more reliable element.

World War II

After the start of the

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 ...

in September 1939, most of the military districts were divided into field and regional commands. Schwedler was in charge of the field command called IV. Armeekorps. He participated in the battles of

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

(1939),

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

and

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

(1940) with this

. After 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 ...

, the invasion of the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in June 1941, his corps was in the southern part of the Eastern Front. During the

Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad ; see . rus, links=on, Сталинградская битва, r=Stalingradskaya bitva, p=stəlʲɪnˈɡratskəjə ˈbʲitvə. (17 July 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, ...

, he was replaced by General of the Pioneers

Erwin Jaenecke __NOTOC__ Erwin Jaenecke (22 April 1890 – 3 July 1960), was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the 17th Army. Jaenecke fought in the Spanish Civil War as part of the Condor Legion On 26 April 1937, Ja ...

and transferred to the Führerreserve in October 1942. On March 1, 1943, he was appointed Commanding General of the Deputy General Command of the IV Army Corps in

, thus making Schwedler commander of Wehrkreis IV again. On January 31, 1945, he was forced to relinquish his command and was not assigned a new position until the end of the war.

Awards and decorations

on 29 June 1940 as ''General der Infanterie'' and commanding general of the IV. ArmeekorpsScherzer 2007, p. 696.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Schwedler, Viktor Von 1885 births 1954 deaths German Army generals of World War II Generals of Infantry (Wehrmacht) Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Major generals of the Reichswehr Heads of the Army Personnel Office (Wehrmacht) Military personnel from Rhineland-Palatinate People from Rhein-Lahn-Kreis