THE DEVIL'S GENERAL: The Life of Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz - The Panzer Graf

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Bio of the most highly decorated German regimental commander of World War II, known as the 'Panzer Graf' (Armored Count). Strachwitz first won the Iron Cross in the WWI. After fighting with the Freikorps and in between the wars, he served with the 1st Panzer Division when the Polish campaign inaugurated World War II.

His exploits as commander of a panzer battalion earned him further decorations during the French campaign. Transferred to the newly formed 16th Panzer Division, he participated in the invasion of Yugoslavia and then Operation Barbarossa where he earned the Knight's Cross. During the advance on Stalingrad, he won the Oak Leaves for destroying 270 Soviet tanks at Kalach. Now commander of a regiment, he reached the Volga and fought ferociously on the northern rim of Sixth Army's perimeter until wounded and flown out.

Upon recuperation, he was named commander of the Grossdeutschland Division's panzer regiment, and won the Swords to the Knight's Cross during Manstein's counteroffensive at Kharkov. After fighting through Kursk and the ensuing defensive battles, he was transferred the next year to Army Group North where he won the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross at Narva.

Wounded 12 times during the war, and barely surviving a lethal car crash, he was finally able to surrender to the Americans in May 1945.

This would be a nice historical supplement for those of you who play the boardgame Fighting Formations: Grossdeutschland Division.