Biography of Meinrad von Lauchert

[Frederick L Clemens]

I have been researching the biography of Meinrad von Lauchert since the late 80's when I purchased a collection of the letters he wrote to his wife during the war. I have a webpage about him here: http://members.aol.com/panzerbaer/lauchert.html

I have contacted and interviewed a number of relatives and comrades of his. (The time for doing these interviews has grown quite short so I suppose these sources will soon be gone.) I have also researched unit and personnel records in US and German archives.

I continue to look for any original materials (photos, award documents, etc.) which relate to him or the units and personalities he served with, including those listed below. I'll happy to credit any contributors when I publish. Thanks!

Lauchert-associated Units & Personalities (more names to be added):

PzRgt35/4.PzDiv (1938-1942) Bamberg, Poland, France, Russia
- Guderian(H & HG), Eberbach, Hochbaum, Cossel, Bix, Esser, Jungenfeld, Diegradt, Langenfass

ResPzAbt5 (1943) Neuruppin
- Henning

PzAbt51/PzAbt52/PzRgt39/PzBde10/PzGrDiv GD (1943) Grafenwoehr, Kursk
- Decker, Bennigsen, Sivers, Heinrich Meyer, Gierke, Tebbe, Koehn, Strachwitz (Sr & Jr), Gabriel, Rahn

PzRgt15/11.PzDiv (1943-1944) Russia, France
- Rabenau

PzBde101/PzVerband Strachwitz/Lauchert (1944) Russia, East Prussia
- Breidenbach, Becke, Schmidtgen, Gross, Zahn

2.PzDiv (1944-1945) Ardennes, Eifel
- Jordan, Schaeffer, Gutmann, Manteuffel, Luettwitz

schwPzAbt 506 Eifel
- Roemer, Lange

I am also insterested in information on two war crimes that Lauchert was accused of - and cleared:
24 Dec 1944 in Bande, Belgium - the execution of Belgian males by an SD-Kommando

Summer 1944 in Southern France - anti-partisan operations by members of the 11.Panzer-Division for which many of the division members were held by the French after the war, as late as 1948.



Books I already have (will be expanded):
Jungenfeld, So kaempften Panzer
Michulec, 4.PD Vol 1&2
Neumann, 4.PD Vol 1&2
Niepold, Panzeroperationen
Schauefler, So lebten und so starben sie
Schrodek, 11.PD
Sturm Im Osten


Recherche Biografie des Panzergenerals Meinrad von Lauchert. Suche alles (Fotos, Urkunden, etc.) in Verbindung mit seiner Karriere einschl. obiger Einheiten und Personen. Danke!

[Jan-Hendrik]

Dear Frederick, may I ask how far your research regarding von Lauchert is

Jan-Hendrik

[Frederick L Clemens]

J-H,

Thanks for asking. It is going faster now. I hope to finish the manuscript this year. I have recently filled in a lot of missing information. One big help has to been to assemble the info I do have into a master timeline so that I can see the connection between the various elements and correct some errors.

I'd like to make at least one trip to Germany this year to do a little more BAMA research and to meet a few more people.

For anyone researching a topic, I highly recommend setting up a website - even just a small one - about your topic. My website has attracted some responses from around the world that I would never have imagined. It's a great time to be a researcher when you can trade info with people everywhere.

Frederick

[Jan-Hendrik]

Do you have a link at hand to your website? I must admit not to know it

The reason for my request is Major Breidenbach, especially where he served before PzBrg. 101, if he was with Panzerjägerregiment 656 and7or Panzerregiment 35.

Alles Gute fürs Projekt,

Jan-Hendrik

[Frederick L Clemens]

The link is in my first post - http://members.aol.com/panzerbaer/lauchert.html

That is just a one-page summary though - not much meat to it.

I have Breidenbach's file and can check. I don't think he was with those units. I did interview him once in 1997.

[Jan-Hendrik]

Thank you, this would be very nice to clear this case up

Regards

Jan-Hendrik

[Frederick L Clemens]

Friedrich-Wilhelm Breidenbach's wartime career was basically as follows:

39-40 Kp Chef PzJgLehrabt
40-41 AbtAdj PzJgAbt 90
41-42 Kp Chef PzJgAbt 90
42-42 Adj PzTrSch Wuensdorf
42-44 Referent Heerspersonalamt
May 44 - Kdr Personaleinheit SPzJgAbt Panther
this unit was used to form PA 2101 in PB 101 as of 20 Jul 44
I don't know what Breidenbach did after PB 101 was disbanded around Nov 44

I see no association with sPJR 656 or PR 35.

[Hansen]

Hello Frederick,

I would like to point out, that the book "Hitze, Staub und Pulverdampf", -chronicle of 20.Panzerdivision's PanzerRegiment 21 lists Major Breidenbach as CO of I. or II. Abteilung/PzRgt.21, after Panzerbrigade 101 in 1945.
Because the remnants of the Brigade 101 were incorporated in 20.Panzerdivision, it is apparently so, that Major Breidenbach went with it too.

I would like to ak you some questions on Breidenbach:

Did your conversation with Breidenbach also include his time with the Panzerbrigade/Personal Einheit (Jagdpanther) ??

Did Breidenbach still remember when Lauchert actually took command of the Brigade, and when Lauchert's successor took over ??

Did Breidenbach tell you, why he earned his Ritterkreuz ??

Further I would like to point out that Lauchert took the Divisional Commanders Course (Divisionsführer-Lehrgang) in Hirschberg from August 7th till September 2nd 1944. This has been dealt with in another thread.

Hoping to hear from you soon,
Many greetings,
Hans Peulen

[Jan-Hendrik]

By the way, when did von Lauchert left RR 5 in Stolp?

Jan-Hendrik

[Frederick L Clemens]

By the way, when did von Lauchert left RR 5 in Stolp?

On 17.12.1934, Lauchert was transferred from RR5 to Kraftfahr-Lehrkommando Ohrdruf, effective 01.01.1935, according to his personnel file.

Perhaps the difference in dates allowed for his holiday leave.

[Frederick L Clemens]

I would like to point out, that the book "Hitze, Staub und Pulverdampf", -chronicle of 20.Panzerdivision's PanzerRegiment 21 lists Major Breidenbach as CO of I. or II. Abteilung/PzRgt.21, after Panzerbrigade 101 in 1945.
Because the remnants of the Brigade 101 were incorporated in 20.Panzerdivision, it is apparently so, that Major Breidenbach went with it too.

I would like to ak you some questions on Breidenbach:

Did your conversation with Breidenbach also include his time with the Panzerbrigade/Personal Einheit (Jagdpanther) ??

Did Breidenbach still remember when Lauchert actually took command of the Brigade, and when Lauchert's successor took over ??

Did Breidenbach tell you, why he earned his Ritterkreuz ??

Further I would like to point out that Lauchert took the Divisional Commanders Course (Divisionsführer-Lehrgang) in Hirschberg from August 7th till September 2nd 1944. This has been dealt with in another thread.

Hi Hans,

Thanks for the info from the 20.PD book - that does match exactly.
When I interviewed Breidenbach in 1997, I asked him about the PB 101 period and his experience of Lauchert. It was 10 years ago and what I basically remember were the personality issues. I did tape the interview and will have to review it (along with all the others). I deeply regret that I knew only a fraction of what I know now when I talked to Breidenbach. I could have asked so many more detailed questions! Feel free to spank me for that!

You are partly correct about Lauchert and the Divisionsführer-Lehrgang. He actually left early to assume command of PB 101. Here are some pieces of the puzzle that I have lined up:
(I prefer to use the YYMMDD format)
440502 Major Friedrich-Wilhelm Breidenbach assumes command of Personal Einheit s.PJA (Panther) [PzKK]
440617 Oberst Richard Schmidtgen assumes command of PB 101 [PzKK]
440720 Breidenbach assumes command of PzAbt (Panther) PB 101, later known as PA 2101, and then as II./PR 21 [PzKK]
440808 Lauchert commandeered to 13. Divisions-Fuehrer Training Course through 440831 [PA]; Hirschberg [PW LL]
440812 ?Strachwitz assumes command of Panzer-Verband [PzKK]
440819 Battle of Tukkum
440824 Lauchert commandeered to Heeres-Gruppe Nord [PA]
440824 ?Strachwitz wounded [PzKK]
440825 Oberst Richard Schmidtgen MIA, later pronounced KIA (PzKK)
440826 Lauchert ended course at Hirschberg [PW LL]; or 440820 [PW ID]
440827 Lauchert served as Fuehrer von Divisionsgruppen until 441100 [PW LL]
440830 Battle of Dorpat (Tartu)
440901 Breidenbach wounded [PzKK]
440923 Oberstleutnant Dr. Eberhardt Zahn assumes leadership of PB 101 [PzKK]
441014 ?Lauchert assumes leadership of HG Div 2
441028 Lauchert ends temporary assignment to Heeres-Gruppe Nord/Mitte
441115 Zahn assumes leadership of PR 9 [PzKK]
450310 Breidenbach assigned to Fuehrer-Reserve and sent to 20.Adjutanten-Lehrgang [PzKK]

[Jan-Hendrik]

Very much appreciated, dear Frederick

Keep us informed whem your bio is finished, I am interested in reading it



Jan-Hendrik

[Hansen]

Hello Frederick,

Thanks for answering my question.
I won't spank you.......yet, but I will, if you don't turn up with that review on the interview with Breidenbach !!

Could you explain the meaning of [PzKK], [PA], [PW LL], [PW ID] ?

Furthermore, I noticed you didn't mention Major Guido Von Wartenburg.
This possible CO was passed to us by Leo Niehorster.

Greetings,
Hans

[Frederick L Clemens]

[PzKK], [PA], [PW LL], [PW ID] are source tags for my purposes. PzKK is info from a Kartei-Karte maintained by the officer responsible for Panzertruppe assignments. PA is Personalakten. PW LL - a Lebenslauf that Lauchert filled out as a prisoner. PW ID are similar papers.

Thanks for reminding me about Wartenburg - his name is familiar. I will see if I already have anything on him.

You guys are really making me work!

[Frederick L Clemens]

Okay, I have the Kartei-Karte for Wartenberg (note spelling last name). Unfortunately, no entries after 431101.

430715 to 431001 He was kommandiert to PR 15, apparently as a PzAbtKdr
430901 He was m.F.b. for PGR 111

Both of those assignments were with 11.PD at same time as Lauchert was Kdr PR 15 so he was certainly familiar to Lauchert and possibly could have been requested by Lauchert in connection with taking over PB 101 as part of Panzer-Verband von Lauchert. I will have to keep my eye out for a mention of Wartenberg in the unit records.

Also, Wartenberg was promoted to Oberstleutnant with RDA of 1.11.43 (58d) so he would have been that rank during any time with PB 101 and that would make him senior to Breidenbach.

The Ritterkreuz site has following:
Oberst
Wartenberg v., Guido
* 14.08.1904 Neuruppin
+ 16.09.1944 Riga
Ritterkreuz am: 06.10.1943
als: Major
Funktion: Führer PzGrenRgt 111
Bes. Vermerke: Lt. Volksbund Vorname Gendo

The Volksbund has following:
Nachname: von Wartenberg
Vorname: Guido
Dienstgrad: Oberstleutnant
Geburtsdatum: 14.08.1904
Geburtsort: Neuruppin
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 16.09.1944
Todes-/Vermisstenort: Riga

This info certainly matches with an association with PB 101.