Generalleutnant Hoernlein's competence

[Charlie645]

In his book "Kursk: The German View", Steven H. Newton cites Grossdeutschland's poor performance in that operation as evidence that its first commander, Walter Hoernlein, was a poor tactician. Newton writes on p. 389: "Hoernlein was a beloved figure within the division, but his tactical skills more closely resembled those of Sepp Dietrich than those of Hermann Balck."

Is Newton correct in his unfavorable estimate of Hoernlein's ability as a combat commander at the divisional level?

In "God, Honor, Fatherland" McGuirl and Spezzano,citing sources like Heluth spaeter, give a much more posive picture of Hoernlein and of course note that he won the Oakleaves to the Knight's Cross in March of '43.

Sometimes personal loyalties to a unit's first commander can blind his troops to his shortcomings. Was this the case with Hoernlein and Grossdeutschland?

I look forward to gaining more insight into this issue from members of this forum.

Charlie645

[krichter33]

I don't know much about Hoernlein. But his relationship with Graf von Strachwitz was supposedly strained to say the least. I have Spaeter's unit histories on my "books to buy" list, and I do own Jung's book, however it's on a big "books to read" pile on my desk, so I don't know too much about the whole situation. I too would like to hear more about it.