Hitzfeld, Otto, born 07-05-1898 in Schluchsee, Blasiwald,
joined the Army Service, on 18-01-1915, as a war volunteer in the Replacement Battalion of the 7th Badischen Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 142
, in Mühlheim. Otto, age 16, became a Fahnenjunker in April 1915 and in July 1915 transferred to the front. He received both the Iron Crosses
and was allowed in the new Reichswehr
after the war. On 01-08-1939, age 41, promoted to Oberstleutnant with the command of the III Battalion of the 158th Infantry Regiment. With this Regiment he participated in the Western war, then appointed to commander of the 593rd Infantry Regiment on 15-11-1940 and in July 1941 as commander of the 213th Infantry Regiment on the Eastern Front. He was fighting heavy battles on the Krim
and was awarded with the Iron Cross of the Iron Cross on 30-10-1941. Promoted to Oberst on 01-01-1942, he received the Oak Leaves. Hitzfeld was wounded
for the fifth time near Krasnodar, on 15-08-1942 and got the wounded medal in gold.
He married Elfriede “Elfy” Tonia Sauer in 1943. Recovered on 19-01-1943, he became Commander of the 102nd Infantry Division
, he succeeded Generaloberst der Infanterie, Oberbefehlhaber Armee Abteilung Narwa, Johannes Friessner
joined the Army Service, on 18-01-1915, as a war volunteer in the Replacement Battalion of the 7th Badischen Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 142
, in Mühlheim. Otto, age 16, became a Fahnenjunker in April 1915 and in July 1915 transferred to the front. He received both the Iron Crosses
after the war. On 01-08-1939, age 41, promoted to Oberstleutnant with the command of the III Battalion of the 158th Infantry Regiment. With this Regiment he participated in the Western war, then appointed to commander of the 593rd Infantry Regiment on 15-11-1940 and in July 1941 as commander of the 213th Infantry Regiment on the Eastern Front. He was fighting heavy battles on the Krim
and was awarded with the Iron Cross of the Iron Cross on 30-10-1941. Promoted to Oberst on 01-01-1942, he received the Oak Leaves. Hitzfeld was wounded
for the fifth time near Krasnodar, on 15-08-1942 and got the wounded medal in gold.
He married Elfriede “Elfy” Tonia Sauer in 1943. Recovered on 19-01-1943, he became Commander of the 102nd Infantry Division
, he succeeded Generaloberst der Infanterie, Oberbefehlhaber Armee Abteilung Narwa, Johannes Friessner
. On 01-04-1943 was promoted to Generalmajor and in November 1943 to Generalleutnant and lost his command to Generalleutnant der Infanterie, Kommandeur 558th Volksgrenadier-Division, Werner von Bercken.
He now was appointed to commander of the Infantry School in Döberitz until 01-11-1944 and again commander of the LXVII Army Corps, succeeding General der Infanterie, Friedrich Schack.
His last command was of the 11th Army, succeeding General der Infanterie Anton Grasser
and he declared the town of Göttingen, full of refugees, as a free city. He landed in U.S captivity on 19-04-1945, Hitzfeld second from right
and released on 12-05-1947. Because of his involvement in the capture of Sevastopol, he was also called Hitzfeld “Lion of Sevastopol”.In the 1950s, Anton Grasser was involved in organizing an illegal underground army set up by Nazi veterans in the event of a Soviet invasion of West Germany. Grasser died on 03-11-1976, aged 85, in Stuttgart.
Death and burial ground of Hitzfeld, Otto Maximillian “Lion of Sevastopol”..
Retiring in Dossenheim, most recently department director in a chemical factory, Hitzfeld wrote his memories in “An infantryman in two world wars: memories 1898-1980 by Otto M Hitzfeld”. Otto Hitzfeld died at the very old age of 92, on 06-02-1990 and is buried with his wife Elfy Tonia, born Saurer, who died age 64 on 02-05-1977, on the Stadtfriedhof of Dossenheim.

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