Grimmeiss. Maximilian.

Grimmeiss. Maximilian, born 27-02-1893 in Erlangen, joined the Royal Bavarian Army on 01-10-1912 as a one-year volunteer. Maximilian was posted to the 10th Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment.   On 31-03-1913, he resigned from active service. He went on to study medicine (it is not known whether Grimmeiss finished the study, but very unlikely given the war). In the late summer of 1914 he again volunteered with his regiment. He went on to train as an officer. During the First World War he was deployed in various positions in the 10. Königlich Bayerisches Feldartillerie-Regiment. On 31-03-1915, he was promoted to Leutnant, with the deed of appointment (Patent) dated 01-03-1913. As a regimental adjutant, he was promoted to Oberleutnant on 11-09-1918. The rank seniority was later established on 20-06-1918. Grimmeiss was awarded both classes of the Iron Cross 1914 during the First World War. After the war he was incorporated into the Reichswehr.

During the transition and formation of the 100,000-strong army of the Reichswehr, he was posted to the Reichswehr-Artillerie-Regiment 24. He was posted to the 7. (Bayerisches) Artillerie-Regiment as a battery officer. At the beginning of 1924 he was stationed at the 8th battery in Nuremberg. From 01-10-1924, he followed a Führergehilfenausbildung for a year with the staff of the 6th Division der Reichswehr in Münster. Immediately afterwards he attended the 2nd year of the Führergehilfenausbildung at the staff of the 7. Division der Reichswehr in Munich. On 01-10-1926, he was posted again to the 8th battery of the 7. (Bayerisches) Artillerie-Regiment in Nuremberg. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to Hauptmann on 01-06-1927. On 01-10-1927, he was transferred to the Reichswehrministerium in Berlin. There he was assigned to the military service (Truppenamt (TA)) in the army’s statistical department (Heeres-Statistische-Abteilung T 3). On 01-10-1928, he was transferred to the Intelligence Department (Abwehr-Abteilung). He now also had to wear the uniform of a staff officer. On 01-04-1931, he was transferred to the staff of the 7th Division der Reichswehr, under command of the later Generaloberst Franz Halder in Munich. He was appointed chief of the 8th battery in the 7th (Bayerisches) Artillerie-Regiment in Nuremberg on 01-03-1933. As such, he was promoted to Major on 01-04-1934. In the summer of 1937 he was transferred again to the Reichswehrministerium in Berlin. There he was immediately deployed again in the intelligence department (ABW). While working in this department in the now renamed Reichskriegsministerium, he was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 01-08-1936. As a result of his promotion to Oberstleutnant, he was appointed 1st Generalstabsoffizier (Ia) of the 11th Army Corps under command of Artillery General (General der Artillerie) Emil Leeb,  on 06-10-1936. On 10-11-1938, he was appointed commander of the 78th Artillery Regiment. After this he was promoted to Oberst on 01-03-1939. Emil Leeb’s older brother was Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb.

Emil Leeb retired on 01-05-1945, the day following Adolf Hitler’s death and died 08-09-1969 (aged 88) in Munich..

During the mobilization for the Second World War, he relinquished his command. Grimmeiss was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the 12th Army Corps. under command of Infantry General (General der Infanterie) Walther Schroth, In this position he took a position in the west. On 01-10-1939, he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the 9th Army Corps. under command of Infantry General (General der Infanterie) Hermann Geyer, General Geyer was a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Geyer retired in 1943 and committed suicide on 10-04-1946, age 63..

In this position Grimmeiss took part in the Battle of France. In early 1941 he was appointed Chief of the General Staff of the 15th Army Corps. XV Corps was commanded throughout its existence by General der Infanterie (later Generaloberst) Hermann Hoth. At the end of November 1941 he was relieved and placed in the Führerreserve. Grimmeiss had already been awarded the 1939 Iron Cross Repeat Buckle in both class . On 01-12-1941 he was ordered by the OKH to the Reichsmarschall and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe. There he was promoted to Generalmajor on 01-02-1942. The rank seniority was later established on 01-04- 1942. On  01-04-1943 he was promoted to Generalleutnant. At the beginning of 1944 Grimmeiss was placed back in the Führerreserve. In January 1945 he was placed in command of the 64th Army Corps. On 01-04-1945, he was promoted to General der Artillerie and appointed Kommandierender General of the 64th Army Corps. He was relieved of his command again in mid-April.

Death and burial ground of Grimmeiss. Maximilian.

Grimmeiss became a prisoner of war, from which he was released in 1947. Nothing further is known about the further course of his life after his release. He died on 31-03-1972, age 79, in Erlangen and is buried at the Altstädter Friedhof, Erlangen, Stadtkreis Erlangen, Bavaria.

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