Lenski, Arno Ernst Max von.

Lenski, Arno Ernst Max von, born 20-07-1893 in the East Prussian village of Czymochen to a landowning family; his mother was a teacher of Masurian descent. Starting in 1903 Arno was educated at the Cadet School Köslin, and the Hauptkadettenanstalt Lichterfelde, Berlin in 1908. In 1912 Lenski joined the German Imperial Army and was promoted to a Fähnrich in the Grenadierregiment zu Pferde Nr. 3 (Mounted Grenadier Regiment No. 3)   in Bromberg on 22-03-1912.

Lenski fought in the first war, initially as a platoon leader, and joined the staff of the Generalkommando z.b.V. 55 in 1915. After the end of the war Lenski served in the Weimar German Reichswehr and served in the Kavallerieregiment 6 in Demmin and Pasewalk and at the Cavalry School Hanover, where he was a subordinate of Wilhelm Keitel   in 1921. In 1925 he became a teacher at the cavalry school and in 1929, now a Rittmeister, commanding officer of the 5. Squadron of the Reiterregiment 14 at Ludwigslust.

In 1933 he was promoted to a Major  and became the commander of the NCO riding school and adjutant of the Cavalry School commander at Hanover. In 1935 Lenski became the commander of the Kavallerieregiment 6 in Schwedt/Oder, which was transferred to Darmstadt in 1937. Promoted to an Oberst in 1938, Lenski commanded a reconnaissance unit at the Western Front in 1939 and became the commander of the “School for Mobile Troops” in Krampnitz near Potsdam on 01-12-1939.

On 29-08-1940 Lenski was appointed as an assessor at the Volksgerichtshof  in Berlin by Adolf Hitler. He was involved in at least eight trials, including a death sentence, as an assessor of Roland Freisler.  In September 1942 Lenski took over the command of the 24th Panzer Division  succeeding General Bruno Ritter von Hauenschild ,  which fought near Stalingrad and was promoted to a Generalleutnant on 01-01-1943. After the defeat of the German Wehrmacht in the Battle of Stalingrad Lenski became a prisoner of war in the Soviet Union. 

Lenski was first imprisoned at Krasnogorsk and transferred to Suzdal in April 1943. After initial hesitation he joined the National Committee for a Free Germany  and the Bund Deutscher Offiziere led by General der Infanterie, Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach   on 07-05-1944. Lenski was released on 17-08-1949 and moved to the Soviet Occupation Zone of Germany.

On the picture, the Generals of the Wehrmacht at Stalingrad summer of 1943: 1.Generalmajor Dr.rer.pol. Otto Korfes (295.Infanterie-Division); 2.Generalleutnant Arno von Lenski ( 24.Panzer-Division); 3.Oberst iG Wilhelm Adam (AOK Adjudant 6.Armee); 4. Friedrich Paulus (Oberbefehlshaber 6.Armee); 5.Generaloberst Walter Heitz (Oberbefehlshaber 15.Armee);  6.Generalstabsarzt Prof. Otto Renoldi (Armeearzt 6.Armee); 7.susah seen his face!, And 8.Generalleutnant Carl Rodenburg a monocle General (Kommandeur 76. Infanterie-Division). Carl Rodenburg (17-05-1894 – 05-11-1992) was a General in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who commanded the 76th Infantry Division during the Battle of Stalingrad. He was a recipient of the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Rodenburg surrendered to the Soviet forces on 31-01-1943, during the Battle of Stalingrad. He was held until 1955.

After the foundation of the German Democratic Republic Lenski was formally acknowledged as a “Victim of Fascism” in October 1949 and became a member of the council of the National Democratic Party of East Germany NDPD in May 1950. Between March 1951 and July 1952 Lenski worked at the municipal administration of Berlin. Starting on 01-08-1952 he joined the staff of the East German paramilitary Kasernierte Volkspolizei (Barracked People’s Police) and was responsible for the configuration of tank troops. On 28-04-1953 he was promoted to Commander of Tank Troops (Chef der Panzertruppen) at the “Department of National Defence” at Strausberg and became a Generalmajor of the National People’s Army after its foundation..

Beginning in 1954 Lenski was observed by the East German Secret Police (Stasi) . In December 1957 the Socialist Unity Party of Germany  decided to release Lenski from duty in the National People’s Army  and Lenski retired on 31-07-1958.

In 1952 Lenski became a member of the East German Parliament for the NDPD. After his retirement he joined several equestrian associations and was a member of the East German Olympic Committee and the executive board of the Society for German Soviet Friendship and the East German Gymnastics and Sports Association. Lenski was the President of the equestrian sports society, the equestrian board of the paramilitary Gesellschaft für Sport und Technik  and the Consortium of former officers.

Death and burial ground of Lenski, Arno Ernst Max von.

Arno Ernst Max von Lenski died on 04-10-1986, age 93 and was buried at Strausberg local cemetery. My friend Canadians Kirk Bissat and his lady Chelsea Brooke took kindly the grave photo’s for me.

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