Schack, Friedrich August.

Schack, Friedrich August, born 27-03-1892 Schmiedeburg on the river Netze, the son of the Protestant pastor Ernst Schack and his wife Charlotte Schack (born Schnapauff). After obtaining his Abitur, he subsequently studied theology. He enlisted in the Army, 06-08-1914, age 22, as a volunteer in Hussar Regiment No. 1. In September 1915 he joined 195^th Infantry Regiment as second leutnant. His rank became official 23-03-1914. Schack fought throughout World War I as a platoon leader, battalion and regimental adjutant. On 03-04-1918 Schack was transferred to the 1^st West Prussian Infantry Regiment “Count Kleist von Nollendorf” No. 6.  During the war he was awarded the Iron Cross 1^st  and 2^nd Class and other medals. After the war he was transferred to the new 100.000 men Reichswehr. In the so called transition army, spring 1920, Schack served in Reichsheer 9^th Infantry Regiment. While helping to train 100.000 men he moved to the 8^th Prussian Infantry Regiment , where in autumn 1921 he served as battalion adjutant. On 01-04-1923 Schack was promoted to first leutnant. In spring 1924 and 1925 he belonged to the 12^th MG (Maschinengewehr/machine gun) company of the 8^th Russian Infantry Regiment in Görlitz. In spring 1926 and 1927 he moved to the 8^th MG company of the 8^th Prussian Infantry Regiment in Glogau. In the autumn Schack was appointed commander of 14^th Company of the 8^th Prussian Infantry Regiment in Lübben. As such, he was promoted to Hauptmann, on 01-04-1928. In 1928/29 Schack was appointed, for the next 5 years, commander of the 8^th MG company of the 8^th Prussian Infantry Regiment in Glogau. Finally Schack was shifted (1934) as a Major and tactics teacher to the war college in Dresden. There he became, on 01-10-1937, Oberleutnant. On 01-10-1938 Schack was appointed commander of MG battalion 15, and fought in the Polish campaign at the outbreak of the Second World War, September 1939. On 18-01-1940 Schack was named commander of Infantry Regiment 392, which he led during the western campaign in spring 1940. On 1^st October he was promoted to Oberst. In June 1941 Schack fought in Russia. For the capture of Salla, 24-07-1941, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross. On 01-10-1942 he became commander of the war College in Potsdam. On 07-05-1943 he became leader of the 216^th Infantry-Division , Schack succeeded General of the Infanterie, Werner Freiherr von und zu Gilsa. Von Gilsa committed suicide age 56, on 08-05-1945. Schack was appointed commander of the Berlin Guard Regiment on 15-10-1935. As such he became, in the summer of 1936, the commander of the Olympic village, replacing the demoted Wehrmacht Hauptmann, Wolfgang Fürstner.   On 01-07-1943 Schack was promoted to Generalmajor and commander of the 216^th Infantry Division.   Schack led his division in a bloody combat in Orel, July 1943, during the Battle of Kursk, and suffered heavy losses. Some of the surviving soldiers were sent to Belgium, where they became the 272^nd Infantry-Division . On 15-12-1943 Schack was appointed commander of the division. As such he was promoted, 01-01-1944, to Generalleutnant. For leading his division during the defense of Caen after D Day, Schack was awarded on 21-09-1944, the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . However, Schack, here with Erwin Rommel had sustained heavy losses during the battle and was suffering severe combat fatigue. On 04-09-1944 Schack became leader of the LXXXI Army Corps, five badly mauled divisions, charged with defending Aachen and the Siegfried Line. Schack’s superiors became dissatisfied with his performance and replaced him with General Friedrich Köchling. He died, age 70, on 06-06-1970. Beginning 15-11-1944 Schack led the LXXXV Army Corps in southern France and the Ardennes for one month. On 26-03-1945  Schack here with General Hermann Kittel , was assigned to the leader of the XXXII Army Corps, on the Oder near Stettin. On 20-04-1945 Schack was promoted to General of Infantry and Commanding General of the XXXII Army Corps. At war’s end the Allies imprisoned him. They released him 24-03-1948.

Oberleutnant Schack married his fiancée Marie-Ilse von Kameke (1901-1984) on 10-10-1923. A daughter emerged from the marriage (born 1924).

Retiring in Goslar, Schack died at the age of 76, 24-07-1968  and is buried with his wife Marie-Ilse, born Kameke, who died old age 82, on 24-01-1984, on the cemetery Feldstrasse, in Goslar. Close by the graves of WWII Generalmajor der Flieger, Chief of Office Group 1, Leopold Heydenreich,  Waffen SS General, Kommandeur der 7^th Heeresgruppe, Hermann Hoth,  gravestone recently removed and Luftwaffe General, Kommodore S.K.G. 2 “Immelmann” , Walter Storp

  . Generaloberst der Panzertruppe, Oberbefehler B 2^nd Panzer Armee, Heinz Wilhelm Guderian  and his sons are buried on the general cemetery of Goslar, as well the SS Obergruppenführer, Reichsminister of Food and Agriculture, Walther Darré.