Walter Poppe

Walter Fritz Rudolf Poppe (8 August 1892 in Kassel - 17 August 1968), born in Kassel, served as a Generalleutnant during the Second World War leading the 59th Infantry Division, subordinate to Georg-Hans Reinhardt's LXXXVIII.Armeekorps.

He had initially joined the army on January 20, 1914, and served as a Leutnant in World War I. On January 12, 1942, he succeeded Wilhelm Wetzel as command of the 255th Infantry Division between the Eastern Front and France until it was disbanded in October 1943, at which point he succeeded Otto Lasch as command of the 217th Infantry Division on the Eastern Front, until it was also disbanded a month later on November 15.

He participated in Operation Market Garden, leading the 59th Infantry Division where he led his troops across a river crossing between Breskens and Flushing. After the war he was credited as a 'Military Advisor' on the 1974 film A Bridge Too Far even though he had died in 1968.

By war's end, he held command of the 467th Infantry Division.

Dates of rank

 * Leutnant ohne Patent: 20 January 1914 (Granted Patent on 22 June 1912)
 * Oberleutnant: 18 August 1917
 * Hauptmann: 1 April 1925
 * Major: 1934
 * Oberstleutnant: 1 October 1936
 * Oberst 1 June 1939
 * Generalmajor: 1 April 1942
 * Generalleutnant: 1 January 1943

Commands Held

 * Inf.Regt.465 1 September 1939
 * 255 Inf.Div. 12 January 1942
 * 217 Inf.Div. (m.d.F.b.) Oct - 15 November 1943
 * 364 Inf.Div. 15 December 1943 - 21 January 1944
 * 77.Inf.Div. 1 February 1944 - 25 April 1944
 * 59.Inf.Div. 5 July 1944 - Feb.45
 * 467.Inf.Div. April45

Awards

 * Iron Cross Second Class
 * Iron Cross First Class
 * Wound Badge (1918) in Black
 * Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
 * German Cross in Gold - May 30, 1942
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (8 November 1943)
 * his ribbon bar may have been EK2,EH3bX,HH,BO5