Werner Kempf

General Werner Kempf (9 March 1886 – 6 January 1964) was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (mit Eichenlaub). He joined the Imperial German Army on 14 March 1905 and served in the 149th Infantry Regiment. In World War I he reached the rank of Hauptmann. He then served in the Reichswehr and the Wehrmacht. At the beginning of World War II he took part in the invasion of Poland as a Generalmajor commanding a Panzer Division. In 1939 and 1940 he led the 6th Panzer Division in the Battle of France and was promoted to Generalleutnant and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his role in the campaign.

From 5 May 1942 he was commanding general of the XXXXVIII Panzer Corps and was in this position on 10 August 1942 when he was awarded the Oak leaves to the Knight's Cross. In July 1943, he participated in the Battle of Kursk as commander of the 'Army Detachment Kempf' on the Eastern Front. From May to September 1944 he was commander of the Wehrmacht in the Baltics. He was then moved to the leadership reserve until he was taken into captivity in May 1945. He was released in 1947.

Awards and decorations

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (15 September 1914)
 * 1st Class (28 February 1916)
 * Military Merit Order, 4th class with Swords (Bavaria)
 * Friedrich August Cross, 1st and 2nd class
 * Cross of Honor
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (15 September 1939)
 * 1st Class (28 September 1939)
 * Eastern Front Medal
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st class
 * Order of Michael the Brave 3rd Class (Romania, 6 November 1942)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
 * Knight's Cross on 3 June 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of 6 Panzer-Division
 * 111th Oak Leaves on 10 August 1942 as General der Panzertruppe and commander of XXXXVIII.Panzerkorps