Hans-Jürgen von Arnim

Hans-Jürgen Bernhard Theodor von Arnim (4 April 1889 – 1 September 1962) was a German colonel-general (Generaloberst) who served during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Early life
Arnim was born in Ernsdorf in the Prussian Province of Silesia, the son of General Hans von Arnim (1861–1931) and Martha Honrichs (1865–1953).

Military career
Arnim joined the German Army in 1907. During the First World War he saw action on both the Eastern and Western fronts. After the war, he remained in the Reichswehr and rose to command the elite 68th Infantry Regiment in Berlin. With the rise of Nazi Germany, Arnim was made a major-general in 1938.

World War II
Arnim commanded the 52. Infanterie-Division in both the Battles for Poland and France. In October 1940, Arnim was given command of the 17. Panzer-Division. With the outbreak of the war against the Soviet Union, he was promoted to lieutenant general under Heinz Guderian, and was seriously wounded a few days after the start of the campaign. On 1 October 1941, he was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and placed in command of XXXIX. Panzerkorps until November 1942, when he was appointed commander of the 5th Panzer Army under Erwin Rommel in North Africa. When Adolf Hitler refused to allow Rommel to return to Tunisia, Arnim was promoted to full general (Generaloberst) on 4 December 1942, and made Commander-in-Chief of Army Group Africa and de facto commander of the Afrika Korps from 9 March 1943 until his capture by the British Indian Army's 4th Infantry Division two months later on 12 May 1943. After he was captured, Arnim allegedly expected to be met by his opposite numbers and asked to see Dwight D. Eisenhower. The American general replied to his aides to get as much information out of him as they could, but a personal meeting was out of the question. Eisenhower would not meet with any German officers until the final surrender. Instead Arnim was brought to the British 1st Army commander-in-chief, General Kenneth Anderson.

Arnim served the rest of the war as a British prisoner of war interned along with 24 other German general officers at Camp Clinton, Mississippi, and was released on 1 July 1947. He returned to Germany, where the estates he had held before the war had been taken and divided by the Soviet occupation authorities as part of a process of land reform. He died in Bad Wildungen, Hesse.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (2 November 1914)
 * 1st Class (16 September 1914)
 * Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
 * Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (7 September 1918)
 * Wound Badge in Silver (1918)
 * Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
 * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (8 October 1939)
 * 1st Class (3 November 1939)
 * German Cross in Gold on 18 May 1942 as Major in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 131
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 17. Panzer-Division
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (addendum) on 13 May 1943
 * Ärmelband "Afrika"
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 1st to 4th classes
 * Eastern Front Medal 1941/42