Nehring Panzer General Walther K. Nehring  1892-1983

 
Walther Nehring was born on 15th August 1892 in Stretzin, West-Prussia. Through his educational qualifications he entered the German Army in 1911 by joining the 152nd Infantry Regiment as an officer cadet. Upon the outbreak of the First World War the Army's XX Corps (to which his regiment belonged) was confronted by two large oncoming Russian Armies, and the Germans had to retreat deep into Prussia. Only by replacing the German commander by Hindenburg en Ludendorff was the German Army able to halt and subsequently attack the two Russian pincers individually. Nehring's platoon contributed to the defeat of the 2nd Russian Army, but he was wounded a few times during the fighting against the 1st Army. Back at the head of a Company at the end of January 1915, he had received the Iron Cross Second Class. After a very short career in the air force (the plane he flew as an observer crashed) Nehring spent the following years on the Western Front where he was eventually awarded the Iron Cross First Class.

The Versailles Treaty faced the new German government with a number of difficulties, including attacks by Polish troops on the Eastern border. Since these problems could not be tackled by the reduced Regular Army only, a voluntairy Frontier Defence Force (with over 10000 men) was created. Nehring was first officer within this Force, but when it was disbanded, he was appointed adjudant in the Regular Army. In 1925 he was posted to the Reichswehr headquarters in Berlin, and made himself familiair with the different departments. At one point he met the newly arrived Heinz Guderian, and the two developed both a friendship and an interest in motorized warfare. Their interest was supported by the new Inspector of Motorized Units, General Lutz, and Nehring's concept of combining strong firepower with high mobility became the fundation of armored warfare, with separate panzer and infantry divisions.

The three founders of the German Panzer Army (as indicated)
By the outbreak of the Second World War Nehring had reached the rank of colonel and served under Guderian during the Polish Campaign. Here he noted the importance of radio communications, enabling the rapid exchange of information between commanders and units, and the possibilities of leading the armored troops close to the front-line. During the next campaign in France he watched the effects of accurate Stuka-attacks on enemy positions, one of his innovation, and his XIX Corps (including the first, second and tenth Panzer Division) advanced deep into northern France towards the coast. By the end of the French Campaign he was promoted Major General and was given command of the newly formed 18th Panzer Division, which included troops selected for the abandoned invasion of England, but lacked proper equipment. 

The Division was ordered to spearhead Guderain's second Panzer Group during Operation Barbarossa, despite the Division's weaknesses (even French tanks were incluided which were unsuitable for the circumstances). Nonetheless, while Nehring commanded his units from the lead, his concept of mobile warfare resulted in a number of victories, including the encirceling of the Russian forces defending Kiev and the execution of panzer raids deep into enemy territory. Changes in the climate and losses in men and especially vehicles grounded the German advance, and the panzer theoretician Nehring was more than once involved in conducting operations to rescue trapped units out of encirclement. 
Nehring took part in Operation Barbarossa and in July 1941 won the Knight's Cross while fighting at Borissow. Promoted to lieutenant general, Nehring took over the Deutsches Afrika Korps in May 1942 and participated in the battle of Alam Halfa (31st August - 7th February, 1942).
 
 

Nehring was seriously wounded in an air attack on 31st September, 1942. After recovering in Germany Nehring was sent to Tunisia on 16th November, 1942. He quickly organized the German and Italian forces and three days later defeated Allied troops at Medjez-el-Bab and by the end of the month had captured Djedeida. 
 
 

General Albrecht Kesselring was impressed with Nehring's performance as a military commander but disliked his outspoken comments about the problems facing the German Army in North Africa. Considered an "unhealthy pessimist", Nehring was replaced in December 1942 by General Jurgen von Arnium.
 
 

Nehring was now sent to the Soviet Union where he led the 24th Panzer Corps. He was awarded the Swords in January 1945 and on 20th March succeeded General Gotthard Heinrici as commander of the 1st Panzer Army. 
 
 

Nehring surrendered to the Allies on 9th May 1945. After a brief spell as a prisoner of war he was released and spent his retirement in Duesseldorf.