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655:. One of his companions was wounded when the New Zealanders opened fire and the trio surrendered. Taken back to battalion headquarters, it was discovered that one of their captives was a general. Ravenstein was promptly taken into Tobruk and maps he was carrying were helpful in preparing against forthcoming attacks by the 21st Panzer Division. He was the first German general to be made a prisoner of war by Allied forces in the war.
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The first German general to be captured by Allied forces during World War II, Ravenstein was held in a series of prisoner of war camps in Egypt, South Africa, Canada and lastly in Wales. Repatriated to
Germany in 1947, he found employment with the DĂĽsseldorf Corporation before returning to Duisburg
684:
Settling back in
Iserlohn with his wife Elisabeth, Ravenstein secured a job with the DĂĽsseldorf Corporation. In 1951, he and his wife moved to Duisburg, where he took up employment again with the city's administration. He eventually retired in 1954. Soon afterwards he declined an offer from King
611:
After the battle, Ravenstein's division was redesignated the 21st Panzer
Division although it did not receive any additional units to its order of battle. For the next few months, the Afrika Korps built up its stores in preparation for offensive operations against Tobruk and during this period
470:, who, in 1926, offered him a role as the manager of the Duisburg tramway system. He was a success in the role and Jarres soon moved Ravenstein to his mayoral office as director of public relations. By this stage of his career, he had adopted his sister's daughter.
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Farouk of Egypt to command his country's army. An active
Christian throughout his life, he was involved in the Lutheran Church in addition to other civic and charitable organisations. While attending church in Duisburg, he died on 26 March 1962 of a heart attack.
331:. He had a harsh upbringing; his father had a major head injury while Johann was young and this affected his interactions with his children. Eventually his mother left his father, later obtaining a divorce in 1893, and raised Ravenstein and his sister on her own.
473:
Ravenstein lost his job when Jarres lost his mayoralty in 1933. As an anti-Nazi, he found it hard to secure employment so in 1934 he rejoined the army as a major attached to the 2nd
Battalion of the 60th Infantry Regiment. On 1 October 1936 he was promoted to
1163:
639:, was soon engaged in counterattacks during which his command vehicle was struck by gunfire. By 26 November his command was reduced to 22 tanks. While traveling in a staff car on 28 November 1941 to visit the headquarters of the neighbouring
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on 1 October 1943. After the war, he was transferred to a POW camp in
Bridgend, Wales, which was designated for senior German officers. He soon developed heart problems and was medically repatriated to Germany in November 1947.
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from 1919, he was engaged in defending against Polish incursions along the border in the east of
Germany. When the border disputes settled, he decided to leave the military rather than stay in the newly formed
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259:
in 1918, he participated in the border disputes with Poland after the war before leaving the military. After attending university, he obtained employment with an electrical company and then later with the
372:
After two years at
Liegnitz, Ravenstein transferred to the 155th Infantry Regiment as a battalion adjutant officer. On the outbreak of World War I, his regiment marched into Belgium and he fought in the
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in May 1918, Ravenstein was given command of his regiment's 1st
Battalion and led it through the opposing line. Shortly afterwards, with only a small squad of men, he captured a bridge over the
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671:, he was held in a series of prisoner of war camps, firstly in Egypt, then South Africa and later in Ontario, where he spent the majority of the war. While a POW, he was promoted to
592:
Ravenstein arrived in North Africa a few days later to take up command of the 5th Light
Division and was almost immediately brought into action when the British commenced
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416:. Later in the battle, he was in charge of a patrol which executed an ambush of a French battalion, routing it completely. Pushing on with his battalion towards the
1381:
1346:
420:, his troops eventually took 1,500 prisoners and captured in excess of 30 field guns and machine guns. For his accomplishments, Ravenstein received the
364:(second lieutenant). The same year he met his future wife, Elisabeth von Oriola, who was from an aristocratic Silesian family of Portuguese descent.
318:, on 1 January 1889 into a family with a military tradition. His father was an officer in the Silesian Hussars and an ancestor was an adjutant to
601:
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400:. He soon sought a return to the frontlines and rejoined the 155th Infantry Regiment which was to soon be involved in the third phase of the
462:, he graduated in 1921 with a degree in administration. He secured employment with a large electrical company and was soon transferred to
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553:, and was sent to the Balkans. During his time there he was briefly part of the German Military Mission to Romania and later, after the
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Ravenstein, on the right, after his capture by soldiers of New Zealand's 21st Battalion, with a British staff officer at Tobruk, Libya
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596:. Ordered by Rommel to attack the flank of the British advance, his division performed well, inflicting severe damage to the
518:. After the end of the fighting in Poland, the division's structure was considered inadequate and it was re-organised as the
483:
1331:
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338:, Ravenstein began a military education in 1899 when he entered Wahlstatt Cadet School. He went onto the Cadet Academy in
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Ravenstein was transported by ship from Tobruk but it was sunk by an Italian torpedo bomber and was rescued by a British
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356:. Following graduation from the Cadet Academy in 1909 he was posted to the King's Grenadier Regiment, stationed at
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throughout the war. He proposed to Elisabeth in 1917 and married her early the following year while on leave.
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and was soon commanding a company in his regiment. Apart for periods of leave, he served continuously on the
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542:, was away at the front at the time. As a result of his regiment's endeavours, Ravenstein was awarded the
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as a battalion commander. He was serving at the Kaiser's headquarters when the war ended. Attached to the
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A professional soldier on the outbreak of World War I, Ravenstein fought as an infantry officer on the
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from May 1941 until being made a prisoner of war in late November 1941. He was a recipient of the
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to again work for the city's administration. He died of a heart attack in 1962 at the age of 73.
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The campaign in France concluded, Ravenstein was appointed commander of 16th Rifle Brigade,
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and accompanied by several panzers, his regiment captured the headquarters of the French
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Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders
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482:) and shortly afterwards was given command of the 4th Rifle Regiment,
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with an orderly and driver, Ravenstein was ambushed by soldiers of
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German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United Kingdom
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498:) in August 1938. The following year the regiment was part of the
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Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45
270:(Army) branch of the Wehrmacht. He led a rifle regiment in the
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in 1903. During his time there, he made the acquaintance of
989:. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch.
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226:(1 January 1889 – 26 March 1962) was a German general (
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Despite an early interest in becoming a pastor in the
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1038:. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books.
1016:. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books.
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on 22 August 1914. He subsequently saw action in the
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Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
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German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II
1372:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
1352:Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht)
1342:Recipients of the Pour le MĂ©rite (military class)
392:Ravenstein was selected for a training course in
278:. In May 1941, he was appointed commander of the
710:is considered to be the equivalent in rank of a
635:. Ravenstein's division, located to the west of
623:In the evening of 18 November 1941, the British
561:of Bulgaria. On 20 May 1941, he was promoted to
466:. He made the acquaintance of the city's mayor,
1362:Military personnel from the Province of Silesia
667:after spending two hours in the sea. Taken to
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8:
346:while occasionally serving as a page at the
264:city administration. In 1934, he joined the
706:Translating to field marshal in English, a
510:The 1st Light Division was involved in the
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310:Johann Theodor von Ravenstein was born in
29:
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398:General Staff of the Imperial German Army
396:duties and, after completion, joined the
1064:Ravenstein: Portrait of a German General
571:, which was serving in Libya as part of
557:, was a liaison officer at the court of
433:(captain), Ravenstein was posted to the
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224:Johann "Hans" Theodor von Ravenstein
612:Ravenstein went on leave to Rome.
526:. At one stage, having crossed the
502:that marched into Czechoslovakia.
14:
1095: (archived October 28, 2009).
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1178:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
544:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
538:although its commander, General
246:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
216:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
112:
99:
86:
1279:Names are in alphabetical order
1125:20 May 1941 – 29 November 1941
567:and appointed commander of the
752:was equivalent to the rank of
727:In the Wehrmacht, the rank of
1:
381:. In 1915 he was promoted to
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1089:Ravenstein's service record
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756:in the United States Army.
631:, intended to relieve the
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488:occupation of Sudetenland
458:Entering a university at
406:Third Battle of the Aisne
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1337:German untitled nobility
649:2nd New Zealand Division
288:2nd New Zealand Division
1357:Prussian Army personnel
1209:Robert Ritter von Greim
1062:Ryder, Rowland (1978).
490:, having been promoted
402:German spring offensive
1066:. New York: Hamilton.
620:
1264:Wolff von Stutterheim
1244:Johann von Ravenstein
1032:Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr
1010:Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr
618:
606:4th Infantry Division
602:7th Armoured Division
138:Years of service
23:Johann von Ravenstein
1332:People from Strzelin
1121:21st Panzer Division
979:Cody, J. F. (1953).
731:was equivalent to a
708:generalfeldmarschall
641:15th Panzer Division
598:7th Armoured Brigade
551:16th Panzer Division
321:Generalfeldmarschall
284:21st Panzer Division
242:21st Panzer Division
164:21st Panzer Division
712:general of the army
594:Operation Battleaxe
520:6th Panzer Division
290:during the British
240:. He commanded the
195:Operation Battleaxe
1259:Ferdinand Schörner
1224:Heinrich Kirchheim
1214:Siegfried Haenicke
1194:Kuno-Hans von Both
1172:Recipients of the
1134:Gustav-Georg Knabe
737:United States Army
716:United States Army
629:Operation Crusader
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569:5th Light Division
484:1st Light Division
480:lieutenant colonel
296:Operation Crusader
280:5th Light Division
272:Invasion of Poland
200:Operation Crusader
185:Invasion of Poland
160:5th Light Division
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1128:Succeeded by
1102:Military offices
1045:978-0-8117-3510-0
1023:978-0-8117-3353-3
904:, pp. 40–41.
880:, pp. 39–40.
733:brigadier general
344:Kaiser Wilhelm II
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982:21 Battalion
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793:Mitcham 2008
788:
781:Mitcham 2007
749:
744:
729:generalmajor
728:
723:
707:
702:
683:
672:
662:
622:
610:
591:
588:North Africa
582:Afrika Korps
578:Erwin Rommel
572:
564:generalmajor
562:
548:
540:Henri Giraud
509:
506:World War II
491:
475:
472:
457:
445:
438:
428:
427:Promoted to
426:
391:
383:oberleutnant
382:
371:
361:
349:Neues Palais
347:
333:
319:
309:
300:
266:
250:
238:World War II
227:
223:
222:
179:World War II
177:
170:Battles/wars
120:Nazi Germany
71:(1962-03-26)
35:Ravenstein,
1327:1962 deaths
1322:1889 births
1199:Ernst Busch
625:Eighth Army
532:Oise Rivers
424:on 9 June.
368:World War I
327:during the
292:Eighth Army
174:World War I
40: 1942
1316:Categories
1269:Ernst Udet
972:References
680:Later life
669:Alexandria
627:commenced
447:Reichsheer
306:Early life
82:Allegiance
53:1889-01-01
1303:Biography
948:Cody 1953
764:Citations
694:Footnotes
653:Point 175
516:10th Army
440:Freikorps
430:hauptmann
404:. In the
234:Wehrmacht
232:) in the
109:(to 1933)
96:(to 1918)
1034:(2008).
1012:(2007).
995:11136356
665:corvette
536:9th Army
464:Duisburg
362:leutnant
358:Liegnitz
312:Strehlen
274:and the
262:Duisburg
156:Commands
126:Service/
76:Duisburg
60:Strehlen
1091:at the
1000:20 July
735:in the
714:in the
651:, near
496:colonel
360:, as a
354:Potsdam
325:BlĂĽcher
316:Breslau
314:, near
236:during
141:1909–45
1289:Portal
1070:
1042:
1020:
993:
637:Bardia
492:oberst
340:Berlin
208:Awards
128:branch
117:
104:
91:
689:Notes
528:Meuse
460:Essen
418:Marne
412:near
410:Aisne
1176:and
1068:ISBN
1040:ISBN
1018:ISBN
1002:2017
991:OCLC
530:and
267:Heer
146:Rank
132:Army
66:Died
47:Born
580:'s
294:'s
248:.
1318::
985:.
955:^
924:^
909:^
846:^
827:^
812:^
771:^
748:A
647:,
608:.
584:.
546:.
298:.
37:c.
1291::
1165:e
1158:t
1151:v
1076:.
1048:.
1026:.
1004:.
739:.
718:.
494:(
478:(
55:)
51:(
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