(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)

General der Panzertruppe Hermann Balck
Born: 07 Dec 1893 in Danzig-Langfuhr
Died: 29 Nov 1982 in Erbenbach-Rockenau (Buried on 03 Dec 1982 in Asperg by Ludwigsburg)
Promotions:
Oberj�ger (27 Mar 1913); F�hnrich (18 Dec 1913); Leutnant (10 Aug 1914); Oberleutnant (01 May 1924); Rittmeister (01 Feb 1929); Major (01 Jun 1935); Oberstleutnant (01 Feb 1938); Oberst (01 Aug 1940); Generalmajor (01 Aug 1942); Generalleutnant (21 Jan 1943); General der Panzertruppe (12 Nov 1943)
Career:
Entered Army Service (10 Apr 1913)
Fahnenjunker in the 10th J�ger-Battalion (10 Apr 1913-12 Feb 1914)
Detached to the Military School Hannover (12 Feb 1914-01 Aug 1914)
Platoon-Leader in the 10th J�ger-Battalion (01 Aug 1914-12 Aug 1914)
Temporary-Adjutant of the 10th J�ger-Battalion (12 Aug 1914-30 Oct 1914)
Wounded, Hospital (30 Oct 1914-06 Feb 1915)
Transferred to the 22nd Reserve-J�ger-Battalion (06 Feb 1915-28 Jun 1915)
Wounded, with the Replacement-Battalion of the 10th J�ger-Battalion (28 Jun 1915-18 Sep 1915)
Company-Leader in the 22nd Reserve-J�ger-Battalion (18 Sep 1915-05 Dec 1915)
Commander of Hunt-Command Balck of the 5th Cavalry-Division (05 Dec 1915-01 Mar 1916)
Commander of the MG-Company of the 22nd Reserve-J�ger-Battalion (01 Mar 1916-09 Nov 1916)
Commander of the MG-Company of the 10th J�ger-Battalion (09 Nov 1916-11 Feb 1918)
Commander of the 4th Company of the 10th J�ger-Battalion (11 Feb 1918-23 Jan 1919)
Company-Leader with the Volunteer-J�ger-Battalion Kirchheim (23 Jan 1919-01 Aug 1919)
Transferred into the 20th Reichswehr-Infantry-Regiment (01 Aug 1919-25 Oct 1919)
Adjutant to the 10th Reichswehr-J�ger-Battalion (25 Oct 1919-01 Oct 1920)
Adjutant to the III. (J�ger) Battalion of the 17th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1920-01 Oct 1921)
Company-Officer in the 17th Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1921-01 Nov 1922)
Company-Officer in the Training-Battalion of the 17th Infantry-Regiment (01 Nov 1922-01 Jun 1925)
Detached for Subsidiary-Leadership-Training � Transferred into the 18th Mounted-Regiment (01 Jan 1923-01 Oct 1923)
Detached to Artillery School (01 Oct 1923-31 Aug 1924)
Detached to MG-Course on the Troop-Exercise-Grounds Senne (30 Sep 1924-23 Oct 1924)
MG-Officer and Leader of the MG-Platoon in the 18th Mounted-Regiment (01 Jun 1925-01 Oct 1928)
Detached to Battle School Course in D�beritz (20 Oct 1925-28 Nov 1925)
Squadron-Chief in the 18th Mounted-Regiment (01 Oct 1928-01 Oct 1933)
With Defence-Region-Direction Frankfurt/Oder (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Adjutant IIa with the Staff of 3rd Division (01 Apr 1934-01 Oct 1934)
Transferred into the Staff of Commander Frankfurt/Oder (01 Oct 1934-15 Oct 1935)
Commander of the 1st Bicycle-Battalion (15 Oct 1935-12 Oct 1937)
Commander of the 1st Bicycle-Detachment (12 Oct 1937-10 Nov 1938)
Administrator for Motorised Troops in OKH/In 3 + In 6 (10 Nov 1938-23 Oct 1939)
Commander of the 1st Rifle-Regiment (23 Oct 1939-15 Dec 1940)
Commander of the 3rd Panzer-Regiment (15 Dec 1940-15 May 1941)
Commander of the 2nd Panzer-Brigade (15 May 1941-25 Jun 1941)
Detached to OKH/Chief of Army Armaments and Commander of the Replacement Army (Ag.K) (25 Jun 1941-07 Jul 1941)
F�hrer-Reserve OKH, Special Assignment: Settling the motor-vehicle situation in the Army with full powers (07 Jul 1941-01 Nov 1941)
General of Fast Troops with the Commander-in-Chief of the Army (01 Nov 1941-16 May 1942)
Delegated with the Leadership of the 11th Panzer-Division (16 May 1942-01 Aug 1942)
Commander of the 11th Panzer-Division (01 Aug 1942-05 Mar 1943)
F�hrer-Reserve (05 Mar 1943-12 Nov 1943)
Delegated with the Temporary-Leadership of Infantry-Division Gro�deutschland (19 May 1943-10 Jun 1943)
F�hrer-Reserve (10 Jun 1943-02 Sep 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of XIV. Panzer-Corps (02 Sep 1943-08 Oct 1943)
Commanding General of XXXX. Panzer-Corps (14 Nov 1943-15 Nov 1943)
Delegated with the Leadership of XXXXVIII. Panzer-Corps (15 Nov 1943-01 Feb 1944)
Commanding General of XXXXVIII. Panzer-Corps (01 Feb 1944-05 Aug 1944)
Delegated with the Temporary-Leadership of the 4th Panzer-Army (05 Aug 1944-01 Sep 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of the 4th Panzer-Army (01 Sep 1944-21 Sep 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of Army-Group G (21 Sep 1944-23 Dec 1944)
Commander-in-Chief of the 6th Army (23 Dec 1944-08 May 1945)
At the same time, Commander-in-Chief of Army-Group Balck (23 Dec 1944-18 Mar 1945)
In US captivity (08 May 1945-1947)
Released (1947)

Awards & Decorations:
- Ritterkreuz (53): am 03.06.1940 als Oberstleutnant und Kommandeur Sch�tzen-Regiment 1
- Eichenlaub (155): am 20.12.1942 als Generalmajor und Kommandeur 11. Panzer-Division
- Schwerter (25): am 04.03.1943 als Generalleutnant und Kommandeur 11. Panzer-Division
- Brillanten (19): am 31.08.1944 als General der Panzertruppe und mit der stellv. F�hrung der 4. Panzer-Armee beauftragt
- Ritterkreuz des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern: 03.12.1917
- 1914 EK I: 26.11.1914
- 1914 EK II: 15.10.1914
- Kgl. Bayer. Milit�r-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern: 15.11.1914
- k.u.k. �sterr. Milit�r-Verdienstkreuz III. Klasse mit der Kriegsdekoration: 28.02.1916
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Gold: 10.05.1918
- Ehrenkreuz f�r Frontk�mpfer 1914/1918
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Spange zum EK I: 13.05.1940
- Spange zum EK II: 12.05.1940
- Wehrmachtbericht: 17.05.1940; 20.12.1942; 09.09.1944
- Kgl. Bulgar. Tapferkeitsorden III. Klasse, I. Stufe: 02.12.1941
- Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber


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