Living History Gallery

Hasso - Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel

Hasso - Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel commanded the Panzer-Grenadier-Division ‘Grossdeutschland’ from February to September 1944.

Born in 1897 to a Prussian noble family, he entered the military as a cadet and served throughout the Great War of 1914-18 in a succession of staff and combat commands. After a brief stint with the Freikorps in the political turmoil of post-war Germany, he enrolled into the Reichswehr. He continued to serve in a series of company and battalion staff positions throughout the 1920 - 1930’s, including a period with Heinz Guderian’s then fledgling 2. Panzer Division.

Due to a staff posting, he missed the first battles in Poland and the victorious march into France during 1940, and it was not until ‘Operation Barbarossa’ in 1941 that von Manteuffel became directly involved in World War 2. Initially serving with the 7. Panzer Division, by early 1943 he had been posted to Tunisia in time to participate as a divisional commander in the desperate, final battles of the once much-vaunted ‘Afrika-Korps’.

Collapsing from exhaustion, he was evacuated to Germany where he underwent a time of recuperation. By late 1943 he was back on the Eastern Front commanding the 7. Panzer Division in the defensive battles around the Dnieper River. His successful tactical decisions drew the attention of Hitler, who subsequently tasked von Manteuffel with the command of ‘GD’.

Whilst the troops and officers of ‘GD’ were sad to see their long-standing CO, Walter Hoernlein, depart, they apparently were aware of von Manteuffel’s reputation, and much fuss was made of his arrival.

The Panzer-Füsilier Alfred Novotny (see elsewhere on this site for further details) recalled how von Manteuffel was presented to the Division as one of Germany’s top-notch armoured commanders. He did not disappoint, and conducted ‘GD’ through the frenzied battles around Targul Frumos and Iassi with a professionalism that brought the Soviet advances to a halt in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

Hasso von Manteuffel was not the tallest of men, and like many his size had a will to succeed far beyond his slight build. The ‘GD’ Divisional History states that he was tough and uncompromising, but that he had a humour that endeared him to his troops.

On the announcement that von Manteuffel was leaving ‘GD’ for another post during September 1944, he paid a final visit to each of his units. The officers of the Grenadier Regiment, seemingly not slow to make a wager, bet several bottles of booze that they had a soldier in their ranks shorter than he. More than aware that ‘GD’ had a pretty strict policy regarding the height of recruits, von Manteuffel was confident he was the smallest man in the Division. Much to his surprise, an Unteroffizier was presented to him who clearly went against the enlistment requirements, and von Manteuffel, knowing when he was beat, gave the promised liquor to the shortest man in ‘GD’.

Hasso von Manteuffel went on to command several Panzer-Armies until he surrendered to the Western Allies in May 1945.