Justin von Obernitz

Justin von Obernitz
Birth name	Justin Eberhard Veit Moritz von Obernitz
Birth date	30 December 1884(1884-12-30)
Place of birth	Machnitz near Breslau, Kreis Trebnitz, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Death date	24 September 1955 (aged 70)
Place of death	Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic National Socialist Germany
Service/branch	Prussian Army Imperial German Army Freikorps Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1904–1943
Rank	Generalleutnant
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	German Cross in Gold

Justin Eberhard Veit Moritz von Obernitz (30 December 1884 – 24 September 1955) was a German officer since 1905, finally Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) of the Wehrmacht in World War II.

Life

Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Uradeligen Häuser, 1919

Death of brother Georg von Obernitz, in: "Helden-Gedenkmappe des deutschen Adels" by Alexis von Schoenermarck, 1921

Signature as Generalleutnant and division commander

Awards and promotion as of Rangliste 1931

After completing his cadet training at the Kadettenkorps, Justin von Obernitz joined the Royal Prussian Army on 19 March 1904 as an ensign (Fähnrich) and became a member of the Ulanen-Regiment „Prinz August von Württemberg“ (Posensches) Nr. 10 in Züllichau (Lower Silesia). In August 1905, he was promoted to Leutnant in the 2nd Eskadron and served in the 4th Eskadronn two years later. On 1 October 1908, he was commanded to the Militär-Reit-Institut Hannover for the next two years. In 1910, he returned to the regiment and was named regimental adjutant in 1912. He was still serving in that capacity shortly before the start of World War I and was promoted as such to Oberleutnant in August 1914.

He was appointed adjutant to the 9th Cavalry Brigade in 1915. In 1916, he was appointed adjutant of the Rusche Cavalry Division (Kavallerie-Division under Rudolf Gustav Albert Rusche). From 5 May 1917 he was then used in the General Staff. He was subsequently used by the 201st Infantry Division, AOK "von Woyrsch" and AOK 18. In 1918, he was appointed 1st General Staff Officer (Ia) by the General Command I Army Corps. After the war, he initially served in the staff of the Kurland Brigade (Baltikumkämpfer). In May 1919, he was accepted into the Reichswehr as Rittmeister with his previous rank. In the 200,000-strong transitional army in the spring of 1920, he was part of the 10th Cavalry Regiment. When the 100,000-man army of the Reichswehr was formed, he was transferred to the 10th (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment. On 15 June 1921, he was transferred to the General Staff of the 2nd Cavalry Division in Breslau. He then served there for the next few years. On 1 March 1925, he was appointed commander of the training company (Ausbildungs-Eskadron) of the 7th (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment in Breslau. After about a year, he was appointed commander of the 1. Eskadron of the 7th (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment, also in Breslau. On 1 April 1928, he was promoted to Major. As such, he now served in the regimental staff of the 14th Cavalry Regiment in Ludwigslust. On 1 February 1930, he was assigned to the command of the Küstrin Fortress (bei der Kommandantur der Festung Küstrin). On 1 February 1933, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed commander of the 4th (Prussian) Cavalry Regiment in Potsdam. On 1 June 1935, he was appointed commander of the Kavallerie-Kommando Dresden. His staff moved to Potsdam on 1 October 1935 as part of the new Wehrmacht. He was appointed commander of the 4th Cavalry Brigade on 15 October 1935. On 18 January 1936, he was appointed commander of Glogau Fortress (Festung Glogau). As such, he was promoted to Major General on 1 April 1938.

WWII

In the summer of 1939, during the mobilization for World War II, he was appointed chief of staff by Higher Command XXXV. On 15 February 1940, he was appointed commander of the 24th Infantry Division. He then led this first in the spring of 1940 in the Battle of France. On 1 June 1940, he was then promoted to Generalleutnant. In mid-June 1940 he handed over his command to Major General Hans von Tettau. He was appointed commander of the 293rd Infantry Division on 14 June 1940. With this he was used after the end of the French Campaign as an occupation force in Brittany. In the spring of 1941, he was transferred to Poland with the division. At the beginning of the summer of 1941, he led his 293rd Infantry Division in the Eastern Campaign in the attack on central Russia. In February 1942, he relinquished his command of the division due to a heart condition, being placed into the Führerreserve. On 1 June 1942, he was then appointed commander of Division No. 166. At the end of June 1942 he gave up his command and was appointed commander of Division No. 190. On 1 November 1942, after falling seriously ill, he resigned his command and was again transferred to the Führerreserve. After a bladder operation, he received no further commands. On 30 June 1943, von Obernitz was also dismissed from active service.

Family

Descent

Parents

Justin was the son of Justin Moritz Heinrich Erdmann Hans von Obernitz (1834–1902) and his wife Agnes Josine Christine Karoline, née von Baumbach (1848–1886), daughter of Generalleutnant Friedrich Wilhelm Karl von Baumbach (1817–1880). Justin's father was an officer of the Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiment Nr. 3 and of the 3. Garde-Grenadier-Landwehr-Regiment in Breslau, lastly Major. He was a veteran of the Franco-German War, earning the Iron Cross 2nd Class and becoming Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden and lord of the manors Machnitz, Bentkau und Klein-Schwundnig-Pürbischau.

Second marriage (father)

After the death of his first wife, Major a. D. von Obernitz married on 8 May 1889 in Buchenau Anna Maria "Annemarie" Charlotte Auguste Karoline Bertha von Biedenfeld (b. 20 November 1852 in Kassel).

Siblings

Justin had five siblings and one half-brother:

• Georg Justin Friedrich Gottfried (1873–1914)
  • Rittmeister der Reserve and lord of the manors (after the death of his father)
• Gottfried Justin Friedrich Georg Ernst Willibald (b. 9.8.1875 auf Machnitz)
  • Rittmeister on 1 October 1912, Major in WWI
• Edgar Otto Heinrich Moritz Justin (b. 16 January 1877)
  • died as a Kadett at the Kadettenanstalt Wahlstatt on 1 March 1892
• Kurt Albrecht Hermann Otto Justin (1878–1965)
  • Rittmeister (1 October 1913) in WWI, Oberstleutnant of the Reichswehr, Oberst z. V. of the Wehrmacht in WWII
• Agnes "Inez" Hedwig Elisabeth Martha Helene (b. 20.9.1880 auf Machnitz)
  • studied medicine and became Dr. med.

Half-brother

• Ernst Moritz Ludwig Justin (b. 23.5.1890 auf Machnitz)
  • Oberleutnant in WWI

Marriage

On 12 September 1917, Rittmeister von Obernitz married in Neiße his fiancée Amélie Bernhardine Auguste Margot Gräfin von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (b. 30 October 1892 in Berlin), daughter of Generalleutnant Friedrich Wilhem Woldemar Albrecht Graf von Pfeil und Klein-Ellguth (1860–1942). They had two children. As of 1931, they lived at the address "Ostbahnstraße 19, Küstrin, Neumark".

Promotions

• 10.3.1904 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
• 18.8.1905 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
• 6.8.1914 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
• 18.8.1915 Rittmeister
  • changed to Hauptmann in the Reichswehr
• 1.4.1928 Major
• 1.2.1933 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
• 1.2.1935 Oberst (Colonel)
• 1.4.1938 Generalmajor (Major General)
• 1.6.1940 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General)

Awards and decorations (excerpt)

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class
• Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary), 3rd Class with the War Decoration (ÖM3K)
• Saxon Albert Order (Albrechts-Orden), Knight 1st Class with Swords (SA3a⚔)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1934) with Swords
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939), 2nd and 1st Class
• German Cross in Gold on 11 January 1942 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 293. Infanterie-Division