Hermann Breith German tank general. Date of Birth: 07.05.1892 Country: Germany

Biography of Herman Breit

Herman Breit was a German general of tank forces and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. He began his military service in April 1910 as a candidate officer in the 60th Infantry Regiment. In September 1911, he was promoted to lieutenant. At the start of World War I, he commanded a machine gun company and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class in September 1914. From 1915 to 1917, he served as the adjutant of the 60th Infantry Regiment and was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class in July 1916. He was promoted to Oberleutnant in November 1916 and served as the adjutant of the 241st Infantry Brigade at the end of the war. In October 1918, he was awarded the Hohenzollern House Order of Knights' Cross.

After the war, Breit continued his service in the Reichsheer. He became a captain in March 1924 and served in the motor transport units from October 1925. From 1931 to 1934, he worked in the Ministry of War and the Inspectorate of Transportation Troops. In December 1933, he was promoted to major. From 1935 to 1938, he commanded the 5th Tank Regiment and was promoted to lieutenant colonel in April 1936. In November 1938, he became the commander of the 36th Tank Regiment. He was awarded medals for the occupation of the Sudetenland and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. In January 1939, he was promoted to colonel.

Breit participated in the Polish campaign, commanding the 36th Tank Regiment. He was awarded additional clasps to the Iron Crosses of both classes. From February 15, 1940, he commanded the 5th Tank Brigade and was awarded the Knight's Cross for his participation in the French campaign (No. 66). From November 1940 to October 1941, he served in the Army High Command Staff of the German Army. In August 1941, he was promoted to major general.

From October 1941 to October 1942, Breit served as the commander of the 3rd Tank Division as part of Army Group South, participating in battles around Kharkov and later in the Caucasus. In January 1942, he was awarded Oak Leaves (No. 69) to the Knight's Cross. From November 1942, he held the rank of lieutenant general. On January 3, 1943, he became the commander of the 3rd Panzer Corps. In March 1943, he was promoted to the rank of general of tank forces. In February 1944, he was awarded Swords (No. 48) to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. His corps fought in the Caucasus, on the Kursk Bulge, the Dnieper River, Western Ukraine, and Hungary. In April 1945, he retreated to Austria.

General Breit was captured by the Americans in the Alps on May 8, 1945, and was released in May 1947.