View source for Ferdinand Maria von Senger und Etterlin

{{Short description|Nazi}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2017}}{{Infobox military person
|name= Ferdinand Maria Johann Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin
|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1923|06|08}}
|birth_place=[[Tübingen]],  [[German Empire]]
|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1987|01|10|1923|06|08}}
|death_place=[[Ühlingen-Birkendorf|Ühlingen]], [[West Germany]]
|placeofburial=
|image=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flag|Nazi Germany}}<br />{{flag|West Germany}}
|serviceyears=<!--- 1940–1984 ---->
|rank=[[General]]
|commands=[[I Army Corps (Wehrmacht)|I Army Corps]]<br />[[Joint Force Command Brunssum]]
|unit=[[24th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|24th Panzer Division]]<BR />[[OKH]]
|battles=[[World War II]]
* [[Battle of Stalingrad]]
* [[First Battle of Târgu Frumos]]
* [[Second Battle of Târgu Frumos]]
* [[First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive]]
|awards=[[Deutsches Kreuz|German Cross in Gold]]
|relations=[[Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin]]
|laterwork=}}
'''Ferdinand Maria Johann Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin''' (8 June 1923 &ndash; 10 January 1987) was a soldier in the German Army in both the [[Wehrmacht]] of [[World War II]] and the postwar [[Bundeswehr]], as well as a civilian jurist in the German Federal service.  As an officer in the Bundeswehr, he rose to the rank of [[general]], and completed his military service as commander-in-chief of [[NATO]]'s Allied Forces Central Europe ([[Joint Force Command Brunssum|AFCENT]]).  He also authored numerous books on military-related subjects.
==Early years==
Senger und Etterlin was born on June 8, 1923, in [[Tübingen]], Germany, into a family rich in military tradition, with over 250 years of service to various German polities.  His father, [[Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin]], who served as a Wehrmacht officer throughout the Second World War, reached the rank of [[General der Panzertruppe]] ("General of Armoured Troops"), and began his own highly decorated military service before the [[World War I|First World War]] in service with the [[Reichswehr]].<ref name="island">[http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/General%20der%20Panzertruppe%20Fridolin%20von%20Senger%20und%20Etterlin.htm "Some of the troops held at Special Camp 11: General der Panzertruppe Fridolin von Senger und Etterlin"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100330045606/http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/General%20der%20Panzertruppe%20Fridolin%20von%20Senger%20und%20Etterlin.htm |date=2010-03-30 }} British website about [[Island Farm]] Prisoner of War Camp. Retrieved July 4, 2010</ref> His mother, Hilda Margarethe von Kracht, was the daughter of [[Prussia]]n general [[Ernst Alexander von Kracht]].  Like most of his male forebears, he sought a military career and began it at age 17, by joining the cavalry regiment commanded by his father.
In 1946, he married Ebba von Keudell; they had four children.
==Wehrmacht 1940–1945==
Senger und Etterlin started his military career on 1 October 1940 in the replacement section of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, at [[Göttingen]], commanded at the time by his father.  On 22 June 1941, [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler]] launched [[Operation Barbarossa]], the German invasion of the [[Soviet Union]]. Ferdinand fought on this front as a [[Leutnant|Lieutenant]] with the [[24th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|24th Panzer Division]] in the [[6th Army (Wehrmacht)|German 6th Army]], ultimately participating in the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], one of history's bloodiest battles. He was placed in command of a ''panzer'' squadron on 23 August 1942, in the later stages of this battle. Not long before the end of the battle, he was wounded and evacuated back to Germany.
Upon his recovery and promoted to [[Oberleutnant]], he was assigned to serve as a regimental [[adjutant]] in northern [[Italy]] with the re-constituted 24th Panzer Division.  His unit being transferred back to the Eastern Front, after October 1943, he found himself again facing the [[Soviet Army]] in combat, this time at [[Kiev]] and the Dnieper Bend.  Soviet offensives having pushed the German forces along with the 24th Division back to [[Romania]], in August 1944, during the [[Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944)|Second Battle of Jassy-Kishinev]] he was wounded again, this time losing his right arm,<ref name="island" /> again requiring his evacuation from the front.
No longer able to serve directly in combat, at the age of 21, Senger und Etterlin was transferred to the ''[[Oberkommando des Heeres]]'' (OKH) or Army High Command and was assigned to be the personal adjutant of General der Panzertruppe [[Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg]].  While serving in this capacity, he was captured by American forces at the end of the war.
===Wehrmacht decorations===
* ''[[Deutsches Kreuz]]'' in Gold, September 4, 1944<ref name="island" />
* ''[[Tank Destruction Badge|Panzervernichtungsabzeichen]]''
* ''[[Close Combat Clasp|Nahkampfspange]]'' in Silver
==Civilian life 1945–1956==
After a short period as a [[prisoner of war]], Senger und Etterlin was released and began to study law at the [[University of Göttingen]], continuing later in [[Zürich]] and at the [[University of Oxford]] as a [[Rhodes scholar]],<ref>[http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=74184 "Saxon Sniper, Oxford Alumni"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229033519/http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=74184 |date=2012-02-29 }} Great War Forum (April 28, 2007). Retrieved July 4, 2010</ref> following in his father's footsteps.  In 1951, he was awarded a doctorate in law.  His dissertation was entitled "The State Party: a Comparison Between the Weimar and the Bonn Constitutions."  At this time, he was appointed to serve in the newly created [[Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz]] ("Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution").
==Bundeswehr 1956–1979==
His combat and OKH experiences being of great value, he was reactivated into military service with the Bundeswehr in March 1956, and was placed in a workgroup considering matters of military intelligence pertaining to the armed forces to the east (the [[Warsaw Pact]]). Following General Staff training, he filled an assignment with the G-3 (Operations) section of [[Panzerlehrbrigade 9]] at [[Munsterlager]], where he participated in field testing the new [[Leopard 1]] main battle tank.  His next post was to work with an Army study of nuclear tactics and planning.  In 1964, he returned to Munsterlager and Panzerlehrbrigade 9 as commander of Panzerlehrbataillon 94, where he was able to receive practical experience in use of the Leopard tank. Von Senger und Etterlin became known as an expert on tanks.<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-40680175.html Bonns "Wunderpanzer: Nur bedingt kampfbereit"] ''Spiegel Online'' (Dec. 26, 1977). Retrieved July 4, 2010 {{in lang|de}}</ref><ref>[http://www.panzerbär.de/types/bw_kpz_70-a.htm "Kampfpanzer 70 (Bw/US) - Die deutsch-amerikanische Vision eines Super-Panzers"] Panzerbär, official website. Retrieved July 4, 2010 {{in lang|de}}</ref>
===First NATO assignment===
After the successful conclusion of his training at the [[NATO Defence College]] in Rome, Senger und Etterlin served for two years with the planning office of the [[Northern Army Group]] (NORTHAG) in [[Mönchengladbach]], working on the integration and coordination of Dutch, British, Belgian, and German armed forces units.
===Promotion to General===
After a short intermission in the [[Panzerbrigade 20]] in [[Hemer]] from October 1969 to March 1970, he received orders to report to the Army Staff in [[Bonn]], and was promoted to the rank of ''[[Brigadier General|Brigadegeneral]]'' on September 30, 1970.  Later, after a promotion to ''[[Major General|Generalmajor]]'', von Senger und Etterlin took command of Defense District 5, in the vicinity of [[Stuttgart]], where he worked in cooperation with civil authorities, state ministries and the federal defense administration.  He was especially busy coordinating major allied formations with the German Army, as well as developing plans to quickly mobilize [[Military reserve|reservists]].
On 1 July 1974, he returned to duty with the German field army, assuming command of the [[7th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)|7th Panzer Division]], stationed in [[Unna]].<ref>[http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-41392701.html "Notgedrungen weniger Kommiß"] ''Spiegel Online'' (December 1, 1975) Retrieved July 4, 2010 {{in lang|de}}</ref>  Here, he was particularly entrusted with development of the new [[Army Structure 4]] initiative, after which he led his division through multiple successful exercises.  In spring 1978, von Senger und Etterlin was promoted to the rank of ''[[Lieutenant General|Generalleutnant]]'' and assigned to be commanding general of the Bundeswehr's [[I Corps (Bundeswehr)|I Corps]], headquartered in Münster.
===AFCENT Commander-in-Chief===
On October 1, 1979, Senger und Etterlin was promoted to full general and replaced the retiring General [[Franz-Joseph Schulze]] as Commander-in-Chief of [[Allied Forces Central Europe]].  The dramatic political and military events of [[Cold War#Late 1970s deterioration of relations|the late 1970s]] led to the planning in 1980 of the "Long-Term Defense Program" and included the creation of European reserve forces.  Despite these affairs, more political than military, General von Senger und Etterlin maintained regular contact with both large and small Bundeswehr units under his command, watching over their tactical training and overall preparedness for war, intervening, when necessary, to make corrections<ref>Richard F. Timmons, [http://www.carlisle.army.mil/USAWC/Parameters/Articles/1984/1984%20timmons.pdf "Lessons From The Past For NATO"] (PDF) ''Parameters – Journal of the US Army War College'' Vol. XIV, No. 3. Retrieved July 4, 2010</ref>
==Retirement==
After four years in command of one of the most powerful military formations standing in defence of central Europe, General von Senger und Etterlin retired, honoured with the ''[[Großer Zapfenstreich]]'' on September 30, 1983.
In his long and productive career in military and political affairs, Senger und Etterlin was also responsible for many contributions to military literature.  He wrote several books on military tactics and history, covering such subjects as armour, artillery, and military vehicles, making over 1,000 contributions to military magazines, primarily ''Soldat und Technik'' ("Soldier and Technology").<ref>[http://www.librarything.com/author/etterlinvonsengerund Author information on Senger und Etterlin at LibraryThing]</ref>  Among his historical works were a history of his old wartime unit, the 24th Panzer Division.
Apart from military subjects, he was interested in [[baroque]] and [[modern art]] history and classical music.
Senger died on 10 January 1987, in [[Ühlingen-Birkendorf|Ühlingen]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], surrounded by his family.
==Works==
* Die 24. Panzer-Division 1939-1945. Vormals 1. Kavallerie-Division, Nebel Verlag, {{ISBN|3-89555-186-4}}
* Die deutschen Panzer 1926 - 1945, Bernard & Graefe, {{ISBN|3-7637-0185-0}}
* Die deutschen Geschütze 1939-1945, Bernard & Graefe, {{ISBN|3-7637-5989-1}}
* Panzer der Bundeswehr und ihrer Verbündeten, Athenäum-Verlag 1958
* Soldaten zwischen Rhein und Weser, Verlag Wehr u. Wissen, {{ISBN|3-8033-0287-0}}
* Der Gegenschlag, Vowinckel-Verlag
* Die Kampfpanzer von 1916 - 1966, Bernard & Graefe, {{ISBN|3-7637-6221-3}}
* Taschenbuch der Panzer. Jg. 1. 1943 - 1954; Taschenbuch der Panzer. Jg. 2. 1943 - 1957; Taschenbuch der Panzer. Jg. 3. 1960; Taschenbuch der Panzer. Jg. 4. 1969
* Das kleine Panzerbuch, Lehmann
* Der sowjetische mittlere Kampfpanzer der Baureihe T-34 bis T-62, Lehmann
* Pionierpanzer, Bernard & Graefe, {{ISBN|3-7637-0575-9}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef | before = 	Generalmajor [[Eberhard Wagemann]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = Commander of [[7th Panzer Division (Bundeswehr)]]  | years = 1 July 1974 – 31 March 1978}}
{{s-aft | after = Generalmajor [[Gottfried Greiner]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senger Und Etterlin, Ferdinand Von}}
[[Category:1923 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:German military writers]]
[[Category:German untitled nobility]]
[[Category:German Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross]]
[[Category:Bundeswehr generals]]
[[Category:German male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:Generals of the German Army]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]]
[[Category:People from Tübingen]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Baden-Württemberg]]