Born at Meriningen / Saxe- Meiningen / Prussia 
 1894-04-19

Joined the Army Academy 
17 December 1912 

Second Lieutenant
 1914–02–17

First Lieutenant 
 1917-04-18

Captain
1924-06-01 

Major
 1934-02- 01

Lieutenant Colonel
1936-08-01

Brigadier
1941-09-01 

Commander 15th panzer Division
1942

General
1942–12-01 

Colonel General, (General Panzer Groups)
1943-03-01

Commander -in– Chief of the 5th panzer Army in North Africa
1943-02-28 

prisoner of war
1943-05--09  up to 1947

Died 
 1975-10-10