Nikolaus von Vormann

Nikolaus von Vormann
Born	(1895-12-24)24 December 1895
Died	26 October 1959(1959-10-26) (aged 63)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Army
Rank	General der Panzertruppe
Commands	23rd Panzer Division XLVII Panzer Corps 9th Army
Battles / wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Stalingrad Cherkassy Pocket Operation Bagration
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern German Cross in Gold Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class

Nikolaus von Vormann (24 December 1895 – 26 October 1959) was a general of Prussian background who served in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany.

General von Vormann spent most of World War II serving on the Eastern Front campaigns and in 1944 briefly commanded the 9th Army. During this brief interval, he became involved in the suppression of the Warsaw Uprising, although the main responsibility for the wanton destruction of the Polish capital and the massacre of its inhabitants laid with the SS-generals Von dem Bach-Zelewski and Reinefarth. On 4 May 1945, as the Allies approached during the closing days of World War II, von Vormann's last appointment was as commander of the largely non-existent Alpenfestung (Alpine Fortress). He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Vormann wrote two books documenting his war-time experiences: Der Feldzug 1939 in Polen and Tscherkassy. He died on 26 October 1959 in Berchtesgaden.

Promotions

• General der Panzertruppe (General of the Armored Corps) - 27 June 1944, with seniority date of 1 December 1943
• Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) - 1 July 1943
• Generalmajor (Major General) - 1 January 1943
• Oberst (Colonel) - 1 September 1940
• Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) - 1 August 1938
• Major (Major) - c.1935
• Hauptmann (Captain) - c.1932
• Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) - 1 February 1926, with seniority date of 1 April 1925
• Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) - 29 January 1915, with seniority date of 18 January 1915
• Kadett (Cadet) - Until 3 August 1914 when became war volunteer in the Royal Prussian Army

Awards and decorations

• Wound Badge in Gold (for wounds received during World War I)
• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross with Swords of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern (18 June 1915)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (20 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (25 June 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 12 March 1942 as Oberst im Generalstab (in the General Staff) in the Generalkommando of the XXVIII. Armeekorps
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 August 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 23. Panzer-Division

References

Bibliography

• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.