Georg Lindemann

Georg Heinrich Lindemann (8 March 1884 – 25 September 1963) was a German Wehrmacht general during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, one of 890 Nazi Germany's military men to be so decorated.

Born in 1884, Georg Lindemann joined the Prussian Army and served as an officer in World War I on both the Eastern Front and the Western Front. After the war, he joined Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck's Freikorps and, during the civil unrest of 1919, helped crush the Communist Workers Council in Hamburg. With the rise of the Nazi party, Lindemann was promoted to commander of the Kriegsschule in Hanover. He occupied this position until 1936.

In 1936, Lindemann was promoted to Generalleutnant and given command of the 36th Infantry Division. The division was involved in guarding the Saar region during the Invasion of Poland, and it then took part in the Invasion of France. At the end of the Western campaign, Lindemann was promoted to Cavalry General (General der Kavallerie) and given command of the L Army Corps.

In June 1941, at the launch of Operation Barbarossa, Lindemann's Corps was a part of Army Group North. Lindemann commanded the corps during the advance towards Leningrad. His unit was briefly shifted to the command of Army Group Centre during the Battle of Smolensk. Lindemann's corps was then shifted back to Army Group North.

On 16 January 1942, Lindemann took the command of the 18th Army, a part of Army Group North. In the summer of 1942, he was promoted to Generaloberst. Lindemann commanded the 18th Army throughout the campaigns around Leningrad and during the January 1944 retreat from Oranienbaum to Narva. He was promoted to command of Army Group North on 31 March 1944. On 4 July 1944 he was relieved and transferred to the Reserve Army. On 1 February 1945, he was appointed to the command of all German troops in Denmark as the "Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces in Denmark". Germany surrendered unconditionally in northwest Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark on 5 May 1945. Lindemann was then given the task of dismantling the German occupation of Denmark until 6 June 1945, when he was arrested at his headquarters in Silkeborg. He was held in American custody until 1948. Lindemann died in 1963 in West Germany.

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (9 September 1914) & 1st Class (28 July 1915)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 September 1939) & 1st Class (30 October 1939)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 August 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 36. Infantry-Division
  • 275th Oak Leaves on 21 August 1943 as Generaloberst and commander of the 18.Armee
• Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Star (29 March 1943)
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (29 June 1942 and 12 August 1943)

• ^ Thomas 1998, p. 28.
• Fellgiebel 2000, p. 239.
• Fellgiebel 2000, p. 62.