Dietrich Kraiss

Inter-war years After the war, Kraiss was a company commander in various infantry regiments in the Reichswehr. From 1925 to 1928 he served as an instructor in an infantry school in Dresden. On May 1, 1931, he was promoted to major and was transferred to the Ministry of the Reichswehr in Berlin, he remained there until the end of 1934. On October 1, 1934, he was promoted to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant colonel) and commanded a battalion in his native Württemberg. In March 1937 he was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) and was given command of an infantry regiment in Hamburg in October of the same year.

World War II At the outbreak of the Second World War Kraiss commanded a regiment and participated in the Invasion of Poland. Afterward, his unit was relocated back to Germany in preparation for the Invasion of France. From May 1940, the regiment was a part of the 20th Infantry Division during the occupation of the Netherlands and France. He was promoted to major general on 1 February 1941. In March 1941, he handed command of the regiment to Colonel Erich Jaschke and was briefly transferred into the Führerreserve.

From July 1941 to March 1943 Kraiss was given command of the 168th Infantry Division and participated in Operation Barbarossa. For his leadership of the division during the Third Battle of Kharkov, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On October 1, 1942, he received his final promotion to the rank of lieutenant general. In April 1943 Kraiss took over the newly established 355th Infantry Division, which sustained heavy losses during action against the Red Army at Merefa and was subsequently disbanded on 9 November 1943.

Kraiss suffered a severe wound on August 2, 1944, near Saint-Lô, and died on 6 August. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves on August 11, 1944. German Cross in Gold on 28 February 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of the 168. Infanterie-Division Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 23 July 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 168. Infanterie-Division Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 352. Infanterie-Division