Helwig Luz

Helwig Fedor Johannes Luz (June 28, 1892 – April 28, 1980) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross awarded for his service as Commander of Schützen-Regiment 110 during the Operation Barbarossa.

Life and career

Helwig Luz was born on June 28, 1892, in Buttenheim in the Upper Franconia, Bavaria. Following his Abitur, he entered the Bavarian Army as Fahnenjunker (Cadet) in July 1912 and was assigned to the Bavarian 8th Chevau-léger-Regiment in Dillingen an der Donau. He was promoted to Fähnrich (Officer candidate) shortly thereafter.

He was subsequently promoted to Major and appointed Personnel officer of 3rd Cavalry Division under future Generalfeldmarchall, Maximilian von Weichs in Weimar, Thuringia. Upon promotion to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) in August 1938, Luz was transferred to Berlin and assumed duty as Department Chief in the OKH, the high command of German Army land forces. While in this capacity, he was promoted to Oberst (Colonel) in April 1939.

In mid September 1942, his older son Helwig was killed in action in Stalingrad, while served as Leutnant with Panzer Regiment 24 and General Luz was ordered back to Germany. He spent several next months in Führer Reserve, before assumed duty as Commander, Settlement office for the 6th Army (Abwicklungsstelle 6. Armee) in February 1943.

Following the distaster in Stalingrad, almost 300,000 German soldiers was killed, captured, wounded or missing. Kins of these soldiers needed information about them or even death certificates. In order to fulfill these requests, the OKW established this office in Rudolstadt, Thuringia and the fates of Stalingrad soldiers were reconstructed from the interviews of surviving soldiers, documentation and other. Later when other units were destroyed in combats in Africa, Luz's office provided information regarding these casualties.

Luz was promoted to Generalleutnant in April 1944 and remained in that assignment until the early June that year, when he was transferred to Norway as new commander of 199. Infanterie-Division. His new unit with headquarters in Narvik was mostly used for the defense of the Norwegian coast against possible invasion, but as the war progressed, his division was transferred to Denmark in April 1945.

Postwar life Luz was interned in Camp Mexia, Texas for two years, before he was released in mid 1947. He then settled in Krün, Bavaria, where he died on April 28, 1980, aged 87. His second son also was killed in action.

Awards and decorations

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on November 15, 1941, as Oberst and commander of Schützen-Regiment 110 Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class 1st Class Prussian Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class on October 7, 1914 1st Class on December 15, 1916 Prussian House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords (World War I) Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords and Crown (World War I) Bavarian Prince Regent Luitpold Medal (prewar World War I) Austrian Military Merit Cross with War Decoration (World War I) Eastern Front Medal Panzer Badge in Bronze Wound Badge (1939) in Black Sudetenland Medal with the Prague Castle bar Anschluss Medal Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 1st Class Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 German Social Welfare Decoration, 2nd Class Croatian Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir, 1st Class with Star and Oak Leaves Bulgarian Order of Bravery, 3rd Class