Walter Scheller

Walter Scheller (27 January 1892 – 21 July 1944) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II, who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Scheller was killed at Brest-Litovsk on 21 July 1944, during the Lublin–Brest Offensive.

World War II Oberst Walter Scheller served in the capacity of Chief of Staff of Wehrkreis X in Hamburg at the start of World War II, a position he took up on 26 August 1939, and would keep until 26 May 1940. He then took command of 8th Rifle Brigade under 8th Panzer Division, still under 8th Panzer Division, as part of Army Group North. On 1 October 1941 Walter Scheller was promoted to Generalmajor.

On 20 October 1941 Scheller took command of 11. Panzer-Division until 16 May 1942, and on 4 August 1942, the division was ordered from the Voronezh-Zemlyansk area northwest past Oryol to participate in an attack on Sukhinichi, and was involved in heavy fighting around Zhizdra, where the unit was pushed back across the Zhizdra River. From 9 September the division was pulled into reserve under 9th Army in the Gshatsk area, and found itself in the Sychyovka area by 29 September 1942, facing Soviet forces during the First Rzhev–Sychyovka Offensive Operation.

In November and December 1942 Scheller and his unit were located on the Vazuza River between Rzhev and Vyazma. On 1 January 1943 Scheller was promoted to Generalleutnant, and on 4 February 1943 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. At the end of February and in March, the 9. Panzer-Division was involved in heavy defensive fighting back in the Zhizdra area, and was then moved south of Oryol in preparation for the Battle of Kursk. On 3 April 1943 Scheller was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Scheller, who had been decorated with the Knight's Cross for superb leadership, demonstrated rare courage, this time not in the face of the enemy, but his superiors. The general who had been a soldier since he was nineteen years old, knew when he must not obey. On the 21 July, Model relieved Lieutenant General Walter Scheller, veteran commander of 9th Panzer Division, for refusing to make a suicidal counterattack against Bagramian's eastern flank west near Krasnikov. On 20 October 1943, Scheller took command of 334th Infantry Division,