Walter Harzer SS - Oberführer ( Senior Colonel ) Walter Harzer ( September 29 , 1912 – May 29 , 1982 ) was a German Waffen - SS officer who served in the SS - Standarte " Deutschland " and later commanded the 9 . SS - Panzer - Division " Hohenstaufen " and 4 . SS - Polizei - Panzergrenadier - Division . He was awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany . After the war , he became active in the veteran ' s association HIAG . Early Life - Pre - War SS Service . Walter Harzer was born in Stuttgart - Feuerbach on 29 September 1912 . In spring 1933 , Walter joined Politische Bereitschaft ( SS Political Readiness Detachment ) in Württemberg and in October 1933 also the German Army . He was assigned to the 13 . ( Württemburgisches ) Infanterie - Regiment , eventually reaching the rank of Gefreiter ( Private ) . In March 1934 the 23 - year old Harzer joined SS - Verfügungstruppe , graduating from the new SS - Junkerschule at Bad Tölz in 1936 . After his graduation he was assigned to the SD - Hauptamt and later the SS - Standarte " Deutschland " . Early World War II . With " Deutschland " , Harzer participated in the invasion of Poland and was awarded the Iron Cross II Class . However , on 1 November 1939 instead of continuing on with his regiment , Harzer was transferred as a Tactics Instructor to the SS - Junkerschule " Braunschweig " and later to the SS - Unterführerschule " Radolfzell " . He remained instructor until 12 June 1941 when he was assigned as a commander to the II . / SS - Infanterie - Regiment 4 . It was with this unit Harzer received the Iron Cross I Class Iron Cross I class . From mid - 1942 until April 1943 Walter served as a staff officer first with the LVII . Panzerkorps and later , after completing the General Staff Course , with the SS - Panzergrenadier - Division 10 , later renamed the 10 . SS - Panzer - Division " Frundsberg " . Hohenstaufen . On 10 April 1943 , Harzer was assigned to the SS - Panzergrenadier - Division 9 ( from 23 October 1943 the 9 . SS - Panzer - Division " Hohenstaufen " ) . The title Hohenstaufen came from the Hohenstaufen dynasty , a Germanic noble family who produced a number of kings and emperors in the 12th and 13th centuries . It is believed that the division was named specifically after Friedrich II , who lived from 1194 - 1250 . He remained with the division for 19 months and saw it to become a fully equipped Panzer Division . He proved himself to be an excellent staff and combat officer during the division ’ s relief attack on Tarnopol and later during the Allied attacks on Caen . On 19 August 1944 , Harzer was decorated with the German Cross in Gold for his exemplary leadership during the operations in Normandy . As the 9 . SS - Panzer - Division " Hohenstaufen " was ordered for a refit in the Netherlands , Walter Harzer became its fifth commander , taking over for SS - Oberführer Friedrich - Wilhelm Bock . The division reached Arnhem on 9 September 1944 , where they were to hand most of its vehicles and heavy equipment to " Frundsberg " in preparation for a move to Germany for refitting . However on Sunday 17 September 1944 , the Allies launched Operation Market - Garden . Harzer ’ s division was heavily engaged in the Battle of Arnhem , and played a key role in preventing the main body of the British 1st Airborne Division from linking up with the small force under Lt - Colonel John Frost at Arnhem Road Bridge , thus preventing them from securing a bridgehead across the Rhine . Under Harzer ' s command the division then played a major part in the near total destruction of the 1st Airborne at Oosterbeek , an achievement for which Harzer was awarded the " Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes " Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross . End of War & Postwar . On 10 October 1944 Harzer left " Hohenstaufen " and went on to become the Chef des Stabes V SS Mountain Corps before receiving the command of the 4 . SS - Polizei - Panzergrenadier - Division at the end of November 1944 . Together with the rest of this division SS - Oberführer Walter Harzer surrendered himself to the Americans near Wittenberge - Lenzen on 8 May 1945 . After the war Walter Harzer worked as a historian for HIAG and died after a heart failure in Stuttgart hospital on 29 May 1982 .