Heribert von Larisch Heribert von Larisch was a high - ranking officer of the German Wehrmacht during World War II . He was also a recipient of the renowned Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership . Military career . World War I and Interwar Period . Heribert von Larisch was born in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1894 . Shortly before the outbreak of World War I , on 5 February 1914 , he assigned as Cadet to the 18th Dragoon Regiment and was promoted to Leutnant on 16 September 1914 . After the capitulation of the German Empire in 1918 , von Larisch was discharged from his military duties on 31 March 1920 , as the Treaty of Versailles enforced to Germany ordered that the new German Army ( " Reichswehr " ) should be drastically downsized . In 1920 he began to study law at the university of Rostock . Nevertheless , under the leadership of the new Chancellor of Germany , Adolf Hitler , Germany started a massive rearmament . With military conscription obligatory , aiming to expand the German Armed Forces ( renamed to Wehrmacht ) , von Larisch was called back on 1 October 1933 , now with the rank of Hauptmann . From 1 October 1937 onwards he served as an instructor in the War School Hannover ( " Kriegsschule Hannover " ) . World War II . When Germany invaded Poland , marking the official outbreak of World War II , von Larisch commanded the 1st Battalion of the 167th Infantry Regiment . Upon the successful outcome of the operation , von Larisch was named commander of the 3rd Regiment ' s Battalion on 10 January and was promoted to Oberstleutnant on 1 February 1940 . He participated with his battalion in the Invasion of France and in that of the Soviet Union . On 30 June 1941 , von Larisch went on to command the entire 440th Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Oberst on 1 October . A year later , he was named leader of the 1st Fortress Brigade ( " 1 . Festungsbrigade " or " Festungsbrigade Kreta " ) , but on 15 November he was transferred to the German Railway Security Staff Croatia ( Deutscher Eisenbahn - Sicherungs - Stab Kroatien ) . From July to August 1943 , he took a course for division leaders , and upon its completion he was commissioned commander of the 78 . Sturm - Division on 1 November . On 15 February 1944 he took command of the 129 . Infanterie - Division , followed by his promotions to Generalmajor ( 1 April 1944 ) and Generalleutnant ( October 1 , 1944 ) . While in command of the division , he was awarded the Knight ' s Cross of the Iron Cross , the second highest military decoration of Nazi Germany on 26 December 1944 . Late war . With the situation for Germany quickly deteriorating , von Larisch was relieved from his command on 11 February 1945 . On 15 March he was the commander of the Infantry School Döberitz ( which was moved to Grafenwöhr in early March ) until 24 April . The following day , he was officially put into the army reserve until 15 June . In Krün , he directed a seminar for regiment commanders . Upon hearing the news of Hitler ' s suicide , he assembled the participants in a school room and made a somehow prophetic announcement , before dissolving it : Post - war . Heribert von Larisch was arrested by American troops on 15 June 1945 . He was held in captivity for almost two years before his release on 1 July 1947 . He died on 16 May 1972 in Hamburg . It must though be noted that 20 March 1952 , though rather implaysible , can be often seen as his date of death .