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Franz Mattenklott (19 November 1884 – 28 June 1954) was a German ''General der Infanterie'' during World War II and recipient of the renowned Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross was Nazi Germany's highest award for military gallantry and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Born in Silesia, Mattenklott became a military officer in 1903 and fought in World War I. He remained in the downsized army of the Weimar Republic after the war, and by the start of World War II he was already a ''Generalmajor'' (Major General). He saw only limited involvement in the Battle of France in 1940, but his units played a decisive role during the German invasion of Greece in 1941 and, later the same year, during the Siege of Sevastopol and other operations in the Crimea. He was appointed as military district commander in mid–1944, and faced the Western allies during the final battles of the war in the spring of 1945. Although implicated in war crimes in both the Eastern and Western Fronts during World War II, Mattenklott was never convicted of any wrongdoing, dying a free man in the summer of 1954. ==Early years and World War I== Franz Mattenklott was born on 19 November 1884 in Grünberg, a city in the Prussian Province of Silesia (''Provinz Schlesien'') (since 1945 the city is named Zielona Góra and belongs to Poland) to Dietrich Mattenklott and his wife Elfriede, ''née'' Duttenhöfer. His father was director of a sugar factory, the ''Zuckerfabrik Fraustadt'' in Ober Pritschen near Fraustadt in Silesia, estate owner (''Rittergutsbesitzer'') and ''Hauptmann'' a. D. (retired Captain) of the Prussian Army.〔''Jahrbuch der Berliner Börse: Ein Nachschlagebuch fur Bankiers und Kapitalisten''. Berlin 1895, p. 572.〕 Mattenklott's family was thus wealthy and of high social standing, a prerequisite for aspiring future Prussian officers. After completing his high–school studies, Franz Mattenklott applied to enter the 67th Infantry Regiment (4th Magdeburgian) (''4. Magdeburgisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 67'') in Metz, Alsace-Loraine, then part of the German Empire. His application was approved by vote of the regimental officers, as was the standard procedure, and after successfully taking a written examination, Mattenklott entered service in the Prussian Army as a ''Fahnenjunker'' (a rank roughly equivalent to an officer candidate) on 28 December 1903, shortly after his 19th birthday. After a few month's service and another written examination (the ''Fähnrichsprüfung'', literally "Cadet Sergeant Examination"), he became ''Fähnrich'' (Cadet Sergeant). He finally received his commission to ''Leutnant'' on 18 May 1905, backdated (''Patent'') to 22 April 1905. By 1912 he had advanced to the position of ''Adjutant'' of the regiment's 1st Battalion.〔''Rangliste der Königlich Preussischen Armee und des XIII. (Königlich Württembergischen) Armeekorps für 1912'', p. 226.〕 Mattenklott served during World War I with his regiment, from June 1915 as ''Hauptmann'' (Captain). 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Franz Mattenklott」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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