Fritz-Georg von Rappard

Who was Fritz-Georg von Rappard?

Fritz-Georg Hugo Karl von Rappard was a German general who commanded the 7. Infanterie Division during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

In 1946, he was one of a set of soldiers selected by the Soviet Union for military trial in the city of Velikiye Luki. The set of men each representing a rank from General to Private were put on public trial for crimes against Soviet partisans in that area. Along with seven other officers, von Rappard was publicly hanged in the town square in 1946. The trial was in the nature of a representative show trial based on collective responsibility of the German Army rather than the specific actions of the individuals selected for trial.