Erich Dethleffsen

Who was Erich Dethleffsen?

Erich Dethleffsen was a German general from Kiel. He was married to a daughter of Nikolaus von Falkenhorst, who planned the German invasion of Norway and Denmark during World War II.

Dethleffsen joined the Reichswehr in 1923, and was promoted to the German General Staff in 1937. He fought as a Captain in the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front in World War II. Dethleffsen was wounded, and awarded with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his service. After his injury, he rose to the rank of Generalmajor, and served on the army General Staff in Adolf Hitler's headquarters. Dethleffsen was arrested on 23 May 1945, and was held until March 1948 in an American Prisoner of War Camp. He was originally held in Luxembourg with Hermann Göring, Joachim von Ribbentrop, and others.

1904 Aug 2: born in Kiel.

1923 Nov 1: entered army.

1925 Nov 1: als Freiwilliger in das Infanterie-Regt 8

1927 Dec 1: Leutnant, Infantry-Regt 1

1931 Jan 1: Oberleutnant

1931 Oct 1: Adjutant, des I. Bataillons, Inf-Regt 1

1934 Oct 1: Adjutant, II Bataillons, Inf-Regt Konigsberg

1935 May 1: Hauptmann.

1935 Oct 1: kommandiert zur Kriegsakademie.

1937 Aug 1; transferred to: zum Stab der Kommandantur Glogau versetzt.