Karl von Graffen (6 June 1893 – 1 November 1964) was a highly decorated German general during World War II who held divisional and corps level commands. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
In the First World War Graffen fought in Crimea, Ypres, Ginchy, Arras and Yser earning the second and first class Iron Cross. He served with the 60th Artillery Regiment and the 65th Reserve Field Artillery RegimentFindlay, Angela (2022). In My Grandfather's Shadow: A Story of War, Trauma and the Legacy of Silence. Bantam Press. ..
Graffen was taken prisoner in May 1945 by the US 85th Infantry Division near Belluno, Italy, and was released in March 1948.
His granddaughter, Angela Findlay, has written a book (In my Grandfather's Shadow ) about her relationship to his legacyhttps://www.theforgivenessproject.com/stories-library/angela-findlay/. Findlay has also discussed this on a number of Podcasts and at Book Festivalshttps://www.angelafindlaytalks.com/dan-snows-history-hit-my-grandfather-the-wehrmacht-general-in-russia/.
Awards and decorations Order of the Griffon (Mecklenburg), Knight's Cross on 29 September 1912 Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 25 September 1914 1st Class on 25 November 1916 Military Merit Cross (Mecklenburg-Schwerin), 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 8 December 1914 1st Class on 6 October 1916 Military Merit Cross (Austria-Hungary) 3rd Class with War Decoration on 25 July 1917 Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg on 8 September 1917 Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords on 9 January 1935 Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class on 3 October 1936 Order of St. Sava, Commander's Cross on 1 December 1938 Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 17 June 1940 1st Class on 29 June 1941 German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 Eastern Front Medal on 13 August 1942 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 August 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 58. Infanterie-DivisionFellgiebel 2000, p. 167.
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