Hans von Obstfelder

Hans von Obstfelder (6 September 1886 – 20 December 1976) was a German general (General of the Infantry) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Hans von Obstfelder
Von Obstefelder in 1944
Born	(1886-09-06)6 September 1886 Steinbach-Hallenberg, Thuringia, German Empire
Died	20 December 1976(1976-12-20) (aged 90) Bad Emstal, Hesse, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	German Army
Years of service	1906–1945
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands	XXIX Army Corps LXXXVI Army Corps
Battles / wars	World War II Operation Nordwind
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

In September 1941, during Operation Babarossa, the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, Obstfelder commanded the 29th Army Corps, which was among the first units of the Wehrmacht to reach Kyiv.^[1] In October 2021, against the background of official commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar Massacre, Obstfelder's name appeared among the 161 names of the perpetrators of that crime, released by the Babi Year Holocaust Memorial Center.^[2] Obstfelder was never tried for his involvement in the Babi Yar massacre.^[3]

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (September 1914) & 1st Class (June 1915)^[4]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (20 September 1939) & 1st Class (29 September 1939)^[4]
• German Cross in Gold on 21 April 1943 as General der Infantry and commanding general of the XXIX. Armeekorps^[5]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 27 July 1941 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the XXIX. Armeekorps^[6]
  • 251st Oak Leaves on 7 June 1943 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the XXIX. Armeekorps^[6]
  • 110th Swords on 5 November 1944 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the LXXXVI. Armeekorps^[6]