NAME: General der Infanterie Otto Roettig

• Fahnenjunker: 2 October 1905
• Fähnrich: 14 June 1906
• Leutnant: 27 January 1907
• Oberleutnant: 24 December 1914
• Hauptmann: 18 August 1916
• Polizei-Major: 13 July 1921
• Polizei-Oberstleutnant: 1 January 1934
• Polizei-Oberst: 1 April 1935
• Oberst: 1 October 1935
• Generalmajor: 1 June 1939
• Generalleutnant: 1 June 1941
• General der Infanterie: 1 August 1943

Commands & Assignments:

• 2 October 1905: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker Leutnant in the 1. Oberrheinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.97.
• 24 September 1911: Adjutant of the III. Battalion of Infantry Regiment 97.
• 27 January 1914: Detached to the Potsdam War School.
• 16 February 1915: Regimental Adjutant of Infantry Regiment 97.
• 27 January 1918: Transferred to the General Staff of the 105th Infantry Division.
• 31 January 1920: Separated from the Army.
• 1 February 1920: Joined the Schutzpolizei [Municipal Police] in Berlin.
• 1 October 1935: Returned to the Army with the rank of Oberst and assigned to the staff of Infantry Regiment 67.
• 1 April 1937: Commander of Infantry Regiment 47 of the 22nd Infantry Division.
• 10 November 1939: Commandant of Posen.
• 10 January 1940-10 April 1942: Commander of the 198th Infantry Division. [After undergoing formation in the Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia, Roettig’s division took part in the invasion of Denmark on 9 April 1940. Landing by sea at three points, the division quickly crossed the island of Sjaelland and occupied Copenhagen. The next day, a battalion of the 198th Infantry Division also occupied the island of Bornholm. Initially held in reserve, the division took part in the final phase of the invasion of France seeing some action during Operation “Tiger,” the offensive of Generaloberst Erwin von Witzleben’s 1st Army against Lorraine in June 1940. After occupation duty in eastern France, the 198th Infantry Division transferred to Romania in April 1941 where it was assigned to Generaloberst Eugen Ritter von Schobert’s 11th Army for the impending invasion of the Soviet Union. While the bulk of the German Army launched Operation “Barbarossa” on 22 June 1941, the Romanian 3rd and 4th Armies and the German 11th Army—subordinated to Army Group “Antonescu” (General de armată Ion Antonescu)—remained on the defensive. After German advances elsewhere forced the transfer of significant Soviet forces, Army Group “Antonescu” finally launched its offensive to take Northern Bucovina and Basarabia on the night of 2 July 1941. Following the successful conclusion of the campaign on 26 July 1941, Army Group “Antonescu” was dissolved and the German 11th Army reverted to control of Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt’s Army Group South. Later assigned to the 1st Panzer Army, Roettig’s division fought in southern Russia seeing action at Dnepropetrovsk, Rostov and along the Mius River.]
• 25 June 1942: General for Special Employment in Army Group Center on the Eastern Front.
• 10 May 1943-15 June 1943: Delegated with the leadership of the LXVI Army Corps in France.
• 1 July 1943: Armed Forces Inspector General of Prisoner of War Camps.
• 4 December 1944: Commander of Special Staff I of the Army High Command.
• 28 May 1945-14 July 1947: Prisoner of war in British captivity.
  • 28th January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC (London District Cage)
  • 26th July 1946 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Specal Camp 11
  • 19th August 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from LDC
  • 14th February 1947 transferred to LDC from Island Farm Special Camp 11
  • 14th July 1947 released

Decorations & Awards (included):

• German Cross in Gold: 28 February 1942, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 198th Infantry Division.
• Romanian Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd Class: 19 September 1941 (Royal Decree No. 2628).

Sources:

• Axworthy, Mark; Scafeş, Cornel; Craciunoiu, Cristian. Third Axis Fourth Ally: Romanian Armed Forces in the European War, 1941-1945. Arms and Armour Press, London, United Kingdom, 1995.
• Ziemke, Earl F. The German Theater of Northern Operations, 1940-1945. Department of the Army Pamphlet No. 20-271, Washington, D.C., 1959.