Hitler Changes Generals At 1941 Russian Front
Hitler invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, in the largest German military operation of WWII. Despite catastrophic losses in the first six weeks of the war, the Soviet Union failed to collapse as anticipated by the Nazi leadership and the German military commanders. Hitler decided to make changes in his tank command staff on the Russian front and issued this July 1 order appointing General Kuntzen Commander of the 8th Panzer Division and General Kempf Commander of the 4th Panzer Brigade. The order is on swastika-embossed stationary and counter-signed by General Walther Von Brauschitz, Commander-In-Chief of the German Army. Two weeks later, Von Brauschitz was promoted by Hitler to the rank of Field Marshal. The document has Hitler's usual tiny scrunched signature, dwarfed by Von Braushitz's bold counter-signature.
