Rediscovering Fort Knox: German officer visits Fort Knox during the 1930s

During the 1930s, Fort Knox was visited by militaries of other nations interested in the development of armor. Among the visitors was German Lt. Col. Adolf von Schell, who visited Fort Knox several times.

Von Schell was chief of staff of the Inspector of the Panzer Corps and Army Motorization. He had previously been detached to the American Army, having attended the advanced course of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1930-31 and first visited Fort Knox in 1933.

He was keen to observe the strategic development Army mechanization. He and American Col. Bruce Palmer, Sr. were photographed together during Von Schnell's 1937 visit. Palmer, former assistant commander of the Cavalry School, was among those closely involved with the developed of mechanized cavalry.

In that year, 137 officers and 2,717 enlisted men were stationed at Fort Knox. Adolf Von Schell retired from the German Army as a lieutenant general in December 1944.