Wilhelm Ritter Von Thoma - Weimar Republic

Weimar Republic

After the war, von Thoma remained in the German Army. From 28 October 1919 to 9 February 1920, he was placed on leave following release from captivity. On 10 February 1920 he was transferred to Reichswehr-Schützen (Rifle) Regiment 42 of Reichswehr Brigade 21 commanded by Oberst Franz Ritter von Epp. From 11 February to 1 April 1920 he acted as leader of the Recruiting Post Office of Reichswehr-Brigade 21 (listed as Brigade "Epp" in von Thoma's service record). From 17 to 25 May 1920 he was deputy battalion adjutant, and from 29 May to 10 June he was deputy captain on the staff of Regiment 42. On 1 January 1921 he was transferred to Infantry Regiment 19 upon the formation of the new Übergangsheer (Transitional Army) set up under the restrictions of the Treaty of Versailles.

On 15 May 1921 von Thoma was put in command of the 6th Company of Infantry Regiment 19. On 1 July 1922 he was transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion as battalion adjutant. Von Thoma took part in the suppression of the Nazi uprising (Adolf Hitler's Beer Hall Putsch) in Munich on 8 to 23 November 1923. On 27 November 1923, he was made company officer in the 2nd Company of the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion. Over the following ten years, he participated in many training courses on mechanized warfare, prefiguring his later role as a tank commander. In 1924 he attended a course for the leading and use of armoured motor vehicle platoons and was made leader of a motorcycle platoon to the exercises of Reiter (Mounted)-Regiment 18 at Grafenwöhr. On 1 April 1925 he was named chief of the 2nd Company of the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion and in October 1929 he was transferred to Group Command 2 and attached to the Motorized Training Command of the 3rd (Prussian) Motorized Battalion. In December 1930 he was detached to a Gas Protection Course in Berlin. On 1 February 1931 he was transferred to the 7th (Bavarian) Motorized Battalion and attached to the staff of the 7th Infantry Division as staff officer for motor transport. Later he was moved again to the 7th (Bavarian) Medical Battalion and attached to the staff of the 7th Division as staff officer for motor transport. From 6 to 31 October 1931, he was detached to the Motorized Demonstration Staff in Berlin for participation in a course for the training and testing of military motor vehicle driving experts. In November 1931 he participated in an examination of the assembly process of the Krupp-Daimler 100 horsepower (75 kW) chassis at Daimler-Benz in Berlin.