Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Kempf sonyeere Imperial German Army na 1905; mgbe Agha Iwa Mbụ gasịrị, o jere ozi na "Reichswehr" na mgbe e mesịrị na "Wehrmacht". N'ọnwa Ọktoba 1937 Kempf weghaara iwu nke 4th Panzer Brigade; na Jenụwarị 1939 e buliri ya n'ọkwa "Generalmajor". Na mbido Agha IIwa nke Abụọ na Europe, o sonyere na mbuso agha nke Poland dị ka onye isi nke Panzer Division Kempf, nke a makwaara dị ka "Panzerverband Ostpreußen" (Panzer Group East Prussia) nke ndị agha nke atọ n'okpuru Georg von Küchler. Dị ka onye isi nke ngalaba, ọ natara nnwere onwe nke Fort Zakroczym, nke gbasasịrị na Zakroczym, na mmechi nke
Agha nke Modlin. Ngalaba ahụ laghachiri East Prussia na njedebe nke mkpọsa Poland, a kpọkwara Kempf onye isi nke 1st Light Division, nke a na-akpọ 6th Panzer Division, na 18 Ọktọba 1939.