Stever was born in Berlin in 1889 and volunteered for the Prussian Army in 1908 as a Fahnen-junker (officer cadet).

After World War I, he served in the Reichswehr (Imperial Defence) and by 1938, he had risen to the position of chief of staff of the Wehrmacht's XV Motorised Corps.

In April 1940, and now a generalmajor[Note 1] he was given command of the 4th Panzer Division[2] and led it through the invasion of the Low Countries the following month.

[3] He was replaced as divisional commander in late July, after the completion of the French Campaign.

In April 1942, it was posted to Brittany,[5] but by then Stever had left the division due to his health.