Carl Hilpert
Encyclopedia
Carl Hilpert was an officer in the German Army during World War II
.
Hilpert was born in Nuremberg
, Bavaria
.
During the last stages of World War II
, Hilpert commanded the German troops which had been surrounded by the Soviet Army in the Courland Pocket
. On 7 May 1945, Head of State
(Staatsoberhaupt) and German President (Reichspräsident
) Karl Dönitz
ordered Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Carl Hilpert, to surrender Army Group Courland
. Hilpert was the army group's last commander-in-chief. Hilpert surrendered himself, his personal staff, and three divisions of the XXXVIII Corps to Marshal of the Soviet Union
Leonid Govorov
. Hilpert sent the following message to his troops:
He died as prisoner in Moscow in 1948.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Hilpert was born in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
.
During the last stages of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Hilpert commanded the German troops which had been surrounded by the Soviet Army in the Courland Pocket
Courland Pocket
The Courland Pocket referred to the Red Army's blockade or encirclement of Axis forces on the Courland peninsula during the closing months of World War II...
. On 7 May 1945, Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
(Staatsoberhaupt) and German President (Reichspräsident
Reichspräsident
The Reichspräsident was the German head of state under the Weimar constitution, which was officially in force from 1919 to 1945. In English he was usually simply referred to as the President of Germany...
) Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...
ordered Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Carl Hilpert, to surrender Army Group Courland
Army Group Courland
Army Group Courland was a German Army Group on the Eastern Front which was created from remnants of the Army Group North, isolated in the Courland peninsula by the advancing Soviet Army forces during the 1944 Baltic Offensive of the Second World War. The army group remained isolated until the end...
. Hilpert was the army group's last commander-in-chief. Hilpert surrendered himself, his personal staff, and three divisions of the XXXVIII Corps to Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union was the de facto highest military rank of the Soviet Union. ....
Leonid Govorov
Leonid Govorov
Leonid Aleksandrovich Govorov was a Soviet military commander. An artillery officer, he joined the Red Army in 1920. He graduated from several Soviet military academies, including the Military Academy of Red Army General Staff. He participated in the Winter War as a senior artillery officer.In...
. Hilpert sent the following message to his troops:
He died as prisoner in Moscow in 1948.
Command history
- Commanding Officer - Tübingen Regiment - 1935
- Commanding Officer - 35th Regiment - 1935 to 1937
- Chief-of-Staff - IX Corps - 1937 to 1939
- Chief-of-Staff - Army Detachment A - 1939
- Chief-of-Staff - Frontier Section South, Poland - 1939 to 1940
- Chief-of-Staff - 1st Army, France - 1940
- Chief-of-Staff - Army Group D, Occupied France - 1940 to 1942
- Chief-of-Staff - Commander in Chief West, Occupied France - 1941 to 1942
- In reserve - 1942
- Acting General Officer Commanding - LIX Corps - 1942
- General Officer Commanding - XXIII Corps - 1942 to 1943
- General Officer Commanding - LIV Corps - 1943
- General Officer Commanding - XXVI Corps - 1943
- General Officer Commanding - I Army Corps - 1 January to 20 January 1944
- General Officer Commanding - I Army Corps - 1 May to 1 August 1944
- Acting General Officer Commanding - 16th Army, Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
- 1944 to 1945 - Acting Commander-in-Chief - Army Group NorthArmy Group NorthArmy Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
, Eastern Front - 1945 - Deputy Commander-in-Chief - Army Group CourlandArmy Group CourlandArmy Group Courland was a German Army Group on the Eastern Front which was created from remnants of the Army Group North, isolated in the Courland peninsula by the advancing Soviet Army forces during the 1944 Baltic Offensive of the Second World War. The army group remained isolated until the end...
, Eastern Front - 1945 - General Officer Commanding - 16th Army, Eastern Front - 1945
- Commander-in-Chief - Army Group Courland, Eastern Front - 25 March to 8 May 1945
- Prisoner of war - 1945 to 1948
Awards and decorations
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1914)- 2nd Class (7 October 1914)
- 1st Class (18 October 1916)
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- Anschluss MedalAnschluss MedalThe Anschluss Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:Instituted on May 1, 1938, the medal commemorated the return of Austria to the German Reich...
- Sudetenland MedalSudetenland MedalThe The Sudetenland Commemorative Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded in the interwar period.-Description:...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (20 April 1940)
- 1st Class (16 June 1940)
- Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (19 February 1943) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 22 August 1943 as General der InfanterieGeneral of the Infantry (Germany)General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
and commander of the LIV. Armee-Korps - 542nd Oaks Leaves on 8 August 1944 as General der InfanterieGeneral of the Infantry (Germany)General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
and commander of the I. Armee-Korps
- Knight's Cross on 22 August 1943 as General der Infanterie
- Mentioned twice in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
(18 August 1944 and 9 May 1945) - Ärmelband KurlandCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....