Friedrich Hoßbach

Friedrich Hossbach
Born 22 November 1894(1894-11-22)
Unna
Died 10 September 1980(1980-09-10) (aged 85)
Göttingen
Allegiance German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1913-1945
Rank General der Infanterie
Commands held 82 Infanterie-Division
LVI Panzer Corps
4. Armee
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Friedrich Wilhelm Ludwig Hossbach (22 November 1894 – 10 September 1980) was a German staff officer who in 1937 was the military adjutant to the Fuehrer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Contents

Early career

Hossbach joined the Reichsheer in 1913, and served on the Eastern Front during World War I. His services were retained in the post-war Reichswehr, where he was assigned to the General Staff. In 1934, he was appointed as Hitler's adjutant, though retaining his staff position.

The Hossbach Memorandum

Main article: Hossbach Memorandum

His most important contribution to history is his creation of the Hossbach Memorandum. This was a report of a meeting held on November 5, 1937 between Hitler and Feldmarschall von Blomberg, General von Fritsch, Admiral Dr. Raeder, Generaloberst Hermann Göring, Baron von Neurath and Hossbach. His account was found among the Nuremberg papers, where it was an important piece of evidence.[1]

In early 1938, Hossbach was present when Hitler was presented by Goering with a file purporting to show that General von Fritsch, the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, was guilty of homosexual practices. In defiance of Hitler's orders, Hossbach took the file to von Fritsch to warn him of the accusations he was about to face. Fritsch gave his word as an officer that the charges were untrue, and Hossbach passed this message back to Hitler. This did not, as it might have, cost Hossbach his life, though he was dismissed from his post as Hitler's adjutant two days later.[2]

World War II

Hossbach rose to the rank of General of Infantry, commanding the 82nd Infantry Division, the LVI Panzer Corps, and latterly Fourth Army on the Russian front, until being dismissed on January 28, 1945 for attempting to break out of East Prussia in defiance of Hitler's orders.

At the end of the war, Hossbach was being treated for a minor illness in Göttingen when US troops approached the town. As a traditionalist conservative largely opposed to the Nazi regime, Hossbach had been warned by friends to expect a visit from the Gestapo – who arrived at his house an hour before the Americans. Hossbach, armed with his pistol, proceeded to engage the visitors in a firefight until they fled, and was taken into American custody.

Awards

Three different commanding officers recommended Hoßbach for the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during the course of 1944, nevertheless the request was turned down each time.[3]

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording English translation
6 April 1944 Verbände des Heeres und der Waffen-SS haben unter dem Oberbefehl des Generalobersten Weiss und unter der Führung der Generale der Infanterie Hoßbach und Mattenklott nach tagelangen harten Angriffskämpfen durch die Pripjetsümpfe bei ungewöhnlichen Geländeschwierigkeiten den feindlichen Ring um Kowel gesprengt und damit ihre Kameraden aus der Umklammerung befreit.[4] Units of the Army and the Waffen-SS have, under the High Command of Generaloberst Walter Weiss and under the leadership of Generals of the Infantry Hoßbach and Mattenklott, after days of harsh fighting through the Pripyat Marshes at rough terrain, broken the enemy ring at Kowel and by that our comrades were freed from the clutch.

References

Citations
  1. ^ Documents of German Foreign Policy, I, pp29-39
  2. ^ William Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich p.315
  3. ^ Berger 2000, p. 393
  4. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 74.
Bibliography
  • Florian Berger (2000), Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham - Huppertz (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-20-3.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalmajor Gerhard Berthold		 Commander of 31. Infanterie-Division
20 January 1942 – 24 February 1942		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Kurt Pflieger
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Josef Lehmann		 Commander of 82. Infanterie-Division
1 April 1942 – 6 July 1942		 Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Alfred Bäntsch
Preceded by
Oberst Hermann Flörke		 Commander of 31. Infanterie-Division
15 May 1943 – 2 August 1943		 Succeeded by
Oberst Kurt Moehring
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppen Ferdinand Schaal		 Commander of LVI Panzer Corps
1 August 1943 – 14 November 1943		 Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Anton Grasser
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Anton Grasser		 Commander of LVI Panzer Corps
9 December 1943 – 14 June 1944		 Succeeded by
General der Infanterie Johannes Block
Preceded by
General der Infantrie Kurt von Tippelskirch		 Commander of 4. Armee
18 July 1944 – 29 January 1945		 Succeeded by
General der Infantrie Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller