Leonhard Kaupisch

Leonhard Kaupisch
Born 1 September 1878
Bitterfeld, Province of Saxony, German Empire
Died 26 September 1945 (aged 67)
Weimar, Allied-occupied Germany
Allegiance German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Luftwaffe
Years of service 1898–1942
Rank General der Flieger
Battles/wars

Wars:

Campaigns:

  • September Campaign

Operations:

Battles:

Awards Iron Cross 2nd Class
Knight's Cross of House Order of Hohenzollern

Leonhard Kaupisch (1 September 1878 – 26 September 1945) was a German General der Flieger whose military service spanned almost five decades. Kaupisch is most well known for his actions during World War II, primarily as Military Commander of Denmark.

Early career

Kaupisch entered the army in 1898 and was promoted to Leutnant in 1899. From 1907 to 1909 he completed his training at the war academy in Lichterfelde and was then appointed to Oberleutnant. From 1911 he served with General Staff, in Berlin. In 1914 he was promoted to the rank of Hauptmann.

World War I

During World War I Kaupisch was used at different positions in the General Staff and rose gradually in the rates and in 1917 promoted to Major. He also received the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Knight's Cross of House Order of Hohenzollern in the same period.

Interbellum

After World War I, Kaupisch moved into the new Reichswehr and was assigned to the Gruppenkommando 2 at Kassel. In 1923 he took command of the 7. (Bayer.) Artillerie-Regiment and was promoted to Oberstleutnant. From there he moved to artillery school in Jüterbog where in 1927 he was appointed Oberst. He continued his career in artillery until he departed in 1932 from his post with the level of Generalleutnant.

April 1, 1934 he joined the Luftwaffe where in December 1935 he was appointed General der Flieger. By the end of March 1938 he departed from the Luftwaffe, but in early 1939 he again joined the army.

World War II

In mid-September 1939, Kaupisch was military governor of Danzig-West Prussia. In late 1939, his staff was adopted to Höheres Kommando XXXI. It was as head of this command that he April 9, 1940 led Operation Weserübung Süd, forcing the occupation of Denmark. The OPROP! leaflets with a call to refrain from resistance which German planes dropped during the early morning were signed by Kaupisch.

Until June 1, 1940 he was Supreme Commander of the German troops in Denmark. He then continued in the army reserve as general of artillery until his retirement on April 10, 1942.

Post–war

Anticipating the imminent end of the Third Reich, Kaupisch and his family left their home in the wealthy neighbourhood of Eichkamp in Westend, Berlin and settled in Bad Berka, a spa town lying approximately 10 km south of Weimar.[1] There, he lived quietly the war's end and the capitulation of Germany in May 1945, whereupon the city was captured by American troops. That summer, he was also interviewed by a Danish journalist who noted that the retired General had adapted to the peacetime lifestyle.[2] When, however, the region of Weimar became part of the Soviet zone of occupation, the aging Kaupisch was arrested and force–marched in the scorching heat to Weimar. His condition worsened by the rough conditions of his captivity, and although his wife was allowed to take care of him at the POW camp, Kaupisch died a few weeks after his 67th birthday, on 26 September 1945.[1]

Awards and decorations

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Letter Margarete Oldenburg to Heidi Teckenberg from 1 October 1976 at the Kaupisch family website. (Retrieved 24 February 2014).
  2. ↑ Haller, Virginia: Neumond über Kopenhagen. Bergstadtverlag Korn, Munich 1961, p. 56.
Military offices
Preceded by
None		 Military Commander Denmark
9 April 1940 – 1 June 1940 		Succeeded by
Erich Lüdke