Hermann Ritter von Speck
Hermann Ritter von Speck
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Born | 8 August 1888 Munich |
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Pont-sur-Yonne, France |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Service/ |
Heer |
Years of service | 1907–40 |
Rank | General der Artillerie |
Commands held | 33. Infanterie-Division XXXXIII. Armeekorps XVIII. Armeekorps |
Battles/wars | World War I
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Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hermann Ritter von Speck[a] (8 August 1888 – 15 June 1940) was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hermann Ritter von Speck was killed on 15 June 1940 in Pont-sur-Yonne, France. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 October 1940.
In 2010, Jay Nordlinger spoke with von Speck's daughter, who claimed that the general deliberately sought death in battle:[1]
According to his daughter, he wanted to die, and arranged to die. He felt he could not break his oath to the army — he could not desert. And his Catholic faith prevented him from committing suicide — suicide straight out, you might say. So, he put himself in the line of fire.
In his dying words, he did not say, “Give my love to my family,” or anything like that. He said, “It had to be this way.”
Contents
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Wound Badge (1918)
- in Black
- Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
- Military Order of Max Joseph (which carried admission to the nobility)
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 October 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of XVIII. Armeekorps[2]
- Military Service Order (Militaer-Verdienstorden) 4th Class with Crown & Swords Bavaria
Footnotes
- a Regarding personal names: Ritter is a title, translated approximately as Sir (denoting a Knight), not a first or middle name. There is no equivalent female form.
References
Citations
- ↑ Jay Nordlinger, "Salzburg Souvenirs, Part IV", National Review Online, 30 August 2010
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. .
Bibliography
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External links
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by
General der Infanterie Eugen Ritter von Schobert
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Commander of 33. Infantry-Division 1 March 1938 - 29 April 1940 |
Succeeded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Sintzenich |
Preceded by
None
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Commander of XXXXIII. Armeekorps 29 April 1940 - 31 May 1940 |
Succeeded by Generalleutnant Franz Böhme |
Preceded by
General der Infanterie Eugen Beyer
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Commander of XVIII. Armeekorps 5 June 1940 - 15 June 1940 |
Succeeded by General der Gebirgstruppe Franz Böhme |
- 1888 births
- 1940 deaths
- German knights
- Generals of Artillery (Wehrmacht)
- German military personnel of World War I
- Military personnel of Bavaria
- Recipients of the Hanseatic Cross (Hamburg)
- Knights of the Military Order of Max Joseph
- Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- People from Munich
- People from the Kingdom of Bavaria