Karl Decker (officer)

Karl Decker (born November 30, 1897 in Borntin near Neustettin , † April 21, 1945 in Groß-Brunsrode ) was a German general of the armored forces in World War II .

Life

Decker came shortly after the outbreak of the First World War on August 3, 1914 as an officer cadet in the Infantry Regiment "von der Goltz" (7 Pommersches) no. 54 , and came up with this on the Western Front used. On November 18, 1914, he was wounded, after his recovery he was assigned to the 1st Replacement Battalion of his regiment, and from January 26, 1915, he was at the front for the entire war. Here Decker received his appointment to ensign on May 8, 1915 and his promotion to lieutenant on July 12, 1915. From August 8 to September 26, 1916 he was assigned to the war school in Libau and from January 28 to March 7, 1917 he completed a weapons officer course.

After the end of the war he was accepted into the Reichswehr . Here he was first employed in the 5th (Prussian) Infantry Regiment and on August 1, 1921, was appointed adjutant in the 2nd Battalion. On April 1, 1923, Decker was transferred to the 6th (Prussian) cavalry regiment in Pasewalk , promoted to lieutenant on July 31, 1925 , and sent to the war school in Dresden from October 3, 1927 to February 15, 1928 . On October 1st, 1930 he took over the 2nd squadron of his regiment in Schwedt an der Oder and was promoted to Rittmeister on May 1st, 1931 . Subsequently, on October 15, 1935, he was transferred to the regimental staff. After he had become a major on March 1, 1936 , he was given command of the anti-tank battalion 38 in October 1936.

On April 1, 1939 Decker became a lieutenant colonel and at the beginning of the Second World War he took part in the attack on Poland with his unit . On April 10, 1940, he was transferred to the 1st Division of the 3rd Panzer Regiment, which he led first in France and later in the Balkans. On May 15, 1941 he was appointed commander of the regiment and served in the war against the Soviet Union . In February 1943 Colonel (since February 1, 1942) Decker gave up his command, was transferred to the Führerreserve until April 1943 and then took over the Panzer Brigade 21. In July 1943 he led the Panzer Brigade 10 near Kursk. From September 7, 1943, Decker was entrusted with the command of the 5th Panzer Division and was appointed commander on December 1, 1943 while being promoted to major general. As such, he was promoted to lieutenant general on June 1, 1944 . On October 16, 1944, he gave up command, initially with the leadership of the XXXIX. Panzer Corps commissioned and on December 27, 1944 simultaneously commanding general and general of the armored forces.

When in April 1945 the surrender of his association to US-American units became apparent, Decker committed suicide .

Awards

Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st class
Hanseatic Cross Hamburg
Clasp for the Iron Cross, 2nd and 1st class
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with oak leaves
- Knight's Cross on June 13, 1941
- Oak leaves on May 4, 1944 (466th award)
German cross in gold on August 1, 1942

literature

Dermot Bradley (ed.), Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand, Markus Rövekamp: The Generals of the Army 1921–1945. The military careers of the generals, as well as the doctors, veterinarians, intendants, judges and ministerial officials with the rank of general. Volume 3: Dahlmann-Fitzlaff. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1994, ISBN 3-7648-2443-3 .

Individual evidence

^ Ludger Tewes , The Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland in the campaign against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 , Verlag Klartext Essen 2020, ISBN 978-3-8375-2089-7 , pp. 341 to 351, pp. 1149 to 1158.
↑ ^a ^b Ranking list of the German Reichsheeres , Ed .: Reichswehrministerium , Mittler & Sohn Verlag, Berlin 1930, p. 41.
↑ ^a ^b Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearer 1939–1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 267.

personal data
SURNAME	Decker, Karl
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German General of the Armored Force in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH	November 30, 1897
PLACE OF BIRTH	Borntin near Neustettin
DATE OF DEATH	April 21, 1945
Place of death	Great Brunsrode

[1] Ludger Tewes , The Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland in the campaign against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1945 , Verlag Klartext Essen 2020, ISBN 978-3-8375-2089-7 , pp. 341 to 351, pp. 1149 to 1158.

[Rangliste-2] Ranking list of the German Reichsheeres , Ed .: Reichswehrministerium , Mittler & Sohn Verlag, Berlin 1930, p. 41.

[Scherzer-3] Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearer 1939–1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 267.