Hermann Flörke

Hermann Flörke
Born	(1893-10-23)23 October 1893 Hanover
Died	19 August 1979(1979-08-19) (aged 85) Gießen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1920) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–1920 1934–1945
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	31. Infanterie-Division 14. Infanterie-Division LXVI. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Smolensk (1943) Operation Bagration Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive Lublin–Brest Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hermann Flörke (23 October 1893 – 19 August 1979) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 14th Infantry Division. 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. Hermann Flörke was captured by American forces on 21 April 1945 and was held until June 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (15 June 1915)
  • 1st Class (27 August 1917)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Cross of Honor
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (21 May 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (23 October 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 15 December 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 14. Infanterie-Division
  • 565th Oak Leaves on 2 September 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 14. Infanterie-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (19 November 1943)
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (10 March 1967)

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• Hermann Flörke in the German National Library catalogue
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Kurt Pflieger	Commander of 31. Infanterie-Division 1 April 1943 – 15 May 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Friedrich Hoßbach
Preceded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Holste	Commander of 14. Infanterie-Division 15 May 1943 – 15 December 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Erich Schneider
Preceded by General der Artillerie Walther Lucht	Commander of LXVI. Armeekorps March 1945 – April 1945	Succeeded by None