Hermann Foertsch

Hermann Foertsch
Hermann Foertsch
	File:Hermann Foertsch.jpg
Born	4 April 1895; Drahnow, Deutsch-Krone
Died	27 December 1961 (aged 66); Munich
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918); Weimar Republic (to 1933); Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1913–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	21. Infanterie-Division; X. Armeekorps; 19. Armee; 1. Armee
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland; Battle of France; Balkan Campaign; Invasion of Yugoslavia; Battle of Narva (1944); Courland Pocket; Operation Undertone;
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Friedrich Foertsch (brother)

Hermann Foertsch (4 April 1895 – 27 December 1961) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who held commands at the divisional, corps and army levels. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hermann Foertsch surrendered to American forces under the command of General Jacob Devers, commanding general of the U.S. Sixth Army Group, in 1945 and was later tried at the Hostages Trial in 1947 but was acquitted.

Biography

After WWII

After his acquittal he collaborated with Hans Speidel in the development of concepts for Germany's rearmament many years before the official foundation of the Bundeswehr, the German army, in 1955.^[1]

Interdoc

Foertsch was involved in the establishment of the European anti-communist organisation Interdoc.^[2]

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
Wound Badge (1914)
- in Black
Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (15 May 1918)
Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
German Cross in Gold (10 July 1943)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 21. Infanterie-Division ^[3]
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on (4 August 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
4 August 1944 (Addendum)	[In den Kämpfen der letzten Tage an der Narwa-Front haben sich ein Armeekorps unter Führung des Generals der Pioniere Tiemann und die 21. ostpreußische Infanteriedivision unter Generalleutnant Foertsch besonders ausgezeichnet.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)^[4]	In the fighting in recent days at the Narva front, has an army corps under the command of General of the Pioneers Tiemann and the 21st East Prussian Infantry Division under Lieutenant General Foertsch particularly distinguished themselves.

References

Citations

^ Critchfield, James H. Partners at the Creation: The Men Behind Postwar Germany's Defense and Intelligence Establishments. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2003. p.220.
^ Scott-Smith p.357.
^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 154.
^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 189.

Bibliography

Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
Scott-Smith, Giles. Interdoc and West European Psychological Warfare: The American Connection. Intelligence and National Security Vol. 26, Nos. 2–3, 355–376, April–June 2011.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)

External links

Military offices
Preceded by None	Chief of General Staff of Heeresgruppe F 12 August 1943 - 15 March 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant August Winter
Preceded by Generalmajor Franz Sensfuß	Commander of 21. Infanterie-Division 28 March 1944 - 22 August 1944	Succeeded by Generalmajor Heinrich Götz
Preceded by General der Infanterie Friedrich Köchling	Commander of X. Armeekorps 21 September 1944 - 21 December 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Dr. Ing. Dr. Johannes Mayer
Preceded by General der Infanterie Siegfried Rasp	Commander of 19. Armee 15 February 1945 - 28 February 1945	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder
Preceded by General der Infanterie Hans von Obstfelder	Commander of 1. Armee 28 February 1945 - 6 May 1945	Succeeded by General der Kavallerie Rudolf Koch-Erpach

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[1] Critchfield, James H. Partners at the Creation: The Men Behind Postwar Germany's Defense and Intelligence Establishments. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 2003. p.220.

[2] Scott-Smith p.357.

[3] Fellgiebel 2000, p. 154.

[4] Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 189.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Major defendants at the Hostages Trial
Convicted	Wilhelm List Lothar Rendulic Walter Kuntze Hellmuth Felmy Hubert Lanz Ernst Dehner Ernst von Leyser Wilhelm Speidel
Acquitted	Hermann Foertsch Kurt Ritter von Geitner
No decision	Maximilian von Weichs¹ Franz Böhme²
¹ Charges dropped due to failing health. ² Committed suicide.

Authority control databases
International	ISNI VIAF
National	Germany United States Netherlands Poland
People	Deutsche Biographie
Other	IdRef