Hans-Valentin Hube
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2015) |
Hans Hube | |
---|---|
File:VHube.jpg Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube | |
Born | Naumburg an der Saale, German Empire | 29 October 1890
Died | 21 April 1944 Salzburg, Nazi Germany | (aged 53)
Buried | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | Army (Wehrmacht) |
Years of service | 1909–44 |
Rank | ![]() |
Commands | 16th Infantry Division, XIV Panzer Corps, 1st Panzer Army |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds |
Hans-Valentin Hube (29 October 1890 – 21 April 1944) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He commanded several panzer divisions during the invasions of Poland, France and the Soviet Union. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds, Nazi Germany's highest military decoration, but for one, Hans-Ulrich Rudel beeing the only to receive the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves in Gold. Hube died in an air crash on 21 April 1944.
Early career
Hans-Valentin Hube was born on 29 October 1890, in Naumburg an der Saale, German Empire. Hube volunteered for military service in the Prussian Army in 1909, and served during World War I where he saw action during the Race to the Sea, and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern. He had an arm amputated as a result of injuries sustained at the battle of Verdun.[1] In 1918, following the end of the war which ended with the German Empire's defeat and subsequent collapse, Hube briefly served with the right-wing Freikorps paramilitary during the instability. Hube joined the Reichswehr, the successor of the Imperial German Army after the establishment of the Weimar Republic, and continued his army service in the Wehrmacht after the founding of Nazi Germany, reaching the rank of Oberst in 1936.[2]
World War II
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Gen.H.Hube_23.08.42.jpg/220px-Gen.H.Hube_23.08.42.jpg)
Hube took part in the invasion of Poland and the Battle of France as a regimental commander.[3] He was appointed commander of 16th Infantry Division in June 1940. As commander of the 16th Panzer Division, he took part in Operation Barbarossa as part of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South. For this action during the campaign, Hube received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. On 16 January 1942, he was awarded the Oak leaves to the Knight's Cross for his actions in the Battle of Kiev. Hube then led the division during Fall Blau and the Battle of Stalingrad. On 16 September 1942, Hube was given command of XIV Panzer Corps, the parent formation of the 16th Panzer Division.[4]
Hube commanded the XIVth Corps during the Soviet counter-offensive, Operation Uranus. He was promoted to General der Panzertruppe and received the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak leaves from Adolf Hitler personally on 21 December 1942. During his time at the Führer-Headquarters in Rastenburg, Hube argued strongly, but to no avail, for Hitler to allow the 6th Army to attempt a breakout. Instead, Hitler promised a new relief attack beginning in the middle of February. Hube conveyed that plan to Paulus upon his return to the cauldron. However, Hube was then ordered to fly out again on 10 January 1943 to "reorganize the supply of the 6th Army."[5]
After the destruction of the 6th Army, Hube was sent to the Mediterranean front. He created Gruppe Hube in Sicily, a four-division force whose task was to defend the island. With the advent of Operation Husky on 10 July, Hube commanded the overall German defence. On 17 July 1943 Hube was given command of all army and Flak troops on the island. Hube organised the evacuation to the Italian peninsula. He had prepared a strong defensive line, the 'Etna Line' around Messina, that would enable the Germans to make a progressive retreat while evacuating large parts of his army to the mainland. Patton began his assault on the line at Troina, but it was a linchpin of the defense and stubbornly held. Despite three 'end run' amphibious landings the Germans managed to keep the bulk of their forces beyond reach of capture, and maintain their evacuation plans. Withdrawing a large number of troops from the threat of capture on Sicily represented a major success for the Axis. Hube was later involved in the battles defending positions at Salerno during the Allied Operation Avalanche.
Afterwards Hube was moved back to Germany and transferred to the Führer-Reserve. On 23 October 1943, Hube was delegated as commander of the 200,000 man 1st Panzer Army, then serving with Army Group South under Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. In February 1944, Hube was officially confirmed as commander of the 1st Panzer Army. Shortly after, III. Panzerkorps, one of Hube's units, was required to assist German forces breaking out of the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket. Soon after this, Hube's force was encircled in a pocket near Kamenets-Podolsky. Hube led the breakout which lasted from 27 March 1944 until 15 April 1944.
Death
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J09741%2C_Trauerfeier_f%C3%BCr_Generaloberst_Hans_Hube.jpg/170px-Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-J09741%2C_Trauerfeier_f%C3%BCr_Generaloberst_Hans_Hube.jpg)
On 20 April 1944, Hube returned to Germany where Adolf Hitler personally awarded him the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross and promoted him to Generaloberst for his actions in Sicily, Salerno, and in the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. Hube was killed when the aircraft that was transporting him crashed after takeoff in Salzburg on 21 April 1944.
Hube was given a state funeral in Berlin on 26 April 1944. His coffin was laid out in the Reich Chancellery and the eulogy was delivered by Heinz Guderian. The guard of honour consisted of the generals Walther Nehring, Hermann Breith, Heinrich Eberbach and Hans Gollnick. Hube was buried at the Invalid's Cemetery in Berlin.[6]
Awards
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Hube%2C_2000.jpg/170px-Hube%2C_2000.jpg)
- Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (1915) & 1st Class (1916)[7]
- Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (1918)[8]
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 May 1940) & 1st Class (3 June 1940)[7]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
- Knight's Cross on 1 August 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 16th Panzer Division[9]
- 62nd Oak Leaves on 16 January 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of the 16th Panzer Division[9]
- 22nd Swords on 21 December 1942 as Generalleutnant and commanding general of the XIV Panzer Corps[9]
- 13th Diamonds on 20 April 1944 as General der Panzertruppe and commander in chief of the 1st Panzer Army[9]
- Promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1942; General der Panzertruppe on 1 October 1942; Generaloberst on 1 April 1944[10]
References
Citations
- ^ http://worldwartwo.filminspector.com/2017/11/hans-hube-greatest-german-general.html
- ^ Wegmann 2009, p. 360–363.
- ^ Wegmann 2009, p. 361.
- ^ Bjorkman, James, "Hans Hube, Greatest German General?," Filminspector.com, Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ Adam, Wilhelm; Ruhle, Otto (2015). With Paulus at Stalingrad. Translated by Tony Le Tissier. Pen and Sword Books Ltd. p. 161,166,170. ISBN 9781473833869.
- ^ Stockert 2010, p. 59.
- ^ a b Thomas 1997, p. 309.
- ^ Wegmann 2009, p. 362.
- ^ a b c d Scherzer 2007, p. 407.
- ^ Wegmann 2009, p. 363.
Bibliography
- McCarthy, Peter; Syron, Mike (2002). Panzerkrieg: The Rise and Fall of Hitler's Tank Divisions. New York: Carol and Graf Publishers. ISBN 978-0-7867-1009-6.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Stockert, Peter (2010). Die Brillantenträger der deutschen Wehrmacht 1941–1945—Zeitgeschichte in Farbe [The Diamonds Leaves Bearers of the German Armed Forces 1941–1945—History in Color] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-59-1.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Wegmann, Günter (2009). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil VIIIa: Panzertruppe Band 2: F–H [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part VIIIa: Panzer Force Volume 2: F–H] (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2389-4.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help)
Works
- Hube, Hans-Valentin (1925). Der Infanterist [The Infantryman] (in German). Charlottenburg, Germany: Offene Worte. OCLC 643823983.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Hube, Hans-Valentin (1928). Schützendienst [Rifleman Service] (in German). Charlottenburg, Germany: Offene Worte. OCLC 833701714.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help) - Hube, Hans-Valentin (1935–1936). Der Infanterist Band 1—Für Kasernenstube und Unterrichtsraum [The Infantryman Volume 1—For Barracks and Classrooms] (in German). Berlin, Germany: Offene Worte. OCLC 248627859.
{{cite book}}
: Invalid|ref=harv
(help)
External links
- Hans-Valentin Hube in the German National Library catalogue
- 1890 births
- 1944 deaths
- People from Naumburg (Saale)
- People from the Province of Saxony
- Burials at the Invalids' Cemetery
- German commanders at the Battle of Stalingrad
- Colonel generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht)
- German military personnel of World War I
- Prussian Army personnel
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds
- Knights of the House Order of Hohenzollern
- Recipients of the Friedrich Cross
- Commanders of the Military Order of Savoy
- German amputees
- German military personnel killed in World War II
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Austria
- Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
- Reichswehr personnel