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Karl Decker

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This article is about the German World War II commander. For the Austrian footballer, see Karl Decker (footballer).
Karl Decker
Karl Decker
Born(1897-11-30)30 November 1897
Borntin, district of Neustettin, Pomerania
Died21 April 1945(1945-04-21) (aged 47)
Großbrunsrode, Braunschweig
AllegianceGerman Empire German Empire (to 1918)
Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service / branchHeer
Years of service1914 – 1945
RankGeneral der Panzertruppe
Commands5th Panzer Division
XXXIX Panzer Korps
Battles / warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (posthumous)

Karl Gustav Adolf Decker (30 November 1897 – 21 April 1945) was a German general in the infantry, serving during World War II. Trapped in the Ruhr Pocket, Decker committed suicide on 21 April 1945. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Template:Lang-de). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Military career

Karl Decker was born on 30 November 1897 as son to an officer in Borntin in Pomerania. In the beginning of World War I he initially served in the Infanterieregiment 54 as an Unteroffizier. He was promoted to an officer candidate for bravery before the enemy and also was awarded the Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class. Decker was again promoted in 1915 to Leutnant and shortly afterwards received the Iron Cross 1st Class. He then served as Zugführer of a machine gun unit after he was transferred to the Feldkriegsschule of the 8. Armee in 1916. He then held the position of an adjutant to a Battalion. During 1918 he was assigned to the Infanterieschule in Döberitz as a weapons instructor.[1]

After the capitulation of the German Empire Decker was accepted into the Reichswehr and served with the Reserve-Jägerregiment 29, and the Jägerregiment 5 and in the Reiterregiment 6. He was promoted to Oberleutnant and Hauptmann during these assignments. As a major he was transferred to the Stab of the Kavellerieregiment 15 together with Horst Niemack. Shortly afterwards he was reassigned again, this time to the Panzerabwehrabteilung 38 in Mühlhausen. He later held the commanding officers position with this unit.[1]

This unit was subordinated to the 2. Panzerdivision during the Invasion of Poland and fought under the command of Decker near Krakau and the Jablonka pass.

During the Battle of France, Decker commanded the I. Abteilung of the Panzerregiment 3 in the 2. Panzerdivision. This unit fought at the Maas, near Sedan, St. Quentin and Abbeville. Decker was awarded both clasps to the Iron Cross (1939) for his personal bravery and also promoted to Oberstleutnant.

In Balkans Campaign his Regiment fought its way through Yugoslavia, northern Greece, occupied Athens and crossed the channel of Corinth. Karl Decker was always leading his unit from the front was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 June 1941 for his personal bravery and for the achieved success.

Karl Decker was put in command of Panzerregiment 3 before Operation Barbarossa began. His Regiment fought hard in the battles at Wjasma, Brjansk and near Moscow. Decker was promoted to Oberst on 1 February 1942. A few months later he was transferred to the Stab of the 9. Armee. In April 1943 he again was ordered to the front as commander of the 5. Panzerdivision. Decker distinguished himself multiple times, for instance at Shisdra, in the relief of the cauldron of Kowel and at Operation Zitadelle and was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 December 1943. Decker also distinguished himself many times during the retreat of Heeresgruppe Mitte. He was awarded the 466th Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 4 May 1944 and promoted to Generalleutnant.

For his leadership capabilities Decker was made commanding general of the XXXIX. Panzerkorps. Deckers Corps fought successfully under the command of the 3. Panzerarmee in multiple defensive and retreating battles. Decker was promoted to General der Panzertruppen on 1 January 1945.

After his unit was relocated to the Western front, his Corps fought the Americans at Uelzen and in the Elsaß. Here the 5. Panzerarmee was subordinated to Heeresgruppe B. General der Panzertruppen Karl Decker committed suicide on 21 April 1945 after total defeat and the encirclement of the Heeresgruppe in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945. Decker was posthumously awarded the 149th Swords to the Knight's Cross on 26 April 1945.

Awards

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
11 December 1943 [Die im mittleren Frontabschnitt eingesetzte pommerisch-mecklenburgische 292. Infanteriedivision unter Generalmajor John und die schlesische 5. Panzerdivision unter Generalmajor Decker haben hervorragenden Anteil an den in den letzten Wochen im mittleren Frontabschnitt erzielten Abwehrerfolgen.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[8] The Mecklenburg-Pomeranian 292nd Infantry Division under Major General John and the Silesian 5th Panzer Division under Major General Decker deployed in the middle front sector of have played a prominent part in the defensive successes achieved on the middle sector of the front during the last few weeks.
2 March 1944 [... In diesen Kämpfen hat sich die schlesische 5. Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalmajors Decker zusammen mit den ihr unterstellten Infanterie-, Panzer-, und Flakartillerieverbänden hervorragend bewährt.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[9] ... The Silesian 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Major General Decker along with its subordinated infantry, armor, and anti aircraft artillery detachments have proven themselves exceptionally in these battles.
5 August 1944 (Addendum) [Im Kampfraum südwestlich von Kauen zeichnete sich die schlesisch-sudetendeutsche 5. Panzerdivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Decker durch hervorragenden Angriffsgeist aus.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[10] The Silesian-Sudeten 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Lieutenant General Decker distinguished itself by showing excellent attacking spirit in the battle area southwest of Kaunas.
12 October 1944 (Addendum) [In den schweren Abwehrkämpfen nördlich der Memel hat sich die schlesisch-sudetendeutsche 5. Panzerdivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Decker durch beispielhaften Kampfgeist erneut hervorgetan.] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)[11] The Silesian-Sudeten 5th Panzer Division under the leadership of Lieutenant General Decker distinguished itself again by showing excellent fighting spirit in the heavy defensive fighting north of the Memel.

Notes

  1. ^ The German National Archives hold no records for the presentation of the Swords. The Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) assumes that the presentation fell into the timeframe 20 April 1945 to 29 April 1945. It is assumed that the nomination was approved on 26 April 1945.[6] Scherzer states that the assumption is based on a statement from Decker's widow. She claimed that she had been informed that her husband had received the award. The date and sequential number "149" were assigned by the AKCR.[7]

References

Citations
  1. ^ a b Berger 1999, p. 52.
  2. ^ a b Scherzer 2007, p. 267.
  3. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 158.
  4. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 82.
  5. ^ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 48.
  6. ^ Fellgiebell 2000, pp. 49–50.
  7. ^ Scherzer 2007, p. 125.
  8. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 625.
  9. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 48.
  10. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 191.
  11. ^ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 287.
Bibliography
  • Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges (in German). Wien, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham - Huppertz (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-20-3.
  • 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.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
  • "Karl Decker". Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS 1939–1945 (in German). Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  • "Karl Decker". World War 2 Awards. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Ernst Felix Fäckenstedt
 Commander of 5.Panzer-Division
7 September 1943 – 16 October 1944 		Succeeded by
Generalmajor Rolf Lippert
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppen Dietrich von Saucken
 Commander of XXXIX. Panzer-Korps
15 October 1944 – 21 April 1945 		Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Karl Arndt

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