Karl von Le Suire

Karl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire
Born	8 November 1898 Unterwössen
Died	18 June 1954(1954-06-18) (aged 55) P.O.W. Camp at Stalingrad
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1916–45
Rank	General der Gebirgstruppe
Commands held	46. Infanterie-Division 117. Jäger Division XXIV. Panzerkorps XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire (8 November 1898 – 18 June 1954) was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Role in Massacre of Kalavryta

In November 1943, the German 117th Jäger Division began a mission named Unternehmen Kalavryta (Operation Kalavryta), intending to encircle Greek guerrilla fighters in the mountainous area surrounding Kalavryta. During the operations, some German soldiers were killed and 77 of them, who were taken prisoners, were executed by the Greek guerrillas. On 10 December 1943 von Le Suire signed the order for the German division to "level the locations Mazeika and Kalavryta" (die Orte Mazeika und Kalawrita dem Erdboden gleich zu machen).

In total, more than 1200 civilians were killed during the reprisal operations. About 1,000 houses were looted and burned and more than 2,000 sheep and other large domestic animals were seized by the Germans. The event is known as the Massacre of Kalavryta.

Captivity and death

Karl von Le Suire was captured by Soviet troops in May 1945 and died in Soviet captivity on 18 June 1954 in a prisoner of war camp at Stalingrad.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class (28 March 1918)^[1]
- 1st Class (19 December 1921)^[1]
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (13 September 1939)^[1]
- 1st Class (13 September 1939)^[1]
Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (26 October 1941)
German Cross in Gold (25 April 1942)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 November 1944 as General der Gebirgstruppe and commander of XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps^[2]
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (17 October 1944)

References

Citations

1 2 3 4 Thomas & Wegmann 1994, p. 35.
↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 339.

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 [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
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.
Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1994). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil VI: Die Gebirgstruppe Band 2: L–Z [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part VI: The Mountain Troops Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2430-3.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

Crimes of the German Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by General der Infanterie Arthur Hauffe	Commander of 46. Infanterie-Division 13 February 1943 – 27 February 1943	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Arthur Hauffe
Preceded by Previously 717. Infanterie-Division	Commander of 117. Jäger Division 1 May 1943 – 10 July 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant August Wittmann
Preceded by General der Artillerie Walter Hartmann	Commander of XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps 5 August 1944 – 8 May 1945	Succeeded by None

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 264582396 GND: 1026194318

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