Karl Strecker

Karl Strecker
Born	(1884-09-20)September 20, 1884
Died	10 April 1973(1973-04-10) (aged 88)
Place of birth	Radmannsdorf, West Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire (now Trzebiełuch, Poland)
Place of death	Riezlern, Austria
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1920) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1905–1920 1935–1945
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands held	79. Infanterie-Division XVII. Armeekorps XI. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Battle of Stalingrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Police Officer

Karl Strecker (20 September 1884 – 10 April 1973) was a highly decorated Generaloberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several corps.

Born the son of a Prussian officer in Radmannsdorf, West Prussia (present-day Trzebiełuch, Poland), Strecker in 1905 joined the infantry regiment No. 152 of the German Army at Marienburg in the rank of a Leutnant, promoted to Hauptmann (captain) in World War I.

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. Karl Strecker was captured by Soviet troops at Stalingrad in February 1943. He was held in captivity until 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Cross of Honor
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Order of Michael the Brave 3rd Class (6 November 1942)
• German Cross in Gold (25 January 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 26 October 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of 79. Infanterie-Division

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945

Military offices
Preceded by None	Commander of 79. Infanterie-Division March 1939 - 12 January 1942	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Richard Graf von Schwerin
Preceded by General der Infanterie Karl-Adolf Hollidt	Commander of XVII. Armeekorps 2 April 1942 - 12 June 1942	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Karl-Adolf Hollidt
Preceded by General der Infanterie Joachim von Kortzfleisch	Commander of XI. Armeekorps 1 June 1942 - 2 February 1943	Succeeded by Unit surrendered at Stalingrad