Alfons Hitter

Alfons Hitter
206th Infantry Division's commander, Alfons Hitter (second from right) and corps commander Gollwitzer surrender to Soviet forces.
Born	4 June 1892 Hochstatt, Alsace-Lorraine
Died	11 March 1968 (aged 75) Königswinter
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–18 1922–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Artillerie-Regiment 178 Artillerie Regiment 112 206. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Operation Bagration Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	NKFD

Alfons Hitter (4 June 1892, Hochstatt, Alsace-Lorraine – 11 March 1968) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 206th Infantry Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Generalleutnant Hitter was captured by Soviet forces early during Operation Bagration when his division was encircled and forced to surrender at Vitebsk. He was held in a Soviet prison for eleven years, joining the National Committee for a Free Germany while in captivity. He was released in 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (2 September 1914)^[1]
  • 1st Class (5 February 1916)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (13 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (2 July 1940)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 15 December 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 206. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 December 1941 as Oberst and commander of Artillerie-Regiment 178^[3]
  • 488th Oak Leaves on 4 June 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 206. Infanterie-Division^[4]
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (19 November 1943 and 11 February 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
19 November 1943	An der erfolgreichen Abwehr des feindlichen Ansturms westlich und nordwestlich Smolensk haben das II. Bataillon des Grenadierregiments (mot.) 119 unter Führung von Major Nagengast, die sächsische 14. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalmajor Flörke und die ostpreußische 206. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Hitter hervorragenden Anteil.[5]	In the successful defense of the enemy onslaught west and northwest of Smolensk, the 2nd Battalion of the 119th Grenadier Regiment (mot.) under the leadership of Major Nagengast, the Saxon 14th Infantry Division under the command of Major General Flörke, and the East Prussian 206th Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Hitter had a prominent contribution.
11 February 1944	Im mittleren Frontabschnitt hat sich die unter dem Befehl des Generals der Infanterie Jordan kämpfende niedersächsische 131. Infanteriedivision unter Generalleutnant Hitter besonders ausgezeichnet.[6]	The under the command of General of Infantry Jordan fighting Lower Saxon 131st Infantry Division under Lieutenant General Hitter has particularly distinguished itself in the middle sector of the front.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 285.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 188.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 189.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 71.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 609.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 32.

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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• 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.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Alfons Hitter @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived October 28, 2009)