Carl Becker (general)

Carl Han Wilhelm Ludwig Becker
Nickname(s)	"Corle"
Born	16 January 1895 Varel
Died	24 March 1966 (aged 71) Heidelberg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1920)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–20 1934–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Infanterie-Regiment 18 2. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 253. 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 Battle of Kursk Battle of Smolensk (1943) Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive Battle of the Dukla Pass Upper Silesian Offensive Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	Police officer

Carl Hans Wilhelm Ludwig Becker (16 January 1895 – 24 March 1966) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, who commanded several divisions. 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. Carl Becker was captured by Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia in 1945 and was held until 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (23 July 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (17 June 1917)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold (31 August 1918)
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords (8 July 1918)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (19 January 1935)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (12 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (10 June 1940)^[1]
• West Wall Medal (30 March 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (29 September 1941)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 18 October 1941 as Oberst in Infanterie-Regiment 18^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 29 October 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 18^[3]
  • 829th Oak Leaves on 14 April 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 253. Infanterie-Division^[4]
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (24 October 1943 and 10 October 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
24 October 1943	An den Abwehrerfolgen im mittleren Frontabschnitt haben das XXXIX. Panzerkorps unter Führung des Generals der Artillerie Martinek und die rheinisch-westfälische 253. Infanteriedivision des Generalleutnant Becker besonderen Anteil.[5]	In the defensive successes in the middle section of the front had the XXXIX. Panzer Corps under the command of General of Artillery Martinek and the Rhenish-Westphalian 253rd Infantry Division of Major General Becker particular share.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 30.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 31.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 107.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 84.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 72.

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 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

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