Karl von Le Suire

Karl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire
Born	8 November 1898 Unterwössen
Died	18 June 1954 (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 Annexation of Austria Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of the Caucasus Massacre of Kalavryta Battle of the Dukla Pass Upper Silesian Offensive Prague Offensive
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]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black (28 October 1918)^[1]
• Bavarian Military Merit Order
  • 4b Class with Swords (17 November 1918)^[1]
  • 4th Class with Swords (3 April 1919)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (29 December 1934)^[1]
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 2nd Class (2 October 1936)^[1]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (13 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 September 1939)^[1]
• Sudetenland Medal (11 January 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (1 May 1942)^[1]
• Kuban Shield (1 October 1944)^[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)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
17 October 1944 (Addendum)	An der erfolgreichen Abwehr der nunmehr seit 5 Wochen währenden feindlichen Angriffe in den Ostbeskiden haben die tapferen Verbände des 24. Panzerkorps unter Führung des Generalleutnants von Le Suire und des Generalleutnants Freiherr von Edelsheim entscheidenden Anteil.[3]	In the successful defense, which has lasted 5 weeks now, of hostile attacks in the Bieszczady, the brave units of the 24 Panzer Corps under the command of Lieutenant-General von Le Suire and Lieutenant-General Freiherr von Edelsheim have played a decisive role.

See also

• War crimes of the Wehrmacht
• Massacre of Kalavryta

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1994, p. 35.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 339.
3. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 295.

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; 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

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Karl von Le Suire @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived January 26, 2011)
• Crimes of the German Wehrmacht