(Photo courtesy of Otto Bauer)

General der Infanterie Hans Ludwig Speth


Born: 07.10.1897 in Rockenberg / Friedberg / Hessen.
Died: 30.04.1985.

Promotions:
01.07.1915 -- Fahnenjunker
15.12.1917 -- Leutnant
31.07.1925 -- Oberleutnant
01.12.1932 -- Hauptmann
20.04.1936 -- Major
01.04.1939 -- Oberstleutnant i.G. (mit RDA vom 01.06.1938)
01.06.1941 -- Oberst i.G.
01.01.1943 -- Generalmajor
01.01.1944 -- Generalleutnant
01.10.1944 -- General der Artillerie

Career:
01.07.1915 - 00.00.191_ -- Entered service as Fahnenjunker, assigned to Feldartillerie-Regiment 47.

15.12.1917 - 00.00.191_ -- Commissioned/assigned to Fußartillerie-Regiment 16.

01.08.1936 - 01.09.1939 (?) -- Instructor at the Kriegsakademie.
01.09.1939 - 30.09.1940 (?) -- Ia of XXVII.Armee-Korps.
30.09.1940 - 01.04.1941 (?) -- Assigned to Generalstab, deutschen Heeres-Mission in Rumänien (German Army Mission in Romania).
01.04.1941 - 01.06.1941 (?) -- Deutsche Verbindungsoffizier in Albanien (German liaison officer in Albania).
01.06.1941 - 23.11.1942 (?) -- Chef des Generalstabes of LIV.Armee-Korps.
23.11.1942 - 01.12.1943 (?) -- Chef des Generalstabes of 18.Armee.
01.12.1943 - 28.04.1944 -- Kommandeur of 28.Jäger-Division.
01.06.1944 - 08.05.1945 (?) -- Kommandeur of the Kriegsakademie.

Decorations & Awards:
23.02.1944 -- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Generalleutnant and Kdr. 28.Jäger-Division
14.04.1942 -- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as Oberst i.G. and Chef des Generalstabs LIV. Armee-Korps
20.05.1940 -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
14.03.1940 -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
29.09.1918 -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
11.03.1917 -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
25.04.1917 -- Grossherzoglich Hessische Tapferkeitsmedaille
23.08.1942 -- Krimschild
05.08.1942 -- Medaille “Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/1942"
ca. 1934 -- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
00.00.193_ -- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse
08.05.1942 -- Order of Michael the Brave 3rd Class (Romania)
00.00.194_ -- Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Romania with Swords on Ribbon of Military Virtue
00.00.194_ -- Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania on Ribbon of Military Virtue
00.00.194_ -- Commemorative Medal for the Crusade Against Communism (Romania)
00.00.194_ -- Medaglia d´Argento al Valore Militare (Silver Medal for Military Bravery, Italy)
00.00.19__ -- Order of Military Merit (Spain)
00.00.193_ -- War Commemorative Medal with Swords (Bulgaria)
00.00.19__ -- Order of Skanderbeg (Albania)


Special thanks to Mark Avery, who has kindly allowed the use of photos and information from his website at http://www.militariamuseum.com/collection/Speth/SpethBio.htm. Among the items in his impressive collection are the actual uniform and several documents once belonging to General Speth himself.



Hans Speth as a Leutnant, 1919
(Photo courtesy of Mark Avery)


Leutnant Speth with his bride, Leni Mathe, 1921
(Photo courtesy of Mark Avery)


Generalleutnant Speth, ca. 1944
(Photo courtesy of Mark Avery)


Formal portrait of Speth as a Generalmajor
(Photo courtesy of Mark Avery)


(Photo courtesy of Mark Avery)

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