(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Generalleutnant Theodor Groppe
Born: 16 Aug 1882 in Trier
Died: 28 Apr 1973 in Trier
Promotions:
Fähnrich (18 Oct 1900); Leutnant (18 Aug 1901); Oberleutnant (18 Aug 1910); Hauptmann (08 Oct 1914); Major (01 Apr 1923); Oberstleutnant (01 Feb 1929); Oberst (01 Oct 1931); Charakter als Generalmajor (31 Jan 1933); Generalmajor (01 Oct 1937); Generalleutnant (01 Nov 1939)
Career:
Entered Army Service (25 Apr 1900)
Fahnenjunker in the 131st Infantry-Regiment (25 Apr 1900-01 Aug 1908)
Adjutant of the I. Battalion of the 131st Infantry-Regiment (01 Aug 1908-01 Oct 1910)
Detached to the War Academy (01 Oct 1910-01 Oct 1913)
Regiments-Adjutant of the 131st Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1913-26 Apr 1915)
Detached to the General-Staff of the XXI. Army-Corps (26 Apr 1915-01 Oct 1915)
Adjutant of the 59th Infantry-Brigade (01 Oct 1915-23 Oct 1915)
Adjutant of the 17th Landwehr-Division (23 Oct 1915-18 Feb 1918)
Transferred into the 1st Grenadier-Regiment (18 Feb 1918-01 Apr 1918)
Commander of the II. Battalion of the 1st Grenadier-Regiment (01 Apr 1918-12 Oct 1918)
Wounded, in Hospital (12 Oct 1918-01 May 1919)
Company-Chief in the 1st Reichswehr-Rifle-Regiment (01 May 1919-01 Oct 1920)
Company-Chief in the 1st Infantry-Regiment (01 Oct 1920-01 Oct 1922)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) with the Staff of the 2nd Division (01 Oct 1922-01 Feb 1926)
Chief Of Operations (Ia) with the Staff of the 6th Division (01 Feb 1926-01 Feb 1928)
Commander of the I. Battalion of the 18th Infantry-Regiment (01 Feb 1928-01 Nov 1930)
Commandant of Fortifications around Lötzen (01 Nov 1930-31 Jan 1933)
Retired on Request as an avowed opponent to the NS-Regime (31 Jan 1933)
Employed by the Army (01 Apr 1933); Supplemental-Officer (05 Mar 1935); Active-Officer (06 Oct 1936)
Employed in Oppeln, Gleiweitz and Köslin (01 Apr 1933-05 Oct 1936)
Landwehr-Commander in Hanau (06 Oct 1936-26 Aug 1939)
Commander of the 214th Infantry-Division (26 Aug 1939-04 Feb 1940)
Führer-Reserve (04 Feb 1940-31 Dec 1941)
Retired as ‘Politically Unreliable’ (31 Dec 1941)
Loss of Title Generalleutnant a.D. and Exclusion from the Community (03 May 1942)
In Gestapo-Detention in Darmstadt (10 Aug 1944-18 Jan 1945)
In Fortress-Detention in Küstrin (18 Jan 1945-26 Apr 1945)
Instructed to be Executed, date set at 27 Apr 1945 (14 Apr 1945)
Escaped from Fortress Küstrin (26 Apr 1945)
By Order of the Federal Minister Of The Interior, All Rights as a Generalleutnant a.D. were restored again (17 Jan 1952)

Footnote: Generalleutnant Groppe had protested against Himmler’s order Dated 28 Jan 1939 to conceive children out of marriage, in view of the upcoming war losses. This was the reason he was dismissed and imprisoned.

Awards & Decorations:
- Pour le mérite: am 06.11.1918 als Hauptmann und Kommandeur des II. Bataillon des Grenadier-Regiment „Kronprinz“ (1. Ostpreussisches) Nr. 1
- RK des Kgl. Preuss. Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
- 1914 EK I
- 1914 EK II
- Kgl. Bayer. Militär-Verdienstorden IV. Klasse mit Schwertern
- RK I. Klasse des Kgl. Sächs. Albrechts-Orden mit Schwertern
- Hamburgisches Hanseatenkreuz
- Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Silber
- Kgl. Preuss. Dienstauszeichnungskreuz
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse


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