imperial 1914-1918 Hoefer, Karl

[Dave Danner]

Hoefer, Karl Julius Robert
* 29. Dezember 1862 in Pleß
† 12. Mai 1939 in Würzburg

 

On 23. July 1916, Karl Hoefer became the first regimental commander to receive the Pour le Mérite in World War I. Not only that, he received it as commander of a Landwehr infantry regiment - Landwehr formations were generally considered 2nd- or 3rd-tier units. Not only that, he did it with one arm, having lost his right arm a year earlier.

 

Hoefer was one of the most decorated Prussian officers of the war. He, Prinz Eitel-Friedrich and the Red Baron were the only three recipients of the Red Eagle 3rd Class with Swords and the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords during the war. Of the three, only he and Eitel-Friedrich had the Oakleaves to the PLM (had he lived, Richthofen might have added that honor as well). Add in the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class and the non-portable award of the "Bildnis SM des Kaisers mit Unterschrift", and Hoefer was decorated 7 times by Prussia alone.

 

02.08.1914 ins Feld mit Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 129
27.08.1914 Kommandeur des Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 7
07.08.1915 schwer verwundet
02.06.1916 Kommandeur des Landwehr-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 57
03.08.1916 Kommandeur der 17. Landwehr-Infanterie-Brigade
17.02.1918 Kommandeur der 43. Ersatz-Infanterie-Brigade
12.04.1918 Kommandeur der 117. Infanterie-Division
01.05.1919 Kommandeur der Reichswehr-Brigade 32
01.10.1919 Infanterieführer 8
xx.xx.1920 Kommandeur der Reichswehr-Brigade 8
26.04.1920 Kommandeur der Reichswehr-Brigade 6
xx.xx.1920 Kommandant von Breslau
31.12.1920 verabschiedet
03.02.1921 Charakter als Generalleutnant
20.05.1921 Führer des Selbstschutzes Oberschlesien
05.07.1921 in Ruhestand

 

Highest rank reached: Generalleutnant / SS-Oberführer

 

Ritter des Ordens "Pour le Mérite" mit Eichenlaube (PLM EL)
Ritter des Roteradlerordens 3. Klasse mit der Schleife und mit Schwertern (RAO3SX)

 

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Hoefer

https://gmic.co.uk/topic/9642-general-hoefer/