GL Hans Graf von Sponeck

[Deutschritter]

Gentlemen, ths is what I have on Hans Emil Otto Graf von Sponeck, any additions or corrections would be great. I cannot find anything about his service in 1919. Does anyoune know, if he was in a Freikorps?

 

19.3.1908 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) without Patent (ernannt)

... shortly afterwards received a Patent from 19 Juni 1908

25.2.1915 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

16.9.1917 Hauptmann (Captain)

1928 Major with rank seniority (RDA) from 1.2.1928

1.10.1932 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)

1.10.1934 Oberst (Colonel)

10.2.1938 Generalmajor without rank seniority (RDA)

... 28.2.1938 received RDA from 1.3.1938

1.2.1940 Generalleutnant

 

Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class

Lippe War Merit Cross (LK)

Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords (BMV4⚔)

Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion (Orden vom Zähringer Löwen), Knight's Cross 2nd Class (BZ3b⚔/BZL3b⚔)

Friedrich Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords (WF3a⚔)

Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1918) in Mattweiß (Silver)

Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden in 1923

Prussian Lifesaving Medal (Rettungsmedaille am Band)

Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden in 1931

Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1934) with Swords

Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class on 2 October 1936

Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class

Romanian Order of Michael the Brave (Militärorden „Michael der Tapfere“), 3rd Class on 19 September 1941

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande)

 

Hans-Graf-Sponeck-Straße in Germersheim

Graf-Sponeck-Straße in Bremen (Neue Vahr-Süd) on 3 June 1958

General-Hans-Graf-von-Sponeck-Kaserne (III. Bataillon/Luftwaffenausbildungsregiment 4) of the Bundeswehr in Germersheim on 1 March 1966

 

 

[Herman]

Any pictures of his medal bar?

 

Regards 

Herman 

[Deutschritter]

Only of bad quality: 

 

[VtwinVince]

Wasn't this the Sponeck who was sentenced to death for retreating?

[Deutschritter]

He was found guilty of disobedience to a superior officer and given the death sentence. Adolf Hitler, on the proposal of Generaloberst Curt Haase (assistant prosecutor), commuted the sentence to six years in fortress imprisonment (Festungshaft) on 20 February 1942 (another source states 22 February). After the assassination attempt on Hitler on 20 July 1944, von Sponeck, like so many officers of nobility, was suspected of complicity and conspiracy, without evidence, not even circumstantial. On 23 July 1944, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler gave the order, without another trial, that von Sponeck was to be shot immediately by 7:00 a.m. 

[Dave Danner]

16.10.1914 EK2
09.03.1916 BZ3bX
10.04.1916 EK1
14.03.1918 LK
17.09.1918 WF3aX
27.09.1918 BMV4X
01.03.1919 Verwundetenabzeichen in mattweiß
18.12.1929 Rettungsmedaille am Bande
24.06.1933 Johanniterorden, Rechtsritter
30.12.1934 Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
02.10.1936 WHDA1

 

[Deutschritter]

Wonderful, thank you, Dave! New list:

 

Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class

... EK II on 16 October 1914

... EK I on 10 April 1916

Baden Order of the Zähringer Lion (Orden vom Zähringer Löwen), Knight's Cross 2nd Class (BZ3b⚔/BZL3b⚔) 9 March 1916

Lippe War Merit Cross (LK) on 14 March 1918

Friedrich Order, Knight 1st Class with Swords (WF3a⚔) on 17 September 1918

Bavarian Military Merit Order, 4th Class with Swords (BMV4⚔) on 27 September 1918

Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen 1918) in Mattweiß (Silver) on 1 March 1919

Knight of Honour (Ehrenritter) of the Johanniter-Orden in 1923 (date source)

Prussian Lifesaving Medal (Rettungsmedaille am Band) on 18 December 1929

Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden on 24 June 1933

Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1934) with Swords on 30 December 1934

Wehrmacht Long Service Award (Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung), 4th to 1st Class on 2 October 1936

Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class

Romanian Order of Michael the Brave (Militärorden „Michael der Tapfere“), 3rd Class on 19 September 1941

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 May 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 22. Infanterie-Division (Luftlande)

Edited November 3, 2023 by Deutschritter

[VtwinVince]

Thanks for the clarification. I saw a lecture many years ago by, I believe, the nephew of this guy, who quit his job at the UN in protest over the actions of Madeleine Albright.

[Deutschritter]

37 minutes ago, VtwinVince said:

Thanks for the clarification. I saw a lecture many years ago by, I believe, the nephew of this guy, who quit his job at the UN in protest over the actions of Madeleine Albright.

 

Yes, that was Hans-Christof, his son with his second wife Gertrud Könitzer. He had two sons with his first wife Anneliese Honrichs (1889–1961), whom he divorced on 21 September 1937:

 

Hans(-)Curt Carl (b. 23 July 1911 in Pieverstorf, Mecklenburg; d. 25 November 1999), Major of the Luftwaffe, fighter pilot with Stab/JG 132, JG 2,, II./JG 54, Staffelkapitän of 7./JG 5 and Schnellkampfgeschwader 10

 

Hans(-)Wilhelm Otto (b. 21 February 1913 in Spandau), ⚔ as Rittmeister of the cavalry on 5 July 1942 in Schilowo

Edited November 3, 2023 by Deutschritter