| Birth: | Oct. 28, 1897 | | Death: | Nov. 28, 1984 | 
German World War II General, Professor, Author. Speidel was born in Metzingen in the state of Baden-Württemberg. His father, Dr. Emil Speidel was an upper level Forestry Council member and professor. Hans volunteered for World War I service in 1914 when he was 17 years old. In November, 1915 he was promoted to Lieutenant, fighting in Flanders, the Somme and Cambrai. Between the wars he remained in the German Army, studying history and economics in Berlin, Tuebingen and Stuttgart. In 1925 he was awarded a Ph.D and in 1932 was promoted to Captain. By the start of World War II, he was a staff officer in the 33rd Infantry Division. Quickly promoted, Speidel served in various staff positions. In 1944 he was promoted again, to Lieutenant General and was made Chief of Staff of Erwin Rommel's Army Group B, headquartered in La Roche-Guyon, where he was serving on June 6, 1944. He was involved in the July 20 plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler and was attempting and possibly had involved Rommel in the plot. He was arrested but not tried. He escaped and went into hiding until freed by French troops in 1945. After the war, he served as military adviser to Konrad Adenauer and published a book, "Invasion 1944: Rommel and the Normandy Campaign." When West Germany became part of NATO, Speidel achieved four-star rank and from 1957 to 1963, served as Commander in Chief, Allied Land Forces, Central Europe. Charles de Gaulle could never accept a former Wehrmacht officer in NATO and because of this, Speidel was finally replaced. He was awarded the German Cross and Knight's Cross. (bio by: KenOhio)
Search Amazon for Hans Speidel | | | Burial:
Pragfriedhof
Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: KenOhio
Record added: Jun 08, 2008
Find A Grave Memorial# 27406873 |
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Added by:
KenOhio
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