__NOTOC__ Alfons Hitter (4 June 1892 – 11 March 1968) was a German general during World War II who commanded the 206th Infantry Division. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

. Hitter surrendered to Soviet forces in 1944 during

Operation Bagration Operation Bagration () was the codename for the 1944 Soviet Byelorussian strategic offensive operation (), a military campaign fought between 22 June and 19 August 1944 in Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Byelorussia in the Eastern ...

when his division was encircled at Vitebsk. Convicted as a

war criminal A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hostage ...

in the Soviet Union, he was held in prison for eleven years, joining the National Committee for a Free Germany while in captivity. He was released in 1955.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

(1914) 2nd Class (2 September 1914) & 1st Class (5 February 1916)Thomas 1997, p. 285. * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (13 May 1940) & 1st Class (2 July 1940) *

German Cross The War Order of the German Cross (), normally abbreviated to the German Cross or ''Deutsches Kreuz'', was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 28 September 1941. It was awarded in two divisions: in gold for repeated acts of bravery or military leade ...

in Gold on 15 December 1943 as ''

Generalleutnant () is the German-language variant of lieutenant general, used in some German speaking countries. Austria Generalleutnant is the second highest general officer rank in the Austrian Armed Forces (''Bundesheer''), roughly equivalent to the NATO ...

'' and commander of 206. Infanterie-Division *

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. While it was lower in precedence than the Grand C ...

** Knight's Cross on 14 December 1941 as ''

Oberst ''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...

'' and commander of Artillerie-Regiment 178 ** 488th Oak Leaves on 4 June 1944 as ''

'' and commander of 206. Infanterie-DivisionFellgiebel 2000, p. 71.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hitter, Alfons 1892 births 1968 deaths Military personnel from Haut-Rhin Military personnel from Alsace-Lorraine Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) German Army personnel of World War I National Committee for a Free Germany members Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Recipients of the Gold German Cross Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German prisoners of war in World War II held by the Soviet Union Reichswehr personnel Prussian Army personnel