Gerhard Engel (13 April 1906 – 9 December 1976) was a German general during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

who commanded several divisions after serving as an adjutant to Adolf Hitler. He was a recipient of the

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 ...

Military career

Gerhard Engel joined the army in 1925, and served in the armed forces of the

Weimar Republic The Weimar Republic, officially known as the German Reich, was the German Reich, German state from 1918 to 1933, during which it was a constitutional republic for the first time in history; hence it is also referred to, and unofficially proclai ...

and then 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 ...

. In 1938, he was appointed adjutant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. In 1941, he was promoted to major, and appointed an army adjutant to Hitler. He wrote a secret diary which was published after the war as "At the Heart of the Reich". In 1943, Engel was transferred to the Western Front. He fought in the

Battle of Aachen The Battle of Aachen was a battle of World War II, fought by American and German forces in and around Aachen, Germany, between 12 September and 21 October 1944. The city had been incorporated into the Siegfried Line, the main defensive network ...

, the

Battle of Hürtgen Forest The Battle of Hürtgen Forest () was a series of battles fought from 19 September to 16 December 1944, between United States Armed Forces, American and Wehrmacht, German forces on the Western Front (World War II), Western Front during World War ...

, the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

, and the Battle of Halbe. From 13 April 1945 until the end of World War II, Engel commanded the Infantry Division Ulrich von Hutten. He was taken prisoner by the U.S. Army in May 1945, and released in December 1947. After his release, Engel was manager of a sugar factory in Nörvenich, and then of a machine factory in

Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state of Germany. It is the second-largest city in the state after Cologne and the List of cities in Germany with more than 100,000 inhabitants, seventh-largest city ...

. From April 1958 to December 1976, he worked as State Commissioner of the Society for Military Customer in

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...

. Engel died in 1976.

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 ...

(1939) 2nd Class (26 February 1944) & 1st Class (23 May 1944)Thomas 1997, p. 156. *

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 Silver on 16 October 1943 as ''

Oberstleutnant () (English: Lieutenant Colonel) is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, ...

'' in Füsilier-Regiment 27 *

** Knight's Cross on 4 July 1944 as ''Oberstleutnant'' and commander of Füsilier-Regiment 27 ** Oak Leaves on 11 December 1944 as ''

Generalmajor is the Germanic languages, Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central Europe, Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and R ...

'' and commander of 12. Volksgrenadier-DivisionFellgiebel 2000, p. 78.

References

Citations Bibliography * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Engel, Gerhard 1906 births 1976 deaths People from Guben Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht) German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class Officers of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Commanders of the Order of St. Sava Military personnel from the Province of Brandenburg Adjutants of Adolf Hitler Military personnel from Brandenburg