Hermann Flörke

Hermann Flörke
Born	(1893-10-23)23 October 1893 Hanover, Province of Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	Gießen, Hesse, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1920) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–20 1934–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	31. Infanterie-Division 14. Infanterie-Division LXVI. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Smolensk (1943) Operation Bagration Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive Lublin–Brest Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hermann Flörke (23 October 1893 – 19 August 1979) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 14th Infantry Division. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hermann Flörke was captured by American forces on 21 April 1945 and was held until June 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (15 June 1915)
  • 1st Class (27 August 1917)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (21 May 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 23 October 1942 as Oberst in Infanterie-Regiment 12
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 15 December 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 14. Infanterie-Division
  • 565th Oak Leaves on 2 September 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 14. Infanterie-Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (19 November 1943)
• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (10 March 1967)
• Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (10 March 1967)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
19 November 1943	An der erfolgreichen Abwehr des feindlichen Ansturms westlich und nordwestlich Smolensk haben das II. Bataillon des Grenadierregiments (mot.) 119 unter Führung von Major Nagengast, die sächsische 14. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalmajor Flörke und die ostpreußische 206. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Hitter hervorragenden Anteil.	In the successful defense of the enemy onslaught west and northwest of Smolensk, the 2nd Battalion of the 119th Grenadier Regiment (mot.) under the leadership of Major Nagengast, the Saxon 14th Infantry Division under the command of Major General Flörke, and the East Prussian 206th Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Hitter had a prominent contribution.

External links

• Hermann Flörke in the German National Library catalogue
• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Kurt Pflieger	Commander of 31. Infanterie-Division 1 April 1943 – 15 May 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Friedrich Hoßbach
Preceded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Holste	Commander of 14. Infanterie-Division 15 May 1943 – 15 December 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Erich Schneider
Preceded by General der Artillerie Walther Lucht	Commander of LXVI. Armeekorps March 1945 – April 1945	Succeeded by None