Kurt Haehling

Kurt Johannes Hähling (7 November 1897 – 20 May 1983) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Hähling surrendered to the Red Army in May 1945 in the Courland Pocket.

Post-WWII

On 28 March 1951, he was repatriated to East Germany and became a member of the NDPD (National Democratic Party of Germany) and a full-time party official. In 1952, he became deputy chairman, and from 1953 to September 1960, chairman of the NDPD district association of Dresden. Simultaneously, from 1953 to 1963, he was a member of the NDPD's main committee and a representative in the Dresden district assembly. From May 1954 to 1958, he was a member of the National Council of the National Front of the GDR. From 1958 onward, he was also a member of the executive committee of the Association of Former Officers (AeO).

Promotions

• 6 August 1914 Kriegsfreiwilliger und Artillerist (War Volunteer and Artilleryman)
• 18 August 1915 Gefreiter (Private E-2/Lance Corporal)
• 21 October 1916 Unteroffizier (NCO/Corporal/Junior Sergeant)
• 24 November 1917 Vizewachtmeister (Vice Sergeant/Vice Staff Sergeant/Junior Sergeant-Major)
• 22 October 1918 Leutnant der Landwehr I. Klasse (2nd Lieutenant of the Landwehr, 1st Class)

Police

• 1 April 1925 Polizei-Wachtmeister (Staff Sergeant of the Police)
• 17 December 1925 Polizei-Oberwachtmeister (Sergeant Major / Senior Staff Sergeant of the Police)
• 17 April 1928 Polizei-Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant of the Police) with effect from 1 April 1928
• 11 April 1930 Polizei-Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant of the Police) with effect from 1 April 1930
• 30 January 1935 Hauptmann der Landespolizei (Captain of the State Police) with effect from 1 January 1935

Wehrmacht

• 1 August 1935 Hauptmann (Captain) with Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 August 1933 (20b)
• 31 July 1937 Major with effect and Rank Seniority (RDA) from 1 August 1937 (8)
• 20 October 1940 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 November 1940 (3)
• 15 May 1942 Oberst (Colonel) with effect and RDA from 1 June 1942 (2)
• 30 January 1945 (18) Generalmajor (Major General)

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914), 2nd Class on 13 September 1916
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 2nd Class 3rd Class on 2 October 1936 2nd Class on 5 September 1937
• Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd Class on 1 October 1939
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black (wounded on 11 September 1939)
• Iron Cross (1939), 1st Class on 19 July 1940
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941
• General Assault Badge on 2 June 1942
• Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal on 1 August 1942
• Courland Cuff Title
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 March 1945 as Generalmajor and Commander of the 126. Infanterie-Division
• Patriotic Order of Merit in Bronze on 5 October 1955
• Ernst Moritz Arndt Medal of the National Council of the National Front of the GDR

Sources

• German Federal Archives: BArch and

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.