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Karl von Le Suire file photo [21284]

Karl von Le Suire

SurnameLe Suire
Given NameKarl
Born8 Nov 1898
Died18 Jun 1954
CountryGermany
CategoryMilitary-Ground
GenderMale

Contributor:

ww2dbaseKarl Hans Maximilian von Le Suire joined the German Army in 1916, and remained with the limited Weimar military during the inter-war years. He saw invasion and occupation duties during the German annexation of Austria and the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia, then participated in the invasions of Poland and France early in the European War. After Germany turned on its once ally, the Soviet Union, he led troops in the Caucasus region of southern Russia, briefly commanding 46th Infantry Division in Feb 1943. In May 1943, he was made the commanding officer of 117th Jäger Division in the Balkan Peninsula. In this role, during Operation Kalavryta, he issued the order to destroy the town of Kalavryta, Greece as retribution for the killing of 78 German soldiers by Greek ELAS partisan fighters. On 13 Dec 1943, troops under his command marched all males aged 12 and older to a hill overlooking the town and executed them by machine guns; 500 were killed and 13 survived. Many women and children were locked up in a school, which was then set aflame; about 200 were killed. On 14 Dec, his troops burned down the Greek War of Independence landmark Agia Lavra monastery. Many of the homes were looted, some of which were later burned down. Over 2,000 livestock were seized by the division. In Nov 1944, while serving as the commanding officer of XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps (Mountain Corps), he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. In the final months of the European War, he saw action against the Soviet advances in Silesia and Czechoslovakia. He was captured by Soviet troops in May 1945 and he would pass away in captivity in Stalingrad, Russia.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jun 2014

Photographs

Karl von Le Suire, circa 1940s

Karl von Le Suire Timeline

8 Nov 1898 Karl von Le Suire was born in Unterwössen in southern Germany.
28 Mar 1918 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class.
28 Oct 1918 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Wound Badge in Black.
19 Dec 1921 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class.
29 Dec 1934 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Honor Cross of the World War 1914-1918.
13 Sep 1939 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and Iron Cross 1st Class.
11 Jan 1940 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Sudetenland Medal.
26 Oct 1941 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords.
25 Apr 1942 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
1 May 1942 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Eastern Front Medal.
13 Feb 1943 Karl von Le Suire was named the commanding officer of German 46th Infantry Division.
27 Feb 1943 Karl von Le Suire stepped down as the commanding officer of German 46th Infantry Division.
1 May 1943 Karl von Le Suire was named the commanding officer of German 117th Jäger Division.
10 Dec 1943 Karl von Le Suire issued the order to destroy the town of Kalavryta, Greece as retribution for the killing of 78 German soldiers by Greek ELAS partisan fighters. This would result in the Massacre of Kalavryta thre days later, which saw the death of about 700 Greek civilians.
13 Dec 1943 Troops of German 117th Jäger Division, under the orders of Karl von Le Suire, burned 200 women and children in a schoolhouse and machine gunned 500 males aged 12 or older in the town of Kalavryta, Greece.
14 Dec 1943 Troops of German 117th Jäger Division, under the orders of Karl von Le Suire, burned down the Greek War of Independence landmark Agia Lavra monastery in Kalavryta, Greece.
10 Jul 1944 Karl von Le Suire stepped down as the commanding officer of German 117th Jäger Division.
5 Aug 1944 Karl von Le Suire was named the commanding officer of German XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps.
1 Oct 1944 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Kuban Shield medal.
17 Oct 1944 Karl von Le Suire was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht daily radio report.
26 Nov 1944 Karl von Le Suire was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
8 May 1945 Karl von Le Suire was captured by Soviet troops, thus ending his role as the commanding officer of German XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps.
18 Jun 1954 Karl von Le Suire passed away at a prisoner of war camp in Stalingrad, Russia.




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More on Karl von Le Suire
Event(s) Participated:
» Annexation of Austria
» Munich Conference and the Annexation of Sudetenland
» Invasion of Poland
» Invasion of France and the Low Countries
» Caucasus Campaign
» Silesian Offensive and the Siege of Breslau
» Prague Strategic Offensive

Karl von Le Suire Photo Gallery
Karl von Le Suire, circa 1940s


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