Bio of Generaloberst Hans-Valentin Hube (1890-1944)

Hans-Valentin Robert Friedrich Hube

Date of Birth: 29.10.1890 - Naumburg an der Saale, German Empire
Date of Death: 21.04.1944 - near Ainring/Thundorf, Salzburg area, Nazi Germany (plane crash)

Promotions:
27.02.1909 Fahnenjunker
18.10.1909 Fähnrich
11.08.1910 Leutnant
25.02.1915 Oberleutnant
27.01.1918 Hauptmann
01.02.1931 Major
01.06.1934 Oberstleutnant
01.08.1936 Oberst
01.06.1940 Generalmajor
08.04.1942 Generalleutnant
01.10.1942 General der Panzertruppe
01.04.1944 Generaloberst

Career:
27.02.1909 entered the Prussian Army as Fahnenjunker in Infanterie-Regiment Fürst Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau Nr. 26 in Magdeburg
1910-1914 Zugführer and Bataillonsadjutant in Infanterie-Regiment 26
1914 at outbreak of war Zugführer with his trained recruit cohort in Infanterie-Regiment 26
24.08.1914 appointed Adjutant of II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 26
20.09.1914 severely wounded at Fontenay, left arm amputated
25.02.1915 returned to front as Oberleutnant and Kompaniechef 7. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 26
01.1916 Ordonnanz-Offizier at Generalkommando IV. Armeekorps
11.1916 Regimentsadjutant in Infanterie-Regiment 26
06.1917 temporary Bataillonskommandeur in his regiment
20.01.1918 stellvertretender Brigade-Adjutant then brief Generalstabsoffizier at Stab 7. Infanteriedivision
04.1918 Adjutant II. Bataillon Infanterie-Regiment 26
late 1918 joined Freikorps as Kompanieführer in voluntary Landesschützenkorps
01.10.1919 transferred as Hauptmann into Reichsheer, Kompaniechef Reichswehr-Infanterie-Regiment 17 then Reichswehr-Schützen-Regiment 8
1920-1925 Chef 11. Kompanie in 12. (Preuß./Anhalt.) Infanterie-Regiment in Halberstadt
01.04.1925 transferred to Stab 10. (Sächs.) Infanterie-Regiment and detailed as Infanterie-Lehrer at Infanterie-Schule Dresden
01.04.1928 to Gruppenkommando 2 with study trip to USA
01.10.1928 Taktiklehrer at Infanterieschule Dresden
01.10.1932 Kommandeur III. Bataillon Infanterie-Regiment 3 in Osterode
1933 attended heavy infantry weapons course in Döberitz
01.01.1935 Kommandeur Infanterie-Ausbildungsstab Döberitz and author of infantry training manuals
18.10.1939 Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 3
01.06.1940 Kommandeur 16. Infanterie-Division (later converted to 16. Panzer-Division)
06.1940-11.1940 also involved in acceptance of French XXI. Corps surrender at Mirecourt during France campaign
12.1940 additional Kommandeur Lehrstab II in Romania
06.1941 commander 16. Panzer-Division in Operation Barbarossa, breakthrough of Stalin Line, capture of Nikolajew and Battle of Kiev
15.09.1942 Führer XIV. Panzerkorps during advance to Volga north of Stalingrad and defensive battles
01.1943 flown out of Stalingrad pocket on Hitler's orders to plead for 6th Army breakout then returned
05.03.1943 tasked with rebuilding XIV. Panzerkorps
12.07.1943 formed Gruppe Hube on Sicily
17.07.1943 Oberbefehlshaber all Heer and Flak troops on Sicily during Operation Husky, later also Italian 6th Army subordinated
10.1943 organized evacuation across Strait of Messina and Etna Line defense
23.10.1943 to Führerreserve OKH then Führer 1. Panzerarmee
15.02.1944 Oberbefehlshaber 1. Panzerarmee, relief of Korsun pocket troops and breakout from Kamenets-Podolsky encirclement with 200,000 men
20.04.1944 attended Hitler's birthday at Obersalzberg for award presentation then fatal flight

Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1914 awarded 1915
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse 1914 awarded 1916
Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern awarded 1917
Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber 1918
Friedrich-Kreuz 1918
III. Klasse des Militärverdienstordens
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1934
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4. Klasse (4 years) 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 3. Klasse (12 years) 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 2. Klasse (18 years) 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 1. Klasse (25 years) 1936
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse awarded 24.05.1940
1939 Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse awarded 03.06.1940
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes awarded 01.08.1941 as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 16. Panzer-Division for breakthrough at Stary-Konstantynow
Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (62nd award) awarded 16.01.1942 as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 16. Panzer-Division for capture of Nikolajew and Battle of Kiev
Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 awarded 08.1942
Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern (22nd award) awarded 21.12.1942 as Generalleutnant and Kommandierender General XIV. Panzerkorps for thrust to Volga north of Stalingrad and defense
Wehrmachtbericht mention 17.08.1943
Komturkreuz des Militärordens von Savoyen (Italian) awarded 17.08.1943 / 06.09.1943
Wehrmachtbericht mention 31.01.1944
Wehrmachtbericht mention 09.04.1944
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten (13th award) awarded 20.04.1944 as General der Panzertruppe and Oberbefehlshaber 1. Panzerarmee for leadership in Sicily, Salerno and Kamenets-Podolsky breakout
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold

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Hans-Valentin Hube, affectionately known as Papa Hube or der Mensch to his troops for his paternal care and calm leadership despite losing his left arm in 1914, rose from a one-armed infantry officer in the Great War to become one of the most successful panzer commanders of the Second World War and the fourth Heer recipient of the Diamonds to the Knight's Cross. He commanded the 16th Panzer Division through the opening phases of Barbarossa, the XIV Panzer Corps in the drive on Stalingrad, and finally the entire 1st Panzer Army in its dramatic fighting withdrawal from the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket in spring 1944.

Unique and interesting facts related to him include that he authored the widely used infantry training handbook Der Infanterist in multiple editions between 1925 and 1936, incorporating National Socialist ideological language after 1933 while still focusing on practical soldiering skills. In 1940 during the Battle of France he issued a divisional pamphlet condemning the use of colonial troops by the French as a racial dishonor. He repeatedly clashed with Hitler, most famously flying out of the Stalingrad pocket twice in January 1943 to beg in person for permission for the 6th Army to break out, an appeal that was refused. His only son Ulrich was killed in action on the Eastern Front in July 1941. Hube died the day after receiving his Diamonds when the Heinkel He 111 carrying him back from Hitler's birthday celebrations crashed shortly after takeoff from Reichenhall-Berchtesgaden airfield near Ainring. He received a full state funeral in Berlin on 26 April 1944 attended by Hitler, with Generaloberst Heinz Guderian delivering the eulogy and a guard of honour formed by fellow panzer generals.



Source:
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HubeHV-R.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Valentin_Hube
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans-Valentin_Hube
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/206/Hube-Hans-Valentin-Generaloberst.htm
https://forum.axishistory.com/
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, 2007.
Wegmann, Günter. Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht, Teil III. Biblio Verlag, 2009.
Stockert, Franz Thomas. Die Brillantenträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht. Selbsverlag, 2010.
Thomas, Franz. Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Band 1. Biblio Verlag, 1997.