Alfred Ritter von Hubicki
Encyclopedia
Alfred Eduard Franz Ritter von Hubicki (5 February 1887 – 14 July 1971) was a Hungarian born Austrian army officer who was a Panzer
General
in the German
army during World War II
.
as an officer cadet in 1905 and after service in World War I
as commander of a battalion of mountain troops, he served in the army of the First Austrian Republic
. He also studied law in Vienna and was awarded a doctorate
in the subject.
of Austria in 1938 he had reached the rank of Generalmajor as the commander of the Austrian Army motorized division and transferred to the Wehrmacht
with the same rank and was appointed commander of the 4th Light Division upon its formation in Vienna
. The unit was renamed the 9th Panzer Division and Hubicki commanded it through the invasion of Poland
in which it took part in the battles of Jordanów
and Jaroslaw
. It then took part in the invasions of France
and The Netherlands and Hubicki was promoted to Generalleutnant in August 1940. He then led the division in the Balkans
and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
for his role in that campaign.
He was promoted to General der Panzertruppe
on 1 October 1942 and after commanding a special unit at the OKW he was appointed as the head of the German Military Mission to Slovakia
. He was retired from active service in March 1945 and died in 1971.
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
General
General (Germany)
General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
in the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
World War I
He joined the Austro-Hungarian ArmyAustro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
as an officer cadet in 1905 and after service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as commander of a battalion of mountain troops, he served in the army of the First Austrian Republic
First Austrian Republic
The Republic of Austria encompasses the period of Austrian history following the signing of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye of September 1919, the settlement after the end of World War I which put an end to the Republic of German Austria, continuing up to World War II...
. He also studied law in Vienna and was awarded a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in the subject.
World War II
By the time of the AnschlussAnschluss
The Anschluss , also known as the ', was the occupation and annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany in 1938....
of Austria in 1938 he had reached the rank of Generalmajor as the commander of the Austrian Army motorized division and transferred to the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
with the same rank and was appointed commander of the 4th Light Division upon its formation in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. The unit was renamed the 9th Panzer Division and Hubicki commanded it through the invasion of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in which it took part in the battles of Jordanów
Battle of Jordanów
The Battle of Jordanów took place on 2 September 1939, during the Invasion of Poland and the opening stages of World War II. It was fought between the German XXII Panzer Corps of Gen. Paul Ludwig Ewald von Kleist and the Polish 10th Motorized Cavalry Brigade under Col...
and Jaroslaw
Battle of Jaroslaw
The Battle of Jarosław took place between September 10 and September 11, 1939, in the city of Jarosław on the San River...
. It then took part in the invasions of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and The Netherlands and Hubicki was promoted to Generalleutnant in August 1940. He then led the division in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
for his role in that campaign.
He was promoted to General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe
General der Panzertruppe was a rank of German Army General introduced by the Wehrmacht in 1935. As the commander of a Panzer Corp this rank corresponds to a US Army Lieutenant-General...
on 1 October 1942 and after commanding a special unit at the OKW he was appointed as the head of the German Military Mission to Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. He was retired from active service in March 1945 and died in 1971.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(10 April 1941) - German Cross in Gold (22 April 1942)