Erich Lüdke
Encyclopedia
Erich Lüdke was a German
General of the Infantry
who was supreme commander of the German forces in Denmark
from 1 June 1940 to 29 September 1942.
in 1910. In spring 1914, he was assigned to the General Staff
in Berlin. At the outbreak of the World War I
he was promoted to Hauptmann
and became a company commander.
and Knight's Cross of House Order of Hohenzollern
.
and initially used in the Reichswehr Ministry. On 1 April 1922, he was then appointed commander of an infantry regiment and gradually achieved level of Oberstleutnant
due to various position of commander of cavalry and infantry regiments.
In June 1935, he was promoted to Generalleutnant and took command of the 9th Infantry Division
. A year later he took command of 34th Infantry Division
.
In 1937 he was assigned to the X Army Corps in Hamburg
. After the death of the commanding general, Wilhelm Knochenhauer|, he was assigned with the leadership of X Army Corps.
where he replaced Leonhard Kaupisch
. On 1 December 1940 he was promoted to General of the Infantry
. His time in Denmark was relatively peaceful. Only towards the end of the period, the Danish resistance movement
was becoming increasingly noticeable.
After the Telegram Crisis
, Adolf Hitler
wanted a harder line implemented in Denmark and Lüdke was deemed unfit. He was released from his post in the fall of 1942 and given the status of reserve officer.
On 31 January 1944, he retired from active service. After the war he was arrested by the Soviets and dragged into captivity and died in 1946.
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...
General of the Infantry
General of the Infantry (Germany)
General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
who was supreme commander of the German forces in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
from 1 June 1940 to 29 September 1942.
Early career
Lüdke entered the army in 1900 and was promoted to Leutnant in 1902 and to OberleutnantOberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
in 1910. In spring 1914, he was assigned to the General Staff
German General Staff
The German General Staff was an institution whose rise and development gave the German armed forces a decided advantage over its adversaries. The Staff amounted to its best "weapon" for nearly a century and a half....
in Berlin. At the outbreak of the 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...
he was promoted to Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
and became a company commander.
World War I
From 1915 Lüdke served in various staff functions. During the war he received the Iron Cross 2nd ClassIron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
and Knight's Cross of House Order of Hohenzollern
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
.
Interbellum
After World War I, Lüdke moved into the new ReichswehrReichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
and initially used in the Reichswehr Ministry. On 1 April 1922, he was then appointed commander of an infantry regiment and gradually achieved level of Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant
Oberstleutnant is a German Army and Air Force rank equal to Lieutenant Colonel, above Major, and below Oberst.There are two paygrade associated to the rank of Oberstleutnant...
due to various position of commander of cavalry and infantry regiments.
In June 1935, he was promoted to Generalleutnant and took command of the 9th Infantry Division
9th Infantry Division (Germany)
The German 9th Infantry Division was a formation of the German Wehrmacht. The division was formed on 1 October 1934 in Gießen as Infanterieführer V. With the uncovering of German rearmament on 15 October 1935 the division was renamed 9...
. A year later he took command of 34th Infantry Division
34th Infantry Division (Germany)
The 34th Infantry Division, , was a German military unit that fought in the Battle of France and on the Eastern Front during World War II.-Commanding officers:*Generalleutnant Erich Lüdke, 1 April 1936 – 1 October 1937...
.
In 1937 he was assigned to the X Army Corps in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. After the death of the commanding general, Wilhelm Knochenhauer|, he was assigned with the leadership of X Army Corps.
World War II
On 1 June 1940, Lüdke was appointed commander of German troops in DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
where he replaced Leonhard Kaupisch
Leonhard Kaupisch
Leonhard Kaupisch was a German General der Flieger whose military service spanned almost five decades. Kaupisch is most well known for his actions during World War II, primarily as Military Commander of Denmark....
. On 1 December 1940 he was promoted to General of the Infantry
General of the Infantry (Germany)
General of the Infantry is a rank of general in the Imperial Army, Reichswehr or Wehrmacht - the second-highest regular rank. The same rank spread to the Imperial Russian Army and the Defence forces of Finland between the world wars...
. His time in Denmark was relatively peaceful. Only towards the end of the period, the Danish resistance movement
Danish resistance movement
The Danish resistance movement was an underground insurgency movement to resist the German occupation of Denmark during World War II. Due to the unusually lenient terms given to Danish people by the Nazi occupation authority, the movement was slower to develop effective tactics on a wide scale...
was becoming increasingly noticeable.
After the Telegram Crisis
Telegram Crisis
The Telegram Crisis was a diplomatic crisis between Denmark and Germany in October–November 1942 during the German occupation of Denmark....
, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
wanted a harder line implemented in Denmark and Lüdke was deemed unfit. He was released from his post in the fall of 1942 and given the status of reserve officer.
On 31 January 1944, he retired from active service. After the war he was arrested by the Soviets and dragged into captivity and died in 1946.