Roland von Hößlin
Encyclopedia
Roland-Heinrich von Hößlin, or Hösslin (21 February 1915 – 13 October 1944) was a German
Wehrmacht
officer and resistance fighter in the time of the Third Reich.
Roland von Hößlin was born in Munich
into an old cavalry
officer family. In 1933, at 17, he joined the Reichswehr
and became an ensign ("Fahnenjunker") in Mounted Regiment 17 in Bamberg
. In 1936, he was promoted to lieutenant
. In 1939, during the Second World War, he took part in the Invasion of Poland
as a first lieutenant and adjutant in Reconnaissance
Detachment 10. He later had tank
training at the Panzertruppenschule in Krampnitz, now part of Potsdam
, and from March to July 1941, he was an orderly officer with the Afrika Korps
staff in Tripolitania
under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
.
In August 1941, von Hößlin was named chief of the 3rd Reconnaissance Detachment 33, and in February 1942, he was promoted to captain. On 12 July 1942, he was badly wounded as leader of Reconnaissance Detachment 33, and he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
(Ritterkreuz). His brother Hartmut von Hößlin was also awarded the Knight's Cross on 17 April 1945 as commander of II./ArtRgt 7.
By February 1944, von Hößlin was commander of the Officer-Candidate Training Detachment 24 in Insterburg, East Prussia
(nowadays Chernyakhovsk
in Russia
's Kaliningrad Oblast
). In April 1944, through his earlier friendship with Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, he was let in on the July 20 Plot
ters' plans to overthrow Adolf Hitler
. In the event of a successful coup d'état
, von Hößlin was to have his unit in Wehrkreis I (i.e., East Prussia) occupy important buildings and take other measures against the Nazi régime.
On 1 August 1944, a week and a half after the failed plot at the Wolf's Lair, came a transfer to Meiningen
in Thuringia
and a promotion to major
. On 23 August 1944, however, von Hößlin was arrested by the Gestapo
, and shortly thereafter was ejected from the Wehrmacht.
On 13 October 1944 came the sentencing by Roland Freisler
at von Hößlin's trial at the Volksgerichtshof. Freisler sentenced him to death for his part in the plot to assassinate
Hitler, and Roland von Hößlin was hanged
that same afternoon at Plötzensee Prison
in Berlin.
At Bamberg Cathedral
, a plaque commemorates the five "Bamberg Troopers" – among them Roland von Hößlin – who gave their lives in the struggle against the Nazi régime.
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...
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:...
officer and resistance fighter in the time of the Third Reich.
Roland von Hößlin was born in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
into an old cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
officer family. In 1933, at 17, he joined the Reichswehr
Reichswehr
The Reichswehr formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935, when it was renamed the Wehrmacht ....
and became an ensign ("Fahnenjunker") in Mounted Regiment 17 in Bamberg
Bamberg
Bamberg is a city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located in Upper Franconia on the river Regnitz, close to its confluence with the river Main. Bamberg is one of the few cities in Germany that was not destroyed by World War II bombings because of a nearby Artillery Factory that prevented planes from...
. In 1936, he was promoted to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. In 1939, during the Second World War, he took part in the Invasion of Poland
Invasion of Poland (1939)
The Invasion of Poland, also known as the September Campaign or 1939 Defensive War in Poland and the Poland Campaign in Germany, was an invasion of Poland by Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small Slovak contingent that marked the start of World War II in Europe...
as a first lieutenant and adjutant in Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
Detachment 10. He later had tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
training at the Panzertruppenschule in Krampnitz, now part of Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, and from March to July 1941, he was an orderly officer with the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
staff in Tripolitania
Tripolitania
Tripolitania or Tripolitana is a historic region and former province of Libya.Tripolitania was a separate Italian colony from 1927 to 1934...
under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
.
In August 1941, von Hößlin was named chief of the 3rd Reconnaissance Detachment 33, and in February 1942, he was promoted to captain. On 12 July 1942, he was badly wounded as leader of Reconnaissance Detachment 33, and he 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...
(Ritterkreuz). His brother Hartmut von Hößlin was also awarded the Knight's Cross on 17 April 1945 as commander of II./ArtRgt 7.
By February 1944, von Hößlin was commander of the Officer-Candidate Training Detachment 24 in Insterburg, East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
(nowadays Chernyakhovsk
Chernyakhovsk
Chernyakhovsk is a town and the administrative center of Chernyakhovsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Instruch and the Angrapa Rivers, forming the Pregolya...
in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
's Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
). In April 1944, through his earlier friendship with Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg, he was let in on the July 20 Plot
July 20 Plot
On 20 July 1944, an attempt was made to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Führer of the Third Reich, inside his Wolf's Lair field headquarters near Rastenburg, East Prussia. The plot was the culmination of the efforts of several groups in the German Resistance to overthrow the Nazi-led German government...
ters' plans to overthrow 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...
. In the event of a successful coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, von Hößlin was to have his unit in Wehrkreis I (i.e., East Prussia) occupy important buildings and take other measures against the Nazi régime.
On 1 August 1944, a week and a half after the failed plot at the Wolf's Lair, came a transfer to Meiningen
Meiningen
Meiningen is a town in Germany - located in the southern part of the state of Thuringia and is the district seat of Schmalkalden-Meiningen. It is situated on the river Werra....
in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
and a promotion to major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. On 23 August 1944, however, von Hößlin was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
, and shortly thereafter was ejected from the Wehrmacht.
On 13 October 1944 came the sentencing by Roland Freisler
Roland Freisler
Roland Freisler was a prominent and notorious Nazi lawyer and judge. He was State Secretary of the Reich Ministry of Justice and President of the People's Court , which was set up outside constitutional authority...
at von Hößlin's trial at the Volksgerichtshof. Freisler sentenced him to death for his part in the plot to assassinate
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
Hitler, and Roland von Hößlin was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
that same afternoon at Plötzensee Prison
Plötzensee Prison
Plötzensee Prison was a Prussian institution built in Berlin between 1869 and 1879 near the lake Plötzensee, but in the neighbouring borough of Charlottenburg, on Hüttigpfad off Saatwinkler Damm. During Adolf Hitler's time in power from 1933 to 1945, more than 2,500 people were executed at...
in Berlin.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, a plaque commemorates the five "Bamberg Troopers" – among them Roland von Hößlin – who gave their lives in the struggle against the Nazi régime.