Hans Degen

Hans Degen (18 February 1899 – 8 November 1971) was a general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Hans Degen
Born	18 February 1899
Died	8 November 1971 (aged 72)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army (Wehrmacht)
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	2nd Mountain Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Life and career

Hans Degen was born in Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria in 1899. He entered the German Army in September 1916 as an ensign, serving in a Jäger battalion until the end of World War I. He remained in the army after 1918, becoming a general staff officer. In this capacity he served with 2nd Mountain Division in 1938, moving to the 1st Mountain Division on the outbreak of war in September 1939. He was then appointed chief of staff of VI Army Corp and then XIX Army Corps.[1]

In November 1943 he took command of the 2nd Mountain Division. This served on the Arctic and Western fronts, where Degen was badly wounded, retiring from the division in February 1945.[2] In March 1945 he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his command of the division.[3]

Degen ended the war with the rank of Generalleutnant.[1]

Awards and decorations

• German Cross in Gold[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 March 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 2. Gebirgs-Division.[3]

Notes

1. Lucas 1980, p. 211.
2. Mitcham 2007, pp. 263–264.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 134.

References

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Lucas, James (1980). Alpine Elite: German Mountain Troops of World War II. Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0531037134.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). German Order of Battle: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Vol 2. Mechanicsburg, PA, USA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)