Speth, Hans-Ludwig

Date of birth:: October 7th, 1897 (Rockenberg-Friedberg/Hesse, Germany)
Date of death:: April 30th, 1985
Nationality:: German

Biography

Hans-Ludwig Speth was born on October 7th, 1897 in Rockenberg, Hesse.

On July 1st, 1915 he entered military service with the Königliche Preußische Armee as a Fahnenjunker. He was placed with the 2.Kurheßisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47. On December 15th, 1917 he was transferred to the Lothringisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 16 and promoted to Leutnant. Later he again was transferred to the 2.Kurheßisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47, now as a Batterieoffizier.

After the First World War, Hans-Ludwig Speth entered the new Reichsheer. In the spring of 1920 he was with the Reichswehr-Artillerie-Regiment 16. Not long after that he was transferred to the 6.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment. His promotions to Oberleutnant followed in the summer of 1925. In 1926 he was then appointed to Adjutant III. / 6.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment. In 1928 Speth was transferred to Berlin to the Stab / Gruppenkommando 1. In the spring of 1931, Hans-Ludwig Speth was added to the 3. / 2.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment and in 1932 to the Stab of 4.Division der Reischswehr, where he was promoted to Hauptmann on December 1st, 1932. His promotion to Major followed on April 20th, 1936. On August 1st, 1936 he was ordered to the Kriegsakademie in Berlin as a teacher and was promoted to Oberstleutnant on April 1st, 1939. At the time of the total mobilisation of the German forces in the summer of 1939, Hans-Ludwig Speth was added to the Generalkommando XXVII.Armeekorps as the Ia of the Stab.

With this occupation, Speth entered the Second World War and took part in the Westfeldzug in spring of 1940. In the fall of that year he was transferred to Romania to join the Generalstab der Deutschen Heeres-Mission, Rumänien and was on April 1st, 1941 send to Albania as Verbindungsoffizier (liaison officer). On June 1st he was promoted to Oberst im Generalstab and at the same time appointe to Chef des Generalstabes Generalkommando LIV.Armeekorps. with this unit he took part in the campaigns against the Soviet Union and fought in the southern part, the Crimea and Leningrad. On November 28th, 1942 Speth was transferred to be Chef des Generalstabes 18.Armee in which he was promoted to Generalmajor on January 1st, 1943. Already on December 1st he was transferred againt to become Kommandeur of 28.Jäger-Division, an appointment he held up to April 28th, 1944. On January 1st, 1944 he was promoted to Generalleutnant. His last occupation was that of Kommandeur der Kriegsakademie in Berlin as from June 1st, 1944. Here he was promoted to General der Artillerie on October 1st, 1944. He stayed at the Kriegsakademie until the end of the war on May 8th, 1945.

Hans-Ludwig Speth died on April 30th, 1985.

Promotions:
1st July 1915: Fahnenjunker;
15th December 1917: Leutnant (RDA 1st July 1916);
1925: Oberleutnant (RDA 1st April 1925);
1st December 1932: Hauptmann;
20th April 1936: Major (RDA 1st April 1936);
1st April 1939: Oberstleutnant (RDA 1st June 1938);
1st June 1941: Oberst im Generalstab;
1st January 1943: Generalmajor;
1st January 1944: Generalleutnant;
1st October 1944: General der Artillerie.

Career:
1st July 1915: 2.Kurheßisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47;
15th December 1917: Lothringisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr. 16;
?: Batterieoffizier 2.Kurheßisches Feldartillerie-Regiment Nr. 47;
1920: Reichswehr-Artillerie-Regiment16;
?: Batterieoffizier 6.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment;
1926: Adjutant III. / 6.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment;
1928: Stab / Gruppenkommando 1, Berlin;
1931: 3. / 2.(Preußisches) Artillerie-Regiment, Stettin;
1932: Stab / 4.Division der Reischswehr, Dresden;
1st August 1936: Lehrer Kriegsakademie, Berlin;
1st September 1939 – 30th September 1940: Ia Stab / Generalkommando XXVII.Armeekorps;
1940: Generalstab der Deutschen Heeres-Mission, Rumänien;
1st April 1941: Verbindungsoffizier Albanien;
1st June 1941 – 23rd November 1942: Chef des Generalstabes Generalkommando LIV.Armeekorps;
23rd November 1942 – 30th November 1943: Chef des Generalstabes 18.Armee;
1st December 1943 – 28th April 1944: Kommandeur 28.Jäger-Division;
1st June 1944 – 8th May 1945: Kommandeur Kriegsakademie Berlin.