Years of service 1909–1945 Service/branch German Army | Name Karl-Adolf Hollidt Rank Generaloberst | |
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Battles/wars World War IWorld War II Similar People Hans‑Valentin Hube, Otto Wohler, Hans‑Jurgen von Arnim, Erhard Raus, Paul Ludwig Ewald vo | ||
Karl-Adolf Hollidt (28 April 1891 – 22 May 1985) was a German army commander and war criminal during World War II. He was a general (generaloberst) in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who commanded the 6th Army.
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Career
Hollidt enlisted in the German army in 1909. During World War I, Hollidt served on the Western Front and was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class. He remained in the Reichswehr (the armed forces of the Weimar Republic). Since 1935, he served in the General Staff and as a chief-of-staff of an army corps in the Wehrmacht.
At the beginning of World War II, Hollidt served as commander of the 52nd Infantry Division. From 1 November 1939, he served as a Chief-of-Staff with Commander-in-Chief Ost, General Johannes Blaskowitz. From October 1940 he served as the commander of the 50th Infantry Division in Greece. Promoted to the rank of general, Hollidt commanded XVII Army Corps, which was planned to take part in Operation Winter Storm, an attempt to relieve the 6th Army encircled at Stalingrad. After the surrender of the 6th Army, it was reconstituted in March 1943 and Hollidt was given its command. He was promoted to generaloberst (colonel general) on 1 September 1943. In 1944, his 6th Army suffered severe losses during its retreat from the Dnieper. Hollidt was dismissed from his command and put into reserve.
Trial and conviction
In 1945, Hollidt was taken prisoner by US forces. After a trial held at Nuremberg, he was convicted of the unlawful use of prisoners of war and of the deportation and enslavement of civilians. He was sentenced to five years imprisonment, and was released on good time credit in December 1949. He died in 1985.