Friedrich Franz von Huth

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Friedrich Franz von Huth
Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth I.jpg
Birth name Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth
Birth date 28 February 1865(1865-02-28)
Place of birth Lüneburg, Province of Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Confederation
Death date 14 November 1945 (aged 83)
Place of death Rostock, Mecklenburg, Allied-occupied Germany
Resting place New Cemetery (Neuer Friedhof) Rostock
Allegiance  German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 National Socialist Germany
Service/branch War and service flag of Prussia (1895–1918).png Prussian Army
Iron Cross of the Luftstreitkräfte.png Imperial German Army
War Ensign of the Reichswehr, 1919 - 1935.png Preliminary Reichswehr
Years of service 1884–1914
1914–1918
1919–1920
Rank Major General
(Tannenberg-General)
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Iron Cross
Pour le Mérite
Relations ∞ 1890 Erna Auguste Marianne Franziska von Rantzau

Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth (28 February 1865 – 14 November 1945) was a German officer of the Prussian Army, the Imperial German Army in World War I and the Preliminary Reichswehr, finally honorary Colonel. On 27 August 1939, Tannenbergtag, he received the Charakter (brevet) as honorary Major General of the Wehrmacht.

Life

Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth II.jpg

As the son of an officer in the Hanover Army, von Huth, after visiting the cadet corps (Kadettenkorps) joined the Mecklenburgisches Füsilier-Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm" Nr. 90 in Rostock as a qualified officer cadet on 15 April 1884. Promoted to second lieutenant in 1885, he served as adjutant of the III. Battalion, became first lieutenant on 14 September 1893 and was promoted to commander of the 9th Company on 22 March 1900 when he was promoted to captain.

As a major, he was transferred to the staff of the Colbergsches-Grenadier-Regiment "Graf Gneisenau" (2. Pommersches) Nr. 9 in Stargard on 22 March 1912. On 18 October 1913, he was appointed commander of the 1st Battalion in the Anhaltinisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 93 in Dessau.

With this regiment, von Huth moved to the Western Front after the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 and fought his first battle on the Gete as well as in the battles of Mons and Solesmes-Le Câteau. During the attack on Solesmes on 27 August 1914, von Huth was seriously wounded by English shrapnel. After a successful recovery, he took over the leadership of his old battalion on 10 June 1915, which at that time was engaged in heavy defensive fighting at Lorettohöhe.

He was then briefly appointed leader of Infantry Regiment No. 165, a field recruit depot and the Infantry Regiment No. 93. On 7 October 1915, he was appointed commander of the King's Infantry Regiment (6th Lorraine) No. 145 and experienced the bitter trench warfare in the Argonne. In August 1916, he went with the regiment to the Battle of Verdun and the Battle of Thiaumont-Fleury. After further trench warfare in the Argonne and the Vosges, he, promoted to lieutenant colonel on March 22, 1917, led his regiment in the double battle of Aisne-Champagne. After repelling defensive battles and successful counterattacks, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords in 1917.

After trench warfare near Reims, the regiment was deployed in Flanders in August 1917, when the regiment prevented all attempts by English troops to break through at Gheluvelt and Hooge. On 14 August, von Huth led counterattacks and captured the English base at Nonneboschen with his regiment. After renewed English counterattacks near Cambrai in late autumn 1917, von Huth ordered the counteroffensive on 30 November in which his regiment advanced far into the enemy's defense lines and captured several enemy batteries. For these achievements, von Huth was awarded the highest Prussian award for bravery, the Order Pour le Mérite, on 31 January 1918 with the following reasons:

“[...] After a thrust carried out at a depth of more than 6 km, enemy and far superior infantry masses, accompanied by tank squadrons, cavalry and the strongest artillery, launched a comprehensive counterattack. Defending every step, the regiment retreated in full order to the forest near Villers-Guislain and repelled all attacks there. On the evening of 1 December 1917, the regiment was at the most advanced post on the attack front. The regiment's incomparable behavior is due above all to Lieutenant Colonel v. Huth, who, with exemplary loyalty to duty, left his mark on the Royal Infantry Regiment No. 145 in three years of the war and repeatedly led it in the most unshakable manner in the most difficult situations.”

At the same time, he also briefly led the 68th and 9th Reserve Brigade. After the Great Battles in France and further retreat battles, von Huth led the remnants of his regiment back home after the armistice. On 25 January 1919, von Huth was called to Dessau to lead the regimental counterintelligence department and handle the demobilization of the Anhalt Infantry Regiment No. 93, where he was discharged from military service on 31 July 1920 and given the honorary rank of colonel and received the right to wear the uniform. On 24 September 1920, he received the prospect of employment in the civilian service of the Reichswehr.

Family

Marriage

On 26 September 1890 in Rostock, 2nd Lieutenant von Huth married his fiancée Erna Auguste Marianne Franziska von Rantzau (b. 16 August 1870 in Rostock; d. 19 December 1938 in Dresden),[1] daughter of Heinrich Hans Franz von Rantzau (b. 8 March 1838 in Ludwigslust), Captain in the Mecklenburgisches Füsilier-Regiment Nr. 90 during the German-Franco War, killed in action on 2 December 1870 during the Battle of Loigny–Poupry, and his second wife Ina Johanna Luise Auguste von Schack (1837–1919)[2] from Brockhusen/Brookhusen. They had (at least) one child:

  • Erika Therese Sophie Marie Eliabeth Hedwig von Huth (1897–1957)
    • ∞ Liborius Hermann Arndt Walter Berndt von Steuben (1893–1968), veteran of WWI, later SA officer, then SS-Standartenführer (SS-Nr.: 262 915) in WWII

Promotions

  • 15 April 1884 Charakter als Portepee-Fähnrich (Honorary Officer Cadet)
  • 11 November 1884 Portepee-Fähnrich (Officer Cadet)
  • 16 September 1885 Second-Lieutenant (2nd Lieutenant)
  • 14 September 1893 Premier-Leutnant (1st Lieutenant)
  • 22 March 1900 Hauptmann (Captain)
  • 22 March 1912 Major
  • 22 March 1917 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
  • 30 July 1920 Charakter als Oberst (Honorary Colonel)
  • 27 August 1939 Charakter als Generalmajor (Honorary Major General)[3]

Awards and decorations

Gallery

  • Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth, Rangliste 1914.jpg
  • Major von Huth, March 1916.jpg
  • Paul Hermann Friedrich Franz von Huth, Offizier-Stammliste Anhaltisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 93.jpg

References

  1. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, 1905, p. 672
  2. ↑ Gothaisches Genealogisches Taschenbuch der Adeligen Häuser, 1919, p. 658
  3. ↑ von Huth, Friedrich Franz
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