Karl Eglseer

Karl Eglseer
Born	5 July 1890 Bad Ischl, Upper Austria, Austria-Hungary now Austria
Died	near Rettenegg, Reichsgau Steiermark, Nazi Germany now Rettenegg, Styria, Austria
Buried	St. Ruprecht Cemetery, Klagenfurt
Allegiance	Austria–Hungary (to 1918) First Austrian Republic (to 1938) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1908–38 (Austria) 1938–44 (Germany)
Rank	Oberst (Austria) General der Gebirgstruppe (Germany)
Commands held	4. Gebirgs-Division 114. Jäger-Division XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of Austria Annexation of the Sudetenland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Crimean Campaign (1941–1942) Battle of the Caucasus Battle of Anzio
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Karl Eglseer (5 July 1890 – 23 June 1944) was a highly decorated General der Gebirgstruppe in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. On June 23, 1944, a Junkers Ju 52 aircraft carrying Eglseer, General der Infanterie Thomas-Emil von Wickede, Generaloberst Eduard Dietl, Generalleutnant Franz Rossi and three other passengers crashed in the vicinity of the small village of Rettenegg, Styria; there were no survivors.

Awards and decorations

Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Austrian Republic

• General Carinthian Cross for bravery
• Special Carinthian Cross for bravery
• Military Jubilee Cross
• Wound Medal (Austria-Hungary)
• Karl Troop Cross (Eligibility confirmed after 12 November 1918)
• Military Merit Cross, 3rd class with war decoration and swords
• Gold Medal of Merit of the Republic of Austria

German Third Reich

• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Anschluss Medal
• Sudetenland Medal
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Silver
• Crimea Shield
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 October 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of 4. Gebirgs-Division

External links

• Karl Eglseer @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 16, 2010)
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by none	Commander of 4. Gebirgs-Division 23 October 1940 – 1 October 1941	Succeeded by Oberst Karl Wintergerst
Preceded by Oberst Karl Wintergerst	Commander of 4. Gebirgs-Division November 1941 – 22 October 1942	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Hermann Kreß
Preceded by Generalleutnant Josef Reichert	Commander of 114th Jäger Division 20 February 1943 – 1 December 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Alexander Bourquin
Preceded by General der Gebirgstruppe Franz Böhme	Commander of XVIII Gerbirgskorps 10 December 1943 – 23 June 1944	Succeeded by General der Infanterie Friedrich Hochbaum