{{Short description|German general (1906–1976)}} {{Infobox military person | name = Gerhard Engel | birth_date = 13 April 1906 | death_date = {{death date and age|1976|12|9|1906|4|13|df=y}} | birth_place = Guben | death_place = Munich | image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1985-015-03, Gerhard Engel.jpg | image_size = 175px | caption = | nickname = | allegiance = {{flag|Weimar Republic}}<br/>{{flag|Nazi Germany}} | branch = German Army | service_years = 1925–1945 | rank = ''Generalleutnant'' | commands = 12th Infantry Division<br/>56th Infantry Division<br/>Division Ulrich von Hutten | unit = | battles = World War II <!--- *Annexation of Austria *Siege of Leningrad *Operation Bagration *Minsk Offensive *Battle of Aachen *Battle of Hürtgen Forest *Battle of the Bulge *Battle of Halbe ---> | awards = Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves | other_work = }} '''Gerhard Engel''' (13 April 1906 – 9 December 1976) was a German general during World War II who commanded several divisions after serving as an adjutant to Adolf Hitler. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
==Military career== Gerhard Engel joined the army in 1925, and served in the armed forces of the Weimar Republic and then of Nazi Germany. In 1938, he was appointed adjutant to the Commander-in-Chief of the Army. In 1941, he was promoted to major, and appointed an army adjutant to Hitler. He wrote a secret diary which was published after the war as "At the Heart of the Reich". In 1943, Engel was transferred to the Western Front. He fought in the Battle of Aachen, the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Battle of Halbe.
From 13 April 1945 until the end of World War II, Engel commanded the Infantry Division Ulrich von Hutten.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Mitcham|first=Samuel W.|title=German Order of Battle. Volume Two: 291st-999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII|publisher=Stackpole Books|year=2007|isbn=9780811734165|chapter=Infantry Division Ulrich von Hutten (3rd RAD Division)|author-link=Samuel W. Mitcham}}</ref> He was taken prisoner by the U.S. Army in May 1945, and released in December 1947. After his release, Engel was manager of a sugar factory in Nörvenich, and then of a machine factory in Düsseldorf. From April 1958 to December 1976, he worked as State Commissioner of the Society for Military Customer in North Rhine-Westphalia. Engel died in 1976.
==Awards and decorations== * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 February 1944) & 1st Class (23 May 1944)<ref name="Thomas p156">Thomas 1997, p. 156.</ref> * German Cross in Silver on 16 October 1943 as ''Oberstleutnant'' in Füsilier-Regiment 27<ref>Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 539.</ref> * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ** Knight's Cross on 4 July 1944 as ''Oberstleutnant'' and commander of Füsilier-Regiment 27<ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 145.</ref> ** Oak Leaves on 11 December 1944 as ''Generalmajor'' and commander of 12. Volksgrenadier-Division<ref>Fellgiebel 2000, p. 78.</ref>
==References== '''Citations''' {{Reflist}} {{refimprove|date=July 2016}}
'''Bibliography''' {{refbegin}} * {{Cite book |last=Fellgiebel |first=Walther-Peer |author-link=Walther-Peer Fellgiebel |year=2000 |orig-year=1986 |title=Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile |trans-title=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 |language=de |location=Friedberg, Germany |publisher=Podzun-Pallas |isbn=978-3-7909-0284-6 }} * {{Cite book |last1=Patzwall |first1=Klaus D. |last2=Scherzer |first2=Veit |year=2001 |title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II |trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 |language=de |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8 }} * {{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=Franz |year=1997 |title=Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K |trans-title=The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K |language=de |location=Osnabrück, Germany |publisher=Biblio-Verlag |isbn=978-3-7648-2299-6 }} {{refend}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box |before=Generalleutnant Rudolf Bamler |after=Renamed 12. Volksgrenadier-Division |title= Commander of 12. Infanterie-Division |years=28 June 1944 – October 1944 }} {{succession box |before=Previously 12. Infanterie-Division |after=Generalmajor Günther Rohr |title= Commander of 12. Volksgrenadier-Division |years=October 1944 – November 1944 }} {{succession box |before=Generalmajor Günther Rohr |after=Oberst Langhäuser |title= Commander of 12. Volksgrenadier-Division |years=November 1944 – 1 January 1945 }} {{succession box |before=Oberst Langhäuser |after=None |title= Commander of 12. Volksgrenadier-Division |years=27 March 1945 – 12 April 1945 }} {{succession box |before=Generalleutnant Edmund Blaurock |after=None |title=Commander of Infanterie Division "Ulrich von Hutten" |years=13 April 1945 – May 1945 }} {{s-end}}
{{Knight's Cross recipients of the 12th ID}} {{Authority control}} {{Subject bar | portal1=Biography }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Engel, Gerhard}} Category:1906 births Category:1976 deaths Category:People from Guben Category:Lieutenant generals of the German Army (1935–1945) Category:German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Category:Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class Category:Officers of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Category:Commanders of the Order of St. Sava Category:Military personnel from the Province of Brandenburg Category:Adjutants of Adolf Hitler Category:Military personnel from Brandenburg