Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck

Hans-Karl Asmus Werner Freiherr von Esebeck (10 July 1892 – 5 January 1955) was a German general who commanded the 15th Panzer Division in the Afrika Korps.

Esebeck had knowledge of and was sympathetic to the anti-Hitler conspiracy in the military. He was arrested on 21 July 1944, discharged from the Wehrmacht with effect from 31 December 1944 and spent the rest of the war in a military prison. Liberated at the end of the war he lived the rest of his life at Bodelschwingh Castle, died on 5 January 1955 and was buried in the Family Cemetery at Bodelschwingh Castle.

Family Hans-Karl was the son of the Master of the Horse (Oberstallmeister) of Kaiser Wilhelm II and Major General à la suite Walter Asmus Karl Friedrich Eberhard Freiherr von Esebeck (1853–1914), lord of the manor and Knight of Justice (Rechtsritter) of the Johanniter-Orden, and his first wife (∞ 1882) Elisabeth Luise Mathilde Gräfin von Blumenthal (1855–1893), daughter of lord of the manor Captain (ret.) Georg Adam Werner Graf von Blumenthal (1815–1883). After Elisabeth's death, widower Freiherr von Esebeck married on 23 October 1902 in Echzell Margarethe Dorothea von Harnier (1872–1920). Hans-Karl had four siblings. Promotions 25 September 1911 Fahnenjunker (Officer Candidate) 22 February 1912 Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier (Officer Candidate with Corporal/NCO/Junior Sergeant rank) 19 June 1912 Fähnrich (Officer Cadet) 18 February 1913 Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) with Patent from 22 February 1911 6 June 1916 Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) 5 March 1923 Rittmeister with effect from 1 March 1923 1 June 1933 Major 18 January 1936 Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) with effect from 1 January 1936 31 May 1938 Oberst (Colonel) with effect from 1 June 1938 22 April 1941 Generalmajor (Major General) with effect from 15 April 1941 but without Rank Seniority (RDA) 17 December 1941 received RDA from 1 October 1941 (23) 16 November 1942 Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) with effect and RDA from 1 December 1942 1 February 1944 General der Panzertruppe Awards and decorations Iron Cross (1914), 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 20 September 1914 1st Class on 27 January 1917 Waldeck Cross of Merit, IV Class with Swords (WV4X) on 24 July 1915 Austro-Hungarian Military Merit Cross, 3rd Class with the War Decoration (ÖM3K) on 2 October 1916 Württemberg Friedrich Order, Knight's Cross 2nd Class with Swords (WF3bX) on 29 November 1916 Finish Order of the Cross of Liberty, 2nd Class with Swords on 7 May 1918 Commemorative Medal of the Finnish War of Independence 1918 on 15 August 1918 Silesian Eagle, 2nd Class Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 with Swords Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th to 1st Class Repetition Clasp 1939 to the Iron Cross 1914, 2nd and 1st Class 2nd Class on 26 September 1939 1st Class on 15 May 1940 Panzer Badge Italian Medal of Military Valor in Silver on 21 June 1942 Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal Wound Badge (1939) in Silver on 15 August 1942 Medal for the Italian-German Campaign in Africa Africa Cuff Title Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 July 1940 as Oberst and Commander of the 6. Schützen-Brigade German Cross in Gold on 20 December 1942 as Major General and Commander of the 2nd Panzer Division