Johannes Poeppel
Encyclopedia
Johannes Poeppel was a general in the German
Bundeswehr
. He served as Inspekteur des Heeres (Inspector of the Army) 1979-81.
(today Świdwin, Poland
) and passed his Abitur
at a Napola institution
in Berlin
in 1939. That same year he joined the Wehrmacht
as an officer cadet and served in the Artillerieregiment 32 throughout the Second World War. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of Hauptmann (captain), and managed to avoid Russian captivity.
In 1947-49, he studied at the Pedagogic Institute in Celle
, including a semester at the University of Manchester
. He started to work as a teacher in 1949 in Wriedel
(Uelzen
) and became an academic assistant at the Pedagogic University of Osnabrück in 1952.
in 1958-61 and served on the Staff of the I. Korps in Münster
. He became Staff Officer to the Generalinspekteure Friedrich Foertsch
and Heinrich Trettner
and commanded the Feldartilleriebataillon 31 in Lüneburg
. In 1967-69, he worked at the Federal Department of Defense in Bonn
.
On 1 January 1970, Poeppel became the commander of Panzergrenadierbrigade 1 in Hildesheim
until 31 March 1973 and until 31 March 1978 of the 6. Panzergrenadierdivision in Neumünster
. There he was promoted to Generalmajor.
On 1 April 1978 Poeppel returned to Bonn and became the Deputy Inspector General of the Army and a year later Inspector General (Generalinspekteur des Heer
es). Poeppel retired on 1 October 1981.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. He served as Inspekteur des Heeres (Inspector of the Army) 1979-81.
Biography
Poeppel was born in Schivelbein, Farther PomeraniaFarther Pomerania
Farther Pomerania, Further Pomerania, Transpomerania or Eastern Pomerania , which before the German-Polish border shift of 1945 comprised the eastern part of the Duchy, later Province of Pomerania, roughly stretching from the Oder River in the West to Pomerelia in the East...
(today Świdwin, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) and passed his Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
at a Napola institution
National Political Institutes of Education
National Political Institutes of Education were secondary boarding schools in Nazi Germany. They were founded as "community education sites" after the National Socialist seizure of power in 1933.-Overview:...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1939. That same year he joined the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
as an officer cadet and served in the Artillerieregiment 32 throughout the Second World War. By the end of the war, he had attained the rank of Hauptmann (captain), and managed to avoid Russian captivity.
In 1947-49, he studied at the Pedagogic Institute in Celle
Celle
Celle is a town and capital of the district of Celle, in Lower Saxony, Germany. The town is situated on the banks of the River Aller, a tributary of the Weser and has a population of about 71,000...
, including a semester at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. He started to work as a teacher in 1949 in Wriedel
Wriedel
Wriedel is a municipality in the district of Uelzen, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
(Uelzen
Uelzen
Uelzen is a town in northeast Lower Saxony, Germany, and capital of the county of Uelzen. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, a Hanseatic town and an independent municipality....
) and became an academic assistant at the Pedagogic University of Osnabrück in 1952.
Resumption of Military career
After the organization of the Bundeswehr in 1955, Poeppel volunteered and was reinstated at his former rank of captain. Poeppel passed his general staff training at the Führungsakademie der BundeswehrFührungsakademie der Bundeswehr
The Führungsakademie der Bundeswehr is the highest military academy of the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr. Established in 1957, and since 1958 located in Hamburg, it is the successor of the Prussian Military Academy that was established in 1810...
in 1958-61 and served on the Staff of the I. Korps in Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. He became Staff Officer to the Generalinspekteure Friedrich Foertsch
Friedrich Foertsch
Friedrich Albert Foertsch was a German general serving during World War II and from 1961 to 1963 the second Inspector General of the Bundeswehr ....
and Heinrich Trettner
Heinrich Trettner
Heinrich "Heinz" Trettner was a German general serving during World War II and from 1964 to 1966 Inspector General of the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
and commanded the Feldartilleriebataillon 31 in Lüneburg
Lüneburg
Lüneburg is a town in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of fellow Hanseatic city Hamburg. It is part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, and one of Hamburg's inner suburbs...
. In 1967-69, he worked at the Federal Department of Defense in Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
.
On 1 January 1970, Poeppel became the commander of Panzergrenadierbrigade 1 in Hildesheim
Hildesheim
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 30 km southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small tributary of the Leine river...
until 31 March 1973 and until 31 March 1978 of the 6. Panzergrenadierdivision in Neumünster
Neumünster
Neumünster is an independent town in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, which has a total of four independent towns.-Current Situation:Neumünster station is major railway junction with lines running in six directions, including the important Hamburg-Altona–Kiel and Neumünster–Flensburg lines.Near...
. There he was promoted to Generalmajor.
On 1 April 1978 Poeppel returned to Bonn and became the Deputy Inspector General of the Army and a year later Inspector General (Generalinspekteur des Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
es). Poeppel retired on 1 October 1981.
Personal life
Poeppel was married in 1947 to a woman from a neighboring property in Pommerania, "the girl next door," the couple had two children. Their son, Burkhardt, is also a Bundeswehr officer; their daughter, Susanne is an advanced degree student. Poeppel was an able and ardent tennis player all his life.Publications
- Hans Poeppel, Wilhelm-Karl Prinz von Preußen, Karl-Günther von Hase, Die Soldaten der Wehrmacht, 6. Auflage, München 2000. ISBN 3776620579