Hans Windeck – Infanterie-Regiment 58 & General z.b.V.

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Hans Windeck. Generalleutnant Hans Windeck (31 January 1888, Berlin † 19 June 1979, Herford) was a German officer whose career spanned the Imperial Army, the Reichswehr, the Schutzpolizei, and the Wehrmacht, rising to the rank of Generalleutnant during the Second World War.

Military Career Highlights:

• Entered the Prussian Army in 1903 as a Leutnant in Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 30.

• Served with distinction in the First World War, where he was wounded and later decorated with the Ritterkreuz des Königlichen Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern (1918).

• After the war, served in the Freikorps before joining the Schutzpolizei in 1920. Held key police leadership roles in Cottbus, Rheydt, Dortmund, and Brandenburg.

• Transferred to the Wehrmacht in 1935 as an Oberstleutnant. Commanded Infanterie-Regiment 58 in Herford and later held divisional commands.

• Promoted to Generalleutnant in March 1942.

World War II Commands:

• Commander of Division z.b.V. 402 (1940).

• Commander of the 152. Division (from June 1940).

• Later appointed commander of Division z.b.V. 540 in Brünn (March 1944), serving as Wehrmachtbefehlshaber in Mähren.

• In March 1945, became General z.b.V. in Prague, where he directed the retreat of German troops and civilians toward Pilsen at the war’s end.

Postwar Life:

• Held in American captivity until June 1947.

• After release, worked as a businessman and trade representative.

• Co-founder and long-serving chairman of the Verband deutscher Soldaten (VdS) in Herford.

• Active in local politics as a city council member for the FDP.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Generalleutnant Hans Windeck.

• Signed on a postwar photograph.

• Condition: Very good.

Collector’s Note:
Windeck represents the continuity of German officer tradition from the Kaiserreich through the Second World War, bridging service in the army, police, and later the Wehrmacht. His role in Prague during the chaotic end of the war gives his signature special historical significance.