Hermann Hölter – 20. Gebirgs-Armee

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Hermann Hölter. Generalleutnant Hermann Hölter (31 January 1900, Lemgo/Lippe † 5 May 1989, Bad Boll/Baden-Württemberg) was a German career officer who served in both world wars, rising to the rank of Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht. He spent much of his career as a general staff officer and is particularly remembered for his service as Chief of Staff of the 20. Gebirgs-Armee in Finland and Norway during the later stages of the Second World War.

Awards and Decorations:

• German Cross in Gold (Deutsches Kreuz in Gold) – 17 August 1944, as Generalmajor and Chief of Staff, 20. Gebirgs-Armee

• Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) – 3 May 1945, as Generalleutnant and Chief of Staff, 20. Gebirgs-Armee (award disputed; documentation incomplete and contested by later researchers).

Career Highlights:

• Entered military service in 1917 with the 10. Württembergisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 180, serving in the final year of the First World War.

• Remained in the Reichswehr, advancing through staff and command positions during the interwar years.

• In 1941, appointed Chief of Staff to the German representative at the Finnish High Command, later serving as Chief of Staff of XXXVI. Gebirgs-Armeekorps.

• From 1944 until the end of the war, served as Chief of Staff of the 20. Gebirgs-Armee, overseeing German operations in Finland and Norway.

• Captured in May 1945, later released.

• Lived in Baden-Württemberg until his death in 1989.

The Knight’s Cross Controversy:
The award of the Knight’s Cross to Hölter on 3 May 1945 remains disputed. While he was listed by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel in the 1986 edition of his reference work, archival evidence from the German Federal Archives is lacking. The OdR (Association of Knight’s Cross Recipients) debated his status multiple times between 1976 and 1984, alternately rejecting and recognizing the claim. Some researchers, such as Veit Scherzer, consider the award highly questionable due to the lack of documented combat justification in Norway in 1945 and Hitler’s March 1945 order restricting awards for leadership only.

Item Details:

• Authentic postwar signature of Generalleutnant Hermann Hölter.

• Signed on a postwar photograph.

• Condition: Excellent, well-preserved autograph.

Collector’s Note:
Hölter’s career is significant for his long service in staff positions, his key role in Finland and Norway, and the enduring debate around his Knight’s Cross. This adds an element of rarity and intrigue to his signature, making it a notable acquisition for collectors focusing on German general staff officers and the complex history of late-war decorations.