This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project. The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive.
Karl Hanke
German general
Karl Hanke Rank
About Karl Hanke
Karle Hanke was a German politician affiliated to the National Socialist German Workers Party and was the last official to hold the Reischsfuhrer title.
Family and Education
He had an older brother who was killed during the First World War. He attended the German Millers School and became a milling engineer. He obtained a degree at the Berufspadagogische Institut located in Berlin.
He married Freda Von Fircks in 1944.
Political Career
Hanke could not join World War I because he wasn’t of age but instead, he served as a temporary volunteer in the Reichswehr.
His political career began in 1928 when he joined the Nazi Party. His official work in the party was when he served as a ranking speaker and factory cell organizer in Berlin. The following year, he was promoted to the position of deputy street cell leader. In 1931, he was sacked from his vocational school as a result of his involvement with the political party. He used that as an opportunity to devote all his time to the party. From that period to 1932, he served as the ward leader for Westend.
Hanke was elected into German Parliament to represent the Potsdam State. He served as the city’s parliamentarian till 8th. May, 1945. From 1931 to 1932, he served under Joseph Goebbels, who was the chief propagandist in the Nazi Party. Goebels took a liking to him and made Hanke his private secretary. They became very close to the extent that Hanke knew about his affairs outside his marriage. Their relationship fell apart when Goebbels realized that Hanke had an affair with his wife. Upon realizing that, he sent Hanke on a vacation.
Hanke joined the military service in 1939. He obtained an officer’s commission in 1937 and because of that he served with the 3rd Panzer Division in Poland. He also served in the 7th. Panzer Division under General Erwin Rommel in France from 1940. He left the military and was elected to serve as the head of Gau by Adolf Hitler.
He received the following honors: SS Honor Ring, Olympics Games Decorations, Nazi Party Long Service Award and Sword of Honor Reischsfuhrer-SS.
Death
Before he met his untimely death on 5th May 1945, he heard he had been promoted. On his way to the ceremony, he was attacked by Czech partisans. He was held captive and later beaten to death by his captors.
Karl Hanke Rank
Karl Hanke photo gallery
This image was provided to Wikimedia Commons by the German Federal Archive (Deutsches Bundesarchiv) as part of a cooperation project. The German Federal Archive guarantees an authentic representation only using the originals (negative and/or positive), resp. the digitalization of the originals as provided by the Digital Image Archive.
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F.A.Q. about Karl Hanke
When is his birthday?
Karl Hanke's birthday is on August 24, 1903.
In how many days is his birthday?
Karl's birthday is in 121 days
How old was Karl when he died?
He was 41 years old.
When did he die?
He died in June 8, 1945.
How old would he be today?
Karl Hanke would be 120 years old if he was alive today.
Where was Karl from?
He was born in Lubań, then Kingdom of Prussia.