Casper, Carl, born 22-02-1893 in Rehden, District Graudenz, 
was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, who commanded several Infantery divisions. Carl volunteered in the Army shortly after the outbreak of World War I, on 03-08-1914, as a Fahnenjunker in the Replacement Battalion of the 129th Infantry Regiment. He was involved throughout the war and one month, wounded in hospital, 
in 1915. Casper was retired from the army service on 31-03-1920 and entered the Police Service where he climbed the ranks to Major of the Police. Reactivated in spring of 1935, he entered the battles of World War II as Battalion Commander of the 118th Motorised Infantry Regiment, until 10-10-1942. After a few weeks in the Führer Reserve he was assigned as Commander of the 335th Infantry Regiment, until 07-09-1943. Wounded in battle, Casper again landed in the Führer Reserve (see Adolf Hitler) (did you know), from 07-09-1943 to 07-01-1944. Following commands of the 48th, 171nd and again the 48th Infantry Regiment, he became the command of the 48th Volksgrenadier Division 
, until 26-01-1945. Formed in West Flanders from the 171 nd Reserve Division from Poles and other non Germans the 48th was transferred to France after the collapse of the Normandy Front. First engaged in the Chartres area by the 3rd US Army 
it preformed poorly being continually driven back by the 3rd Army through Metz and Finally the Siegfried Line
was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, who commanded several Infantery divisions. Carl volunteered in the Army shortly after the outbreak of World War I, on 03-08-1914, as a Fahnenjunker in the Replacement Battalion of the 129th Infantry Regiment. He was involved throughout the war and one month, wounded in hospital, in 1915. Casper was retired from the army service on 31-03-1920 and entered the Police Service where he climbed the ranks to Major of the Police. Reactivated in spring of 1935, he entered the battles of World War II as Battalion Commander of the 118th Motorised Infantry Regiment, until 10-10-1942. After a few weeks in the Führer Reserve he was assigned as Commander of the 335th Infantry Regiment, until 07-09-1943. Wounded in battle, Casper again landed in the Führer Reserve (see Adolf Hitler) (did you know), from 07-09-1943 to 07-01-1944. Following commands of the 48th, 171nd and again the 48th Infantry Regiment, he became the command of the 48th Volksgrenadier Division , until 26-01-1945. Formed in West Flanders from the 171 nd Reserve Division from Poles and other non Germans the 48th was transferred to France after the collapse of the Normandy Front. First engaged in the Chartres area by the 3rd US Army it preformed poorly being continually driven back by the 3rd Army through Metz and Finally the Siegfried Line
where it collapsed altogether and was absorbed into the 559th Infantry Division. Reorganized into a Volksgrenadier division in Austria it was sent to the Eastern Front assigned to the German 8th Army defending Vienna where it surrendered to the Soviets 
. Transferred to his old command of the 48th Infantry Division, this division was formed in West Flanders from the 171nd Reserve Division from Poles and other non Germans the 48th was transferred to France after the collapse of the Normandy Front. First engaged in the Chartres area by the 3rd US Army, nicknamed “Patton’s Own” George Smith Patton 
it preformed poorly being continually driven back by the 3rd Army through Metz and finally the Siegfried Line where it collapsed altogether and was absorbed into the 559th Infantry Division. Reorganized into a Volksgrenadier Division in Austria it was sent to the Eastern Front assigned to the German 8th Army defending Vienna where it surrendered to the Soviets.Death and burial ground of Casper, Carl
Casper is in US captivity on 09-05-1945 and released in Mai 1948 he lived in Rastatt, where he died at the age of 77, on 25-08-1970. Generalleutnant Carl Casper is buried with his wife Erica, born Schulze, who died old age 86 in 2002, on the Stadtfriedhof of Rastatt.
Leave a Reply