Hermann Ritter von Speck

Hermann Ritter von Speck (8 August 1888 – 15 June 1940) was a highly decorated General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hermann Ritter von Speck was killed on 15 June 1940 in Pont-sur-Yonne, France. He was posthumously awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 October 1940.

In 2010, Jay Nordlinger spoke with von Speck's daughter, who claimed that the general deliberately sought death in battle:

According to his daughter, he wanted to die, and arranged to die. He felt he could not break his oath to the army — he could not desert. And his Catholic faith prevented him from committing suicide — suicide straight out, you might say. So, he put himself in the line of fire.

In his dying words, he did not say, “Give my love to my family,” or anything like that. He said, “It had to be this way.”

Awards and decorations

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class
 * 1st Class
 * Military Order of Max Joseph
 * Cross of Honor
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class
 * 1st Class
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
 * Knight's Cross on 15 June 1940 as Generalleutnant and commander of XVIII. Armeekorps