Ernst von Leyser

Ernst Ulrich Hans von Leyser (known as Ernst von Leyser) was a German General der Infanterie during World War II who commanded various Army Corps and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross was Nazi Germany's highest award for military gallantry and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. After the war, in 1947, von Leyser was tried for war crimes committed in the Balkans and sentenced to ten years of imprisonment during the Hostages Trial, but was pardoned and released in 1951.

Early years, World War I and Interwar period
Ernst von Leyser was born in 1889 in Steglitz. He entered military service by joining the Kaiserliche Armee on 24 March 1909, at the age of 20 with the rank of Leutnant. He was initially assigned to the 5th Foot Guards but upon the outbreak of World War I in 1914 he was transferred to the 1st Guards Reserve Regiment. He served in various positions in his regiment and eventually reached the rank of Hauptmann during the summer of 1918, a few months before the end of the war.

After the capitulation of the German Empire and the drastical downsizing of the German Army (renamed to Reichswehr) he remained in army service in the 115th Infantry Regiment until 31 December 1920, when he was transferred to the Polizei. There, he rose to the rank of Major in 1922. Upon Adolf Hitler's rise to power in 1933, Nazi Germany's armed forces (the Wehrmacht) started a massive rearmament, ignoring the Versailles treaty. Subsequently, von Leyser was called back to the Wehrmacht on 15 March 1935 and was promoted to Oberstleutnant. He went on to command the 77th Infantry Regiment and the Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 2 (2nd Anti-tank Battalion) in his hometown. He reached the rank of Oberst in 1937 and he was appointed commander of the Panzerabwehrtruppe XIV in Magdeburg. Shortly before the German invasion of Poland in 1939 he was commander of the Infanterie-Ersatz-Regiment 6 (6th Infantry Reserve Regiment).

World War II
Von Leyser did not participate in the invasion of Poland, as he commanded a reserve formation. Following the favorable outcome of the campaign, he was transferred to the Infanterie-Regiment 169, with which he took part in the invasion of France. On 1 February 1941 he was promoted to Generalmajor and two months later he was appointed commander of the 269. Infanterie-Division. As part of the Army Group North, the division fought in northern Soviet Union after the launching of Operation Barbarossa. On 18 September 1941 he was awarded the renowned Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and was promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 October 1942, while simultaneously given command of the XXVI. Armeekorps in Leningrad. On 1 December 1942 von Leyser received his final promotion to General der Infanterie and assumed command of the XXVI. Armeekorps. Almost a year later, he was assigned to lead the XV. Gebirgs.-Armeekorps, which was fighting against Yugoslav partisans in Croatia. On 20 July 1944 (coincidentally, the day of the failed assassination of Adolf Hitler) he switched command with General der Panzertruppe Gustav Fehn, commander of the XXI. Gebirgs.-Armeekorps in the Balkans.

On 29 April 1945, a few days before the unconditional surrender of Germany to the Allied Forces, he was relieved from his command and was captured by United States forces on 8 May, the day of the unconditional surrender of the German forces to the Western Allies. He was proved to be somehow lucky, as both Fehn and his successor, Generalleutnant Hartwig von Ludwiger, were executed by the Yugoslavians, with only the latter standing trial.

Trial, imprisonment and later life
Von Leyser was tried, as subordinate to Generaloberst Dr. Lothar Rendulic, along with 12 other high-ranking German officers in the so-called Hostages Trial, from 13 May 1947 to 19 February 1948. He was indicted and found guilty of mistreatment of POWs and partisans, as well as harassment and excessive reprisals against civilians (especially for those committed in Croatia) and was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment in December 1947. However, on 31 January 1951 John J. McCloy, the US High Commissioner in Germany and General Thomas T. Handy, Commander in Chief of United States European Command, pardoned 89 German officers convicted of war crimes, among them von Leyser, who was subsequently released four days later, on 3 February 1951.

Ernst von Leyser died in Garstedt on 23 September 1962, at the age of 73.

Awards

 * Iron Cross 2nd Class (during World War I)
 * Iron Cross 1st Class
 * Johanittenorden
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 September 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 269. Infanterie-Division
 * German Cross in Gold on 14 April 1943 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the XXVI. Armeekorps