Background
Hilpert was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria.
Hilpert was born in Nuremberg, Bavaria.
During the last stages of World World War II, Hilpert commanded the German troops which had been surrounded by the Soviet Army in the Courland Pocket. On 7 May 1945, Head of State (Staatsoberhaupt) and German President (Reichspräsident) Karl Dönitz ordered Colonel-General (Generaloberst) Carl Hilpert, to surrender Army Group Courland. Hilpert was the army group"s last commander-in-chief
Hilpert surrendered himself, his personal staff, and three divisions of the XXXVIII Corps to Marshal of the Soviet Union Leonid Govorov.
Hilpert sent the following message to his troops: To all ranks! Marshal Govorod (sic) has agreed to a cease-fire beginning at 14:00 hours on 8 May. Troops to be informed immediately.
White flags to be displayed. Commander expects loyal implementation of order, on which the fate of all Courland troops depends.
He died two years later as prisoner in Moscow on 1 February 1947.
Commanding Officer - Tübingen Regiment - 1935 Commanding Officer - 35th Regiment - 1935 to 1937 Chief-of-Staff - IX Corps - 1937 to 1939 Chief-of-Staff - Army Detachment A - 1939 Chief-of-Staff - Frontier Section South, Poland - 1939 to 1940 Chief-of-Staff - 1st Army, France - 1940 Chief-of-Staff - Army Group Doctorate, Occupied France - 1940 to 1942 Chief-of-Staff - Commander in Chief West, Occupied France - 1941 to 1942 In reserve - 1942 Acting General Officer Commanding - LIX Corps - 1942 General Officer Commanding - XXIII Corps - 1942 to 1943 General Officer Commanding - LIV Corps - 1943 General Officer Commanding - XXVI Corps - 1943 General Officer Commanding - I Army Corps - 1 January to 20 January 1944 General Officer Commanding - I Army Corps - 1 May to 1 August 1944 Acting General Officer Commanding - 16th Army, Eastern Front - 1944 to 1945 Acting Commander-in-Chief - Army Group North, Eastern Front - 1945 Acting Commander-in-Chief - Army Group Courland, Eastern Front - 1945 General Officer Commanding - 16th Army, Eastern Front - 1945 Commander-in-Chief - Army Group Courland, Eastern Front - 15 March to 8 May 1945 Prisoner of war - 1945 to 1947 Bibliography.
Military Merit Order, 4th class with Swords (Bavaria) Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (7 October 1914) 1st Class (18 October 1916) Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 Anschluss Medal Sudetenland Medal Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (20 April 1940) 1st Class (16 June 1940) Eastern Front Medal German Cross in Gold on 19 February 1943 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the XXIII Armeekorps Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 22 August 1943 as General der Infanterie and commander of the LIV. Armeekorps 542nd Oaks Leaves on 8 August 1944 as General der Infanterie and commander of the I. Armeekorps Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (18 August 1944 and 9 May 1945) Ärmelband Kurland.
