Gustav-Adolf von Zangen
Gustav-Adolf von Zangen
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Born | Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse, German Empire |
7 November 1892
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Hanau, Hesse, West Germany |
Allegiance | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
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Service/ |
Heer |
Years of service | 1910–45 |
Rank | General der Infanterie |
Commands held | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
Battles/wars | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (7 November 1892 – 1 May 1964) was a German general and the commander of the German 15th Army in the Netherlands in 1944 during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Zangen was born in Darmstadt in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. He was a veteran of World War I, receiving the honour of the Iron Cross and reached the rank of first lieutenant by the end of the Great War. He had earlier in WWII commanded 17th Infantry Division in Russia, a Corps in France in 1943 and an Army detachment in Italy before being appointed to command the 15th Army on the Western Front. Having occupied the Pas de Calais during the 1944 campaign in France, Zangen was forced to evacuate his army, together with remnants of other divisions, across the Scheldt to the island of Walcheren and South Beveland. There, they were attacked during the Battle of the Scheldt 2 October-8 November 1944.[1]
He deployed his force against the Allied advance into the Netherlands. On 24 October 1944 his headquarters in Dordrecht were bombed by the RAF. During the Ardennes offensive starting 16 December 1944, his 15th Army was tasked with fixing the British and U.S. forces north of the Bulge. see also Operation Blackcock, Operation Grenade.
Zangen was taken prisoner of war in April 1945 in the Ruhr Pocket.[2]
- 1938 - 1941 : Commanding Officer 88th Regiment
- 1941 - 1943 : General Officer Commanding 17th Division
- 1943 : General Officer Commanding LXXXIV Corps
- 1943 : General Officer Commanding LXXXVII Corps
- 1943 : General Officer Commanding Army Detachment von Zangen, Italy
- 1943 - 1944 :General Officer Commanding Lower Alps Zone, Italy
- 1944 : General Officer Commanding 15th Army, the Netherlands
He died in 1964 in Hanau.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1914)
- Wound Badge (1914)
- in Black
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
- West Wall Medal
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Eastern Front Medal
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
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Military offices | ||
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Preceded by
Generalleutnant Ernst Güntzel
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Commander of 17. Infanterie-Division 25 December 1941 – 1 April 1943 |
Succeeded by Generalmajor Richard Zimmer |
Preceded by
General der Artillerie Hans Behlendorff
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Commander of LXXXIV. Armeekorps 1 April 1943 – 1 August 1943 |
Succeeded by General der Artillerie Erich Marcks |
Preceded by
General Hans von Salmuth
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Commander of 15. Armee 25 August 1944 – 18 April 1945 |
Succeeded by none |
- Use dmy dates from December 2011
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1892 births
- 1964 deaths
- People from Darmstadt
- Generals of Infantry (Wehrmacht)
- German military personnel of World War I
- Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class
- People from the Grand Duchy of Hesse
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves