Rudolf Witzig
Rudolf Witzig
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File:Rudolf Witzig.jpg
Rudolf Witzig
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Born | Röhlinghausen in Wanne-Eickel |
14 August 1916
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Oberschleißheim |
Allegiance | Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
Service/ |
Luftwaffe |
Years of service | 1935–45, 1956–74 |
Rank | Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr) |
Commands held | I./Fallschirm-Pionier-Regiment 21 Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 18 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Rudolf Witzig (14 August 1916 in Röhlinghausen, Wanne-Eickel – 3 October 2001 in Oberschleißheim) was a German Fallschirmjäger during World War II and Oberst in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. 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. Witzig fought in the German attack against the Belgian fortress Fort Eben-Emael.
Contents
Early life and career
Witzig, the son of an engineer, was born on 14 August 1916 in Röhlinghausen, present-day a borough of Herne, at the time in the Province of Westphalia of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1927, the family moved to Kiel where Witzig graduated from a Realgymnasium—a secondary school built on the mid-level Realschule to achieve the Abitur (university entry qualification).[1]
Witzig volunteered for military service in the Wehrmacht on 1 April 1935, as a Fahnenjunker (officer candidate), joining Pionier-Bataillon 16 (16th Pioneer Battalion) at Höxter. Starting in February 1936, he attended the Kriegsschule (military school) at Dresden.[1] Two years later, on 20 April 1937, he was promoted to Leutnant and served as a Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 31st Pioneer Battalion. Witzig volunteered for service in the Fallschirmjäger on 1 August 1938, and joined the Parachute Infantry Battalion under the command of Major Richard Heidrich. A year later, after transferring to the Luftwaffe and then holding the rank of Oberleutnant, he was leader of the Sturmabteilung Koch pioneer platoon. This unit was named after Hauptmann Walter Koch.[2]
World War II
Witzig's greatest military achievement was the capture of Fort Eben-Emael in the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael on 10 May 1940; that same day, Oberleutnant Witzig was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). A special announcement of the Wehrmachtbericht, a propaganda radio report, the first of two such mentions, on 11 May lauded the accomplishments of Witzig and his airborne landing group.[2]
On 16 May 1940, Witzig was promoted to Hauptmann (captain). He was then posted to the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM—Ministry of Aviation) in Berlin, serving as Hermann Göring's adjutant in the Stabsamt (headquarters unit) of the RLM from 27 May until 31 July 1940.[3]
Rudolf Witzig led the 9th Company of the Parachute Assault Regiment during the Invasion of Crete. Wounded in the course of the battle, he was transferred from the Luftwaffe hospital in Athens to several other hospitals.[2]
On 10 May 1942, Witzig was placed in command of the Corps Parachute Pioneer Battalion. He received promotion to Major on 24 August 1942. From November 1942, he and his battalion served in Tunisia under the command of Oberst Hasso von Manteuffel, General Friedrich Freiherr von Broich, and General Alfred Bülowius, incorporated into the Barenthin Luftwaffe Regiment. The defensive successes in the northern sector of the Tunisian Front are closely linked with Rudolf Witzig.[2]
Witzig served as the commanding officer of I Battalion, 21st Parachute Pioneer Regiment, from 15 June 1944, and simultaneously as commanding officer of the regiment. Witzig and his unit were mentioned a second time in the Wehrmachtbericht on 8 August 1944, after the destruction of 27 enemy tanks near Kumele.[2]
His last service in World War II was as commanding officer of the 18th Parachute Regiment, from 16 December 1944. He was captured by the British on 8 May 1945 along with his regiment, and went into captivity. Witzig's last honor of the war had come the previous day, when his name was placed on the Honor Roll of the Luftwaffe.[2]
Later life
Rudolf Witzig re-joined the military service in the newly created Bundeswehr of the Federal Republic of Germany on 16 January 1956. He retired on 30 September 1974 holding the rank of Oberst.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Wound Badge (1939) in Black (18 October 1941)[4]
- Cuff title
- Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (1 August 1943)[4]
- German Cross in Gold on 17 October 1943 as Major in the Korps-Fallschirm-Pionier-Bataillon/XI. Flieger-Korps[6]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Mentioned two times in the Wehrmachtbericht
- Mentioned on Honor Roll of the Luftwaffe on 7 May 1945[4]
Wehrmachtbericht references
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
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Saturday, 11 May 1940 | (Sondermeldung) Das stärkste Fort der Festung Lüttich, Eben-Emael, das die Übergänge über die Maas und den Albert-Kanal bei und westlich Maastricht beherrscht, hat sich Sonnabendnachmittag ergeben. Der Kommandant und 1000 Mann wurden gefangen genommen. Das Fort wurde schon am 10. Mai durch eine ausgesuchte Abteilung der Luftwaffe unter Führung von Oberleutnant Witzig und unter Einsatz neuartiger Angriffsmittel kampfunfähig gemacht und die Besatzung niedergehalten. Als es einem von Norden angreifenden Verband des Heeres nach hartem Kampf gelungen war, die Verbindung mit der Abteilung Witzig herzustellen, hat die Besatzung ihre Waffen gestreckt.[12] |
(Extra) The strongest fort of the fortress Lüttich, Eben-Emael, which dominates the crossings of the Maas and Albert-Canal near and west of Maastrich surrendered Saturday afternoon. The commanding officer and 1000 men were taken prisoner of war. The fort was already rendered defenceless and the garrison pinned down on 10 May by a specially selected unit of the Luftwaffe under the leadership of Oberleutnant Witzig and deploying new combat means. The garrison dropped their arms when an attacking unit of the Army, after heavy combat, established contact with the detachment Witzig. |
8 August 1944 | Im Kampfraum westlich Kauen hat sich das 1. Bataillon des Fallschirm-Pionierregiments 21 unter Major Witzig durch beispielhaften Kampfgeist hervorragend bewährt. Das Bataillon vernichtete an einem Tag 27 feindliche Panzer im Nahkampf[13] | 1st Battalion of the Fallschirm-Pionierregiments 21 under the command of Major Witzig distinguished themselves and showed exemplary fighting spirit in the combat area west of Kauen. The Battalion destroyed 27 enemy tanks in close combat on one day. |
Promotions
Wehrmacht | |
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20 April 1937: | Leutnant (second lieutenant), effective as of 1 April 1937 with rank age dated 1 April 1937[4] |
31 July 1939: | Oberleutnant (first lieutenant), effective as of 1 August 1939 with rank age dated 1 August 1939[4] |
16 May 1940: | Hauptmann (captain)[4] |
24 August 1942: | Major (major), effective as of 1 September 1942 with rank age dated 1 September 1942[4] |
Bundeswehr | |
16 January 1956: | Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel), effective as of 23 December 1955[4] |
26 June 1956: | named a professional soldier[4] |
18 October 1965: | Oberst (colonel), effective as of 1 October 1965[4] |
References
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Stockert 2011, p. 156.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Kurowski 1995, p. 275.
- ↑ Stockert 2011, p. 160.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 369.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thomas 1998, p. 454.
- ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 519.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Scherzer 2007, p. 793.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 450.
- ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 363.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 92.
- ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 52.
- ↑ The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1, pp. 144–145.
- ↑ The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 195.
Bibliography
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- Frey, Gerhard; Herrmann, Hajo: Helden der Wehrmacht II - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2003. ISBN 3-924309-62-0.
External links
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- Lexikon der Wehrmacht
- Battle of Eben Emael by Alan Heath
- Use dmy dates from January 2012
- Pages with broken file links
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1916 births
- 2001 deaths
- People from the Province of Westphalia
- Fallschirmjäger of World War II
- German Army personnel
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht