Wend von Wietersheim
Wend von Wietersheim
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Born | Neuland, Löwenberg district, Silesia |
18 April 1900
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Bad Honnef-Aegidienberg |
Allegiance | German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany |
Service/ |
Deutsches Heer Reichswehr Heer |
Years of service | 1914–45 |
Rank | Generalleutnant |
Commands held | Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 113 11. Panzer-Division |
Battles/wars | World War I
World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
Wend von Wietersheim (18 April 1900 – 19 September 1975) was a German general of Infantry, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Contents
Career
Wietersheim was born on 18 April 1900 in Neuland, district of Löwenberg, in Silesia, a province in the Kingdom of Prussia. Today it is Niwnice within Lwówek Śląski County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. He was the son of the Chamberlain and Ultimogeniture Walter von Wietersheim (1863–1919) by his marriage to Armgard von Colmar (1863–1949).[1] His older brother, Mark von Wietersheim, was a member of the Nazi Party and served in the State Assembly of Prussia and also as district administrator (Landrat) of the county of Löwenberg.
Wietersheim served in the First World War as a Fähnrich (ensign) in the German Army. For his service he received the Iron Cross (2nd Class) and in 1919 was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on 28 June 1919, the German Army was downsized to a standing army of 100,000 men and renamed the Reichswehr (Defence of the Reslm) in the era of the Weimar Republic. Wietersheim was one of the 4,000 officers retained in the new army. From 1924 he served with Reiter-Regiment 12, the 12th cavalry regiment. He was transferred to the military riding school in Hanover and successfully participated in numerous equestrian tournaments from 1924 to 1929. In 1934 he was appointed as squadron chief of the 4th Cavalry Regiment.[2] He also served on the staff of the 3rd Military District (Wehrkreis), before transferring to the Panzer (tank) force in 1938 with the position of Adjutant (aide) with the 3rd Panzer Division. With this unit he participated in the German invasion of Poland, which marked the beginning of the Second World War in Europe. Major Wietersheim took command of the Kradschützen-Bataillon 1 (1st motorcycle infantry battalion) of the 1st Panzer Division, which at the time was under the command of Friedrich Kirchner. He led this battalion in the Battle of France.
War against the Soviet Union
Wietersheim was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 1 April 1941 and was appointed commander of Schützen-Regiment 113 (113th rifle regiment) of the 1st Panzer-Division on 20 July 1941. This regiment was later renamed Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113 on 5 July 1942. The invasion of the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941 and was codenamed Operation Barbarossa. The 1st Panzer-Division was subordinated to Panzergruppe 4 (4th Panzer Group) under the command of Generaloberst (Colonel General) Erich Hoepner operating on the northern sector of the Eastern Font. Its strategic goal was Leningrad, with operational objectives being the territories of the Baltic republics. The division initially made fast advance and captured Opolje, near Kingisepp, in August 1941.
Wietersheim surrendered to General Herbert L. Earnest of the US 90th Infantry Division in May 1945, near Vseruby, in Czechoslovakia near the border with Bavaria.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class (5 April 1919)[3]
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (1 October 1939)[3]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 1st Class (20 May 1940)[3]
- Panzer Badge in Silver[4]
- Wound Badge in Black[4]
- German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 as Oberstleutnant in Kradschützen-Bataillon 1[5]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht on 24 December 1943, 4 September 1944 and 24 December 1944 (addendum)
Wehrmachtbericht references
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
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24 December 1943 | In den Kämpfen südöstlich Kirowograd haben sich die 11. Schlesische Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalmajors v. Wietersheim und die 13. Altmärkische Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalmajors Hauser hervorragend bewährt.[13] | The 11th Silesian Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General v. Wietersheim and the 13th Altmark Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General Hauser have particularly proven themselves in combat southeast of Kirovohrad. |
4 September 1944 (addendum) | Im Rhônetal hat sich die zum Schutz unserer Absetzbewegung eingesetzte 11. Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants von Wietersheim in Angriff und Abwehr hervorragend bewährt.[14] | The 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim, employed for the protection of our retreat in the Rhône Valley, has proved itself to be excellent in attack and defense. |
24 December 1944 (addendum) | In der Schlacht um Lothringen und in den Vorfeldkämpfen des Westwalls an der Saar haben sich die 11. Panzer-Division unter Führung des Generalleutnants Wend von Wietersheim und die 25. Panzergrenadier-Division unter Führung des Obersten Burmeister hervorragend geschlagen.[15] | In the Battle of Lorraine and in the advance battles of the Western Wall at the Saar, the 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim and the 25th Panzer-Grenadier-Division under the leadership of Colonel Burmeister have fought magnificently. |
See also
References
Citations
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Mitcham (2006), p. 107.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Thomas 1998, p. 444.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Berger 1999, p. 375.
- ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 513.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Scherzer 2007, p. 786.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 446.
- ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 359.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.
- ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 32.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 42.
- ↑ Von Seemen 1976, p. 16.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 632.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 232.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 574.
Bibliography
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External links
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Military offices | ||
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Preceded by
Generalleutnant Johann Mickl
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Commander of 11.Panzer Division 10 August 1943 – 10 April 1945 |
Succeeded by Generalmajor Horst Freiherr Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels |
Preceded by
General der Artillerie Helmuth Weidling
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Commander of XXXXI Panzerkorps 10 April 1945 – 19 April 1945 |
Succeeded by Generalleutnant Rudolf Holste |
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1900 births
- 1975 deaths
- People from Lwówek Śląski County
- German military personnel of World War I
- Prussian Army personnel
- Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht)
- People from the Province of Silesia
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht
- Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 2nd class
- Reichswehr personnel