Wilhelm Ahrens

This article is about the German military officer. For the mathematician, see Wilhelm Ahrens (mathematician).

Wilhelm Ahrens
Nickname(s)	"Willi"
Born	1 October 1912 Goslar
Died	26 August 1998(1998-08-26) (aged 85) Gummersbach
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1931–45 1956–70
Rank	Hauptmann (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	III.(Jäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 17
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Operation Bagration
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm "Willi" Ahrens (1 October 1912 – 26 August 1998) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberstleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. After the war Wilhelm Ahrens joined the Bundeswehr and retired in 1970.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (5 August 1941)
  • 1st Class (28 September 1941)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army
• German Cross in Gold on 14 April 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 9./Infanterie-Regiment 17
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 22 February 1944 as Hauptmann and commander of III.(Jäger)/Grenadier-Regiment 17

References

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945