Willibald Borowietz

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Willibald Borowietz
Born (1893-09-17)17 September 1893
Ratibor, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Racibórz, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland
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Camp Clinton, Mississippi near Clinton, Mississippi
Buried
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1919)
 Nazi Germany (to 1943)
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1914–19
1935–43
Rank Generalleutnant
Commands held 15. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars World War I

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work Police Officer

Willibald Borowietz (17 September 1893 – 1 July 1945) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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. Borowietz was captured when the Afrika Korps surrendered to Allied forces. He was held as a POW by the United States in Camp Clinton, Mississippi, where he committed suicide by electrocuting himself in a bathtub on 1 July 1945. Officially his death was attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage.[1]

His wife, Eva Ledien, was of Jewish descent. She committed suicide in October 1938 so that their children could be Aryanized. This freed Willibald to follow his career. Eva's sister, Käthe (Ledien) Bosse, was killed in Ravensbrück concentration camp on 16 December 1944.

Awards and decorations

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording Direct English translation
Saturday, 12 April 1941 Bei dem Vorstoß einer Panzerdivision auf Üsküp am 6. und 7. April haben sich Oberst Apell, Kommandeur einer Schützenbrigade, und Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, Kommandeur einer Panzerjägerabteilung, besonders ausgezeichent.[6] Oberst Apell, commander of a Schützenbrigade, and Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, commander of a Panzerjägerabteilung, distinguished themselves on 6 and 7 April during the advance of a Panzer-Division on Skopje.
11 May 1943 Auf dem afrikanischen Kriegsschauplatz haben sich die leichte Afrika-Division unter der Führung von Generalleutnant Graf Sponeck und die 15. Panzer-Division unter Führung von Generalmajor Borowietz besonders ausgezeichnet. On the African theater of war, the light-Africa Division under the leadership of Lieutenant-General Graf Sponeck and the 15th Panzer Division under the command of Major General Borowietz, have particularly distinguished themselves.

References

Citations

  1. Derek R. Mallett: Hitler's Generals in America: Nazi POWs and Allied Military Intelligence. University Press of Kentucky, 2013, ISBN 978-0-8131-4251-7, p. 88
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Thomas 1997, p. 68.
  3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 53.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 120.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
  6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 480.

Bibliography

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External links

Military offices
Preceded by
Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst
Commander of 15. Panzer-Division
11 November 1942 – 13 May 1943
Succeeded by
Unit Surrendered