Walther Risse

Walther Risse
Born	13 December 1892 Geithain
Died	21 June 1965(1965-06-21) (aged 72) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	225. Infanterie Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walther Risse (13 December 1892 – 21 June 1965) was a German general who commanded the 225. Infantry Division during World War II. 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 were awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 in 1934
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (4 June 1940)
• German Cross in Gold on 30 September 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 225. Infanterie Division
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 22 September 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 474
  • 704th Oak Leaves on 18 January 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 225. Infanterie Division
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (28 December 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
28 December 1944 (Addendum)	In den harten Kämpfen der dritten Kurlandschlacht haben sich die norddeutsche 225. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Risse und die pommersche 12. Panzerdivision unter Führung von Generalleutnant Freiherr von Bodenhausen durch hervorragende Standhaftigkeit ausgezeichnet.	In tough combat of the third Courland battle, the North German 225th Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Risse and the Pomeranian 12th Armored Division, led by Lieutenant General Freiherr von Bodenhausen, have shown outstanding steadfastness.

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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945
• World War 2 Awards.com

Military offices
Preceded by Generalleutnant Hans von Baße	Commander of 225. Infanterie-Division 25 September 1942 - 24 March 1944	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Karl Wingerst
Preceded by Generalleutnant Karl Wingerst	Commander of 225. Infanterie-Division 25 July 1944 - May 1945	Succeeded by None