Wend von Wietersheim
Born(1900-04-18)18 April 1900
Neuland, Silesia
Died19 September 1975(1975-09-19) (aged 75)
Bad Honnef-Aegidienberg
Allegiance German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchPrussian Army
Reichsheer
Army
Years of service1914–45
RankGeneralleutnant
Commands held11th Panzer Division
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Wend von Wietersheim (18 April 1900 – 19 September 1975) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords of Nazi Germany.

Career

Wietersheim was born in 1900 into a family of the Chamberlain Walter von Wietersheim (1863–1919).[1] Wietersheim served in World War I with the 4th (1st Silesian) Hussars "von Schill"[2] He joined the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic, serving in the cavalry.[3] In 1938 he transferred to the Panzer (tank) force as an adjutant with the 3rd Panzer Division. With this unit he participated in the German invasion of Poland. Wietersheim took command of a motorcycle infantry battalion of the 1st Panzer Division. He led this battalion in the Battle of France.

Wietersheim was appointed commander of a rifle regiment of the 1st Panzer-Division on 20 July 1941, with which he took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa. The 1st Panzer Division was subordinated to Panzer Group 4 under the command of General Erich Hoepner operating on the northern sector of the Eastern Front. In late 1944, Wietersheim was in the south of France, commanding the 11th Panzer Division as it faced Allied amphibious landings near Toulon and Nice. Wietersheim surrendered to the US 90th Infantry Division in May 1945, in Czechoslovakia near the border with Bavaria.

Awards

See also

References

Citations

  1. ↑ "Wend von Wietersheim". Munzinger (in German). Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Keilig, 1983, p.370
  3. ↑ Mitcham (2006), p. 107.
  4. 1 2 3 Thomas 1998, p. 444.
  5. 1 2 Berger 1999, p. 375.
  6. ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 513.
  7. 1 2 3 Scherzer 2007, p. 786.

Bibliography

  • Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges [With Oak Leaves and Swords. The Highest Decorated Soldiers of the Second World War] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-0-6.
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2006). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
  • 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.
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