Franz Weller

Franz Weller
Born	5 December 1901 Berlin
Died	14 August 1994 (aged 92) Cologne
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1922–45 1956–62
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Jäger-Regiment 54
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Battle of Stalingrad Hube's Pocket Battle of Berlin
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Franz Weller (5 December 1901 – 14 August 1994) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht 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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Franz Weller was captured in May 1945 by Allied troops and was held until 1946. He joined the Bundeswehr in 1956 and retired in 1962.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (22 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (23 May 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• War Merit Cross with Swords
  • 2nd Class
• Eastern Front Medal (27 August 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 September 1941 as Major and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 54^[2]
  • 626th Oak Leaves on 23 October 1944 as Oberst and commander of Jäger-Regiment 54^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 432.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 358.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 76.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• 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 Miltaer-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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht