Günther Angern

Günther Angern
Günter Angern (far right)
Born	5 March 1893 Kolberg, Province of Pomerania, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Kołobrzeg, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
Died	2 February 1943 (aged 49) Stalingrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1911–43
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	11. Panzer-Division 16. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Operation Weserübung Battle of France Battle of Arras (1940) Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Stalingrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Günther Angern (5 March 1893 – 2 February 1943) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several panzer divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Angern committed suicide on 2 February 1943 before the surrender of German forces at Stalingrad.

Summary of career

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Princely Schwarzburg Honor Cross, Third Class with Swords
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
• Sudetenland Medal
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (9 October 1939)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Panzer Badge
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (22 July 1941)
• German Cross in Gold on 8 March 1942 as Generalmajor in the 11. Panzer-Division^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 August 1940 as Oberst and commander of 11. Schützen-Brigade^[2][3]

Promotions

1 April 1911:	Fahnenjunker
20 February 1912:	Fähnrich
18 November 1912:	Leutnant (second lieutenant)
22 March 1916:	Oberleutnant (first lieutenant)
1 October 1922:	Rittmeister
1 April 1933:	Major (major)
1 October 1935:	Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel)
1 September 1941:	Oberst (colonel)
1 September 1941:	Generalmajor
21 January 1943:	Generalleutnant

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 16.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 116.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 193.

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.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2007). Rommel's Desert Commanders — The Men Who Served the Desert Fox, North Africa, 1941–42. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3510-0.
• 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945