Georg-Wilhelm Postel

Georg-Wilhelm Postel
Born	25 April 1896 Zittau
Died	20 September 1953 (aged 57) Shakhty, Russia
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	320. Infanterie-Division XXX. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Georg-Wilhelm Postel (25 April 1896 in Zittau – 20 September 1953 in Shakhty, Russia) was a general in the German Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

After taking part in the unsuccessful counter-attack against Vasily Chuikov's 8th Guards Army in Moldova in May 1944, Postel was taken prisoner of war on 30 August 1944 after the capitulation of Romania and sentenced to 25 years of forced labour on 4 June 1949. Postel died in custody on 20 September 1953 of Tuberculosis. He was interred on the prisoner of war cemetery in Shakhty row 3, grave 14.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Ritterkreuz des Militär-St. Heinrichs-Orden
• Fürstlich Reußisches Ehrenkreuz III. Klasse mit Schwertern
• Albrechts-Orden, Ritterkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwertern
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 July 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (17 August 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939) in Silver
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 28 February 1942 as Oberst in Infanterie-Regiment 364^{[Note 1]}
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 9 August 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 364^[3]
  • 215th Oak Leaves on 28 March 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of the 320. Infanterie-Division^[3]
  • 57th Swords on 26 March 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 320. Infanterie-Division^[3]
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht (14 February 1943, 19 January 1944, 31 August 1944)

References in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
14 February 1943	Eine aus vorgeschobenen Stützpunkten zurückgenommene Infanteriedivision hat in neuntägigen schweren Kämpfen unter vorbildlicher Führung ihres Divisionskommandeurs Generalmajor Postel starke feindliche Kräfte durchstoßen, vernichtet und alsdann die eigenen Linien erreicht.[4]	An Infantry Division composed of withdrawn forward strong points under the exemplary leadership of its divisional commander Generalmajor Postel penetrated the strong enemy forces, destroyed them and returned to their own lines in a nine days lasting battle.
19 January 1944	In den Kämpfen im Südabschnitt der Ostfront hat sich die schlesische 320. Infanteriedivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Postel besonders ausgezeichnet.[5]	The Silesian 320th Infantry Division, under the leadership of Generalleutnant Postel, exceptionally distinguished itself in combat in the southern sector of the eastern front.
31 August 1944 (Addendum)	Im Südabschnitt der Ostfront hat sich das XXX. Armeekorps, unter Führung des Generalleutnants Postel mit der 306. Infanteriedivision, 15. Infanteriedivision und 13. Panzerdivision in aufopfernden Kämpfen gegen überlegene überlegene feindliche Kräfte heldenmütig geschlagen.[6]	The 30th Army Corps under the leadership of Generalleutnant Postel together with the 306th Infantry Division, 15th Infantry Division and 13th Panzer Division fought heroically in sacrificial battles against superior forces in the southern sector of the eastern front.

Notes

1. Possible misspelling by Patzwall & Scherzer who list a Georg Postei (sic).^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 168.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 357.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 603.
4. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 442.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 14.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 226.

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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• "Georg-Wilhelm Postel". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2011.
• "Georg-Wilhelm Postel". Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45 (in German). Retrieved 7 January 2011.