Helmut Meitzel

Helmut Meitzel
Born	24 April 1920 Wabern
Died	9 July 2004 (aged 84) Bad Wildungen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1939–45 1956–79
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	II./Grenadier-Regiment 15 (mot.)
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Stalingrad Allied invasion of Sicily Allied invasion of Italy Battle of Monte Cassino
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Meitzel (24 April 1920 – 9 July 2004) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 July 1940)
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold (4 February 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Tank Destruction Badge for Individual Combatants
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
  • in Silver (Summer 1943)
  • in Gold (29 September 1943)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (17 November 1943)
• German Cross in Gold (2 January 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 27 July 1944 as Hauptmann and commander of II./Grenadier-Regiment 15 (mot.) ^[1]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (16 January 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
16 January 1944	Bei den schweren Kämpfen im Raum nordwestlich Mignano hat sich das II. Bataillon des Panzergrenadierregiments 15 unter Hauptmann Meitzel sowie das II. Bataillon des Panzergrenadierregiments 71 unter Hauptmann Schneider hervorragend bewährt.[2]	In the heavy fighting in the area northwest Mignano, the 2nd Battalion of the Panzergrenadier Regiment 15, under Captain Meitzel and the 2nd Battalion of the Panzergrenadier Regiment 71, under Captain Schneider, have exceptionally proven themselves.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 252.
2. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 12.

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.
• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
• 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.
• 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

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht