Johannes Mayer

Dr. rer. pol. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Mayer
Johannes Mayer
Born	6 September 1893 Stepenitz, Province of Brandenburg
Died	7 August 1963 (aged 69) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	Infanterie-Regiment 501 329. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Relations	Gustav Schmidt (brother in law)
Other work	Engineer

Dr. rer. pol. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Mayer^{[Note 1]} (6 September 1893 – 7 August 1963) was a German General of the Infantry, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). 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.

Military career

Mayer was born on 6 December 1893 in Stepenitz in the Province of Brandenburg, the son of a pastor. He attended the boarding school Pforta, where he graduated with his Abitur (university-preparatory high school diploma) as best of his class. He then started studying theology at the University of Greifswald. With the outbreak of World War I, he volunteered for military service and joined Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau" Nr. 42, a regiment of the 3. Division (3rd Division).^[1] Throughout World War I he served with this regiment earning both classes the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz).

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (24 August 1915)^[2]
  • 1st Class (16 December 1916)^[2]
• Cross of Honor
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (6 June 1940)^[2]
  • 1st Class (9 June 1940)^[2]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver^[3]
• Eastern Front Medal^[3]
• Cuff title "Kurland"^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 13 September 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 501^{[4][5][Note 2]}
  • 453rd Oak Leaves on 13 April 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 329. Infanterie-Division^[4][7][8]
  • 89th Swords on 23 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 329. Infanterie-Division^[4][9][10]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (16 March 1944, 18 July 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
16 March 1944	In Kämpfen nordwestlich Newel hat sich die rheinisch-westfälische 329. Infanteriedivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Mayer besonders ausgezeichnet.[11]	The Rhenish-Westphalian 329th infantry division under the leadership of Generalleutnant Mayer distinguished itself in combat northwest of Newel.
18 July 1944	Bei den Kämpfen an der Ostfront haben sich im Süden die fränkisch-sudentendeutsche 88. Infanterie-Division unter Führung von Generalmajor v. Rittberg und im Norden die rheinisch-westfälische 329. Infanterie-Division unter Führung des Generalleutnants Mayer durch besondere Härte und Zähigkeit wiederholt ausgezeichnet.[12]	The Frankish- Sudeten German 88th infantry division under the command of Generalmajor von Rittberg in the northern sector of the eastern front and the Rhenish-Westphalian 329th infantry division under the leadership of Generalleutnant Mayer in the southern sector distinguished themselves by showing hardship and toughness.

Notes

1. In German a Doctorate of political economy is abbreviated as Dr. rer. pol. (Doctor rerum politicarum) and a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. (Doctor-Ingenieur).
2. According to Von Seemen as commander of Infanterie-Regiment 151.^[6]

References

Citations

1. Stockert 2007, p. 112.
2. Thomas 1998, p. 66.
3. Berger 1999, p. 216.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 532.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 305.
6. Von Seemen 1976, p. 236.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 81.
8. Von Seemen 1976, p. 44.
9. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 44.
10. Von Seemen 1976, p. 17.
11. The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 58.
12. The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 167.

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.
• 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.
• Stockert, Peter (2007). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 5 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 5] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
• 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.
• Von Seemen, Gerhard (1976). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 : die Ritterkreuzträger sämtlicher Wehrmachtteile, Brillanten-, Schwerter- und Eichenlaubträger in der Reihenfolge der Verleihung : Anhang mit Verleihungsbestimmungen und weiteren Angaben [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 : The Knight's Cross Bearers of All the Armed Services, Diamonds, Swords and Oak Leaves Bearers in the Order of Presentation: Appendix with Further Information and Presentation Requirements] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7909-0051-4.
• 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

• "Johannes Mayer". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 10 March 2014.
• Johannes Mayer @ Historic