Maximilian Jais

Maximilian Jais
Born	4 March 1891 Munich
Died	24 January 1957 (aged 65) Traunstein
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1912–45
Rank	Generalmajor
Commands held	Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 141
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Battle of Greece Battle of Crete Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Maximilian Jais (4 March 1891 – 24 January 1957) was a highly decorated Generalmajor 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 was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Maximilian Jais was captured by Allied troops in May 1945 and was held until 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 December 1934)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 April 1941)
  • 1st Class (26 April 1941)
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal (20 July 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 September 1941 as Oberst and commander of Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 141^[1]
• Ärmelband Crete (1 June 1942)
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (11 June 1941)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Wednesday, 11 June 1941	An der Durchführung der Operationen auf Kreta hatten der Kommandeur einer Gebirgsdivision, Generalmajor Ringel, sowie als Kommandeure von Gebirgsregimentern die Obersten Utz, Jais und Krakau und der Kommandeur eines Gebirgsartillerieregiments, Oberstleutnant Wittmann, mit den ihnen unterstellten Truppen entscheidenden Anteil.[2]	In the execution of operations on Crete, the commander of a Mountain Division, General Major Ringel, and as commanders of mountain regiments, the Colonels Utz, Jais and Krakau and the commander of a mountain artillery regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Wittmann, along with their subordinate troops had a decisive share.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 199.
2. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 556.

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.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Maximilian Jais @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 16, 2010)