Maximilian Wengler

Maximilian Wengler
Born	14 January 1890 Roßwein
Died	25 April 1945 (aged 55) near Pillau-Neutief
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1909–19, 1939–45
Rank	Generalmajor of the Reserves
Commands held	227. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Maximilian Wengler (14 January 1890 – 25 April 1945) was a German Insurance broker, serving as a general during World War II and recipient of the coveted 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.

Wengler took command of the 83. Infanterie-Division on 27 March 1945 in the area of Gotenhafen. The division, after escaping the encirclement of the city, fought its way to Oxhöfter Kämpe and Pillau-Neutief. Here Wengler and numerous men of his staff were killed by an aerial bomb on 25 April 1945. His wife had also been killed in the aerial bombardment of Dresden in early 1945.^[1]

Awards

• Wound Badge in Silver^[2]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver^[2]
• Close Combat Clasp in Bronze^[2]
• Military Order of St. Henry (Knights Cross, 15 October 1914)
• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (20 May 1940)^[3]
  • 1st Class (29 December 1940)^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 6 October 1942 as Oberstleutnant of the Reserves and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 366^[4][5]
  • 404th Oak Leaves on 22 February 1944 as Oberst of the Reserves and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 366^{[6][Note 1]}
  • 123rd Swords on 21 January 1945 as Generalmajor of the Reserves and commander of the 227. Infanterie-Division^[4][7]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 3 August 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
3 August 1944 (Addendum)	In den schweren Kämpfen bei Liepna haben sich die rheinisch-westfälische 227. Infanterie-Division unter Oberst Wengler und eine Kampfgruppe unter Major Busch besonders hervorgetan.[8]	The Rhenish-Westphalian 227th Infantry Division under Colonel Wengler and a battle group under Major Busch have particularly distinguished themselves in the heavy fighting at Liepna.

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as commander of Infanterie-Regiment 366.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Berger 1999, p. 374.
2. Berger 1999, p. 373.
3. Thomas 1998, p. 435.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 778.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 442.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 79.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 47.
8. The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, p. 188.

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.
• 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

• Maximilian Wengler @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht