Paul Laux

Paul Laux
Born	11 November 1887 Weimar
Died	2 September 1944 (aged 56) Riga
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1907–44
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	126. Infanterie-Division II Armeekorps 16. Armee
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Narva (1944) Šiauliai Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Paul Laux (11 November 1887 – 2 September 1944) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16. Armee. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

After Laux was promoted to Generalmajor on 1 April 1938, he took command of the 10. Division troops that were stationed in Passau. On 18 March some of these troops reached Vienna.^[1]

In March 1939, when National Socialists and the 85. Infanterie-Regiment commemorated fallen heroes on the Passau Cathedral Square, Laux praised Adolf Hitler.^[2] Next, his men invaded Bohemia. On April 13, Laux commemorated the Annexation of Austria in Passau.^[3]

After he became commander of the 126. Infanterie-Division, he invaded the Soviet Union.^[4] On 29 August 1944 Paul Laux crashed during a reconnaissance flight. He died of his injuries on 2 September 1944.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Military Order of St. Henry (Saxony, 6 May 1918)
• Knight's Cross Second Class with Swords of the Civil Order of Saxony
• Knight's Cross, First Class of the Order with Swords of the Albert Order (Saxony)
• Knight's Cross of the Second Class Order of the White Falcon with Swords (Weimar)
• Wilhelm Ernst War Cross (Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (January 1940)^[5]
  • 1st Class (July 1940)^[5]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 December 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of 126. Infanterie-Division^[6]
  • 237th Oak Leaves on 17 May 1943 as General der Infanterie and commander of II Armeekorps^[7]

References

Citations

1. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, pp. 139f
2. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, pp. 199f
3. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, p. 139
4. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, p. 200
5. Thomas 1998, p. 16.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 234.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.

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.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945