Walter Heitz

Walter Heitz
Walter Heitz
Born	8 December 1878 Berlin
Died	9 February 1944 (aged 65) Moscow
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1898–1944
Rank	Generaloberst
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of Stalingrad (POW)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Heitz (8 December 1878 – 9 February 1944) was a German Generaloberst, serving during World War II. Heitz commanded the VIII. Armeekorps on the Eastern Front.

Heitz surrendered the central cauldron during the Battle of Stalingrad on 31 Jan. 1943.^[1]

Heitz died of cancer on 9 February 1944 while in Soviet captivity.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1918)
  • in Black
• Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
• Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th with 1st class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 October 1939)^[2]
  • 1st Class (19 May 1940)^[2]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 22 April 1942 as General der Artillerie and commanding general of the VIII. Armeekorps^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as General der Artillerie and commanding general of the VIII. Armeekorps^[4][5]
  • 156th Oak Leaves on 21 December 1942 als General der Artillerie and commanding general of the VIII. Armeekorps^[4][6]

References

Citations

1. Adam, Wilhelm; Ruhle, Otto (2015). With Paulus at Stalingrad. Translated by Tony Le Tissier. Pen and Sword Books Ltd. p. 215. ISBN 9781473833869.
2. Thomas 1997, p. 264.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 175.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 378.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 220.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 63.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.