Wend von Wietersheim

Wend von Wietersheim
Born	18 April 1900 Neuland, Löwenberg district, Silesia
Died	19 September 1975 (aged 75) Bad Honnef-Aegidienberg
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Deutsches Heer Reichswehr Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 113 11. Panzer-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Wend von Wietersheim (18 April 1900 – 19 September 1975) was a German general of 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.

Career

Coat of Arms of the Von Wietersheim family.

Wietersheim was born on 18 April 1900 in Neuland, district of Löwenberg, in Silesia, a province in the Kingdom of Prussia. Today it is Niwnice within Lwówek Śląski County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. He was the son of the Chamberlain and Ultimogeniture Walter von Wietersheim (1863–1919) by his marriage to Armgard von Colmar (1863–1949).^[1] His older brother, Mark von Wietersheim, was a member of the Nazi Party and served in the State Assembly of Prussia and also as district administrator (Landrat) of the county of Löwenberg.

Wietersheim served in the First World War as a Fähnrich (ensign) in the German Army. For his service he received the Iron Cross (2nd Class) and in 1919 was promoted to Leutnant (second lieutenant). As a result of the Treaty of Versailles, which was signed on 28 June 1919, the German Army was downsized to a standing army of 100,000 men and renamed the Reichswehr (Defence of the Reslm) in the era of the Weimar Republic. Wietersheim was one of the 4,000 officers retained in the new army. From 1924 he served with Reiter-Regiment 12, the 12th cavalry regiment. He was transferred to the military riding school in Hanover and successfully participated in numerous equestrian tournaments from 1924 to 1929. In 1934 he was appointed as squadron chief of the 4th Cavalry Regiment.^[2] He also served on the staff of the 3rd Military District (Wehrkreis), before transferring to the Panzer (tank) force in 1938 with the position of Adjutant (aide) with the 3rd Panzer Division. With this unit he participated in the German invasion of Poland, which marked the beginning of the Second World War in Europe. Major Wietersheim took command of the Kradschützen-Bataillon 1 (1st motorcycle infantry battalion) of the 1st Panzer Division, which at the time was under the command of Friedrich Kirchner. He led this battalion in the Battle of France.

War against the Soviet Union

Wietersheim was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) on 1 April 1941 and was appointed commander of Schützen-Regiment 113 (113th rifle regiment) of the 1st Panzer-Division on 20 July 1941. This regiment was later renamed Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113 on 5 July 1942. The invasion of the Soviet Union began on 22 June 1941 and was codenamed Operation Barbarossa. The 1st Panzer-Division was subordinated to Panzergruppe 4 (4th Panzer Group) under the command of Generaloberst (Colonel General) Erich Hoepner operating on the northern sector of the Eastern Font. Its strategic goal was Leningrad, with operational objectives being the territories of the Baltic republics. The division initially made fast advance and captured Opolje, near Kingisepp, in August 1941.

Wietersheim surrendered to General Herbert L. Earnest of the US 90th Infantry Division in May 1945, near Vseruby, in Czechoslovakia.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (5 April 1919)^[3]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 October 1939)^[3]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 1st Class (20 May 1940)^[3]
• Panzer Badge in Silver^[4]
• Wound Badge in Black^[4]
• German Cross in Gold on 24 December 1941 as Oberstleutnant in Kradschützen-Bataillon 1^[5]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 10 January 1942 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Schützen-Regiment 113^[6][7]
  • 176th Oak Leaves on 12 January 1943 as Oberst and commander of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113^[6][8]
  • 58th Swords on 26 March 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of the 11. Panzer-Division^[6][9]
• Mentioned three times in the Wehrmachtbericht on 24 December 1943, 4 September 1944 and 24 December 1944 (addendum)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
24 December 1943	In den Kämpfen südöstlich Kirowograd haben sich die 11. Schlesische Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalmajors v. Wietersheim und die 13. Altmärkische Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalmajors Hauser hervorragend bewährt.[10]	The 11th Silesian Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General v. Wietersheim and the 13th Altmark Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General Hauser have particularly proven themselves in combat southeast of Kirovohrad.
4 September 1944 (addendum)	Im Rhônetal hat sich die zum Schutz unserer Absetzbewegung eingesetzte 11. Panzerdivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants von Wietersheim in Angriff und Abwehr hervorragend bewährt.[11]	The 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim, employed for the protection of our retreat in the Rhône Valley, has proved itself to be excellent in attack and defense.
24 December 1944 (addendum)	In der Schlacht um Lothringen und in den Vorfeldkämpfen des Westwalls an der Saar haben sich die 11. Panzer-Division unter Führung des Generalleutnants Wend von Wietersheim und die 25. Panzergrenadier-Division unter Führung des Obersten Burmeister hervorragend geschlagen.[12]	In the Battle of Lorraine and in the advance battles of the Western Wall at the Saar, the 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim and the 25th Panzer-Grenadier-Division under the leadership of Colonel Burmeister have fought magnificently.

See also

• Gustav Anton von Wietersheim
• Walter von Wietersheim

References

Citations

1. "Wend von Wietersheim". Munzinger (in German). Retrieved 8 November 2013.
2. Mitcham (2006), p. 107.
3. Thomas 1998, p. 444.
4. Berger 1999, p. 375.
5. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 513.
6. Scherzer 2007, p. 786.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 446.
8. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 65.
9. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 42.
10. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 632.
11. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 232.
12. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 574.

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.
• Mitcham, Samuel W. (2006). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books. p. 312. ISBN 978-0-8117-3353-3.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

• "Wend von Wietersheim". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 8 November 2013.
• "Wend von Wietersheim". Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45 (in German). Retrieved 8 November 2013.
• "Prüfung". Der Spiegel (in German) 44. 1954. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
• "Was sag' ich meinem Sohn? Sieben Generale für Bonin Zwei Grundübel der Nato Operation "Zitadelle"". Der Spiegel (in German) 14. 1955. Retrieved 3 April 2013.