Werner Neumann (officer)

Werner Neumann
Born	13 May 1905 Neu Belitz
Died	4 July 1970 (aged 65) Lübeck
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1922–45
Rank	Generalmajor
Commands held	563. Volkgrenadier-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of the Caucasus Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Werner Neumann (13 May 1905 – 4 July 1970) 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. Werner Neumann was captured by Soviet forces in May 1945 in the Courland Pocket and was held until 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (17 July 1943)
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (29 April 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 September 1944 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 121^[1]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 9 November 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
9 November 1944 (addendum)	Bei den Kämpfen um Goldap haben sich das brandenburgische Grenadier-Regiment 121 unter Führung von Oberst Neumann und das schlesisch-sudetendeutsche Panzerregiment 3 unter Führung des mit dem Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ausgezeichneten Oberst Sander durch kühnen Angriffsgeist hervorragend bewährt und entscheidend zur Einschließung und Vernichtung des in Goldap kämpfenden Feindes beigetragen.[2]	In the fighting over Goldap, the Brandenburg Grenadier Regiment 121, under the leadership of Colonel Neumann, and the Silesian-Sudeten German Panzer Regiment 3, under the leadership of the Colonel Sander who was awarded with the Oak Leaves with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, have proven itself by showing bold fighting spirit and decisively contributed in the containment and destruction of the enemy fighting in Goldap.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 264.
2. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 327.

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.
• 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

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztrager 1939-1945