Werner Ranck

Werner Ranck
Born	25 October 1904 Hamburg
Died	7 December 1989 (aged 85) Hamburg
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1924–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	121. Infanterie-Division 218. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Siege of Warsaw (1939) Battle of France Battle of Dunkirk Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Courland Pocket

Werner Ranck (25 October 1904 – 7 December 1989) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant 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 Ranck was captured by Soviet troops in May 1945 in the Courland Pocket. He was released in 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (15 October 1944)
• German Cross in Gold (10 February 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 March 1945 as Generalmajor and commander of 121. Infanterie-Division^[1]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 21 September 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
21 September 1944 (Addendum)	Im Nordabschnitt der Ostfront haben sich die ostpreußische 121. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Oberst Rank und die rheinisch-westfälische 329. Infanteriedivision unter Führung von Oberst d. R. Schulze durch hervorragenden Kampfgeist bewährt.[2]	In the norther sector of the Eastern Front, the East Prussian 121st Infantry Division under the command of Colonel Rank (sic) and the Rhenish-Westphalian 329th Infantry Division under the command of Colonel of the Reserves Schulze, have proven themselves to be excellent.

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 284.
2. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 254.

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

• Werner Ranck @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 17, 2010)
• World War 2 Awards.com