Wilhelm Behrens

Wilhelm Behrens
Born	23 August 1888 Berlin
Died	15 August 1968 (aged 79) Lotte
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1908–44
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Infanterie-Regiment 106 328. Infanterie-Division Division Nr. 193
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of the Caucasus
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm Behrens (23 August 1888 – 15 August 1968) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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. Wilhelm Behrens was discharged from active service in 1944, in 1946 he was taken by the Red Army and held until 1949.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (23 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (20 June 1940)
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 9 December 1941 as Oberst in Infanterie-Regiment 106^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 March 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 106^[2]

References

Citations

1. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 33.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 109.

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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945