Wilhelm Wegener

Wilhelm Wegener
Born	29 April 1895 Trebatsch (Beeskow), Brandenburg
Died	24 September 1944 (aged 49) Wolmar
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–44
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	32. Infanterie-Division L. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords

Wilhelm Wegener (29 April 1895 – 24 September 1944) 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. 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.

He was on his way to his headquarters when he was killed in action by Soviet ground attack aircraft on 24 September 1944.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 May 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge^[2]
• Eastern Front Medal
• Demyansk Shield^[2]
• Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (29 March 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
  • Knight's Cross on 27 October 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 94^[3][4]
  • 66th Oak Leaves on 19 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 94^[3][5]
  • 97th Swords on 17 September 1944 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the L. Armeekorps^[3][6]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (26 September 1944)

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
26 September 1944 (addendum)	In der Abwehrschlacht zwischen Düna und Rigaer Bucht fand, in vorderster Linie kämpfend, der Kommandierende Generals eines Armeekorps, der mit den Schwertern zum Eichenlaub des Ritterkreuzes ausgezeichnete General der Infanterie Wilhelm Wegner, den Heldentod.[7]	In the defensive battle between Daugava and Riga Gulf, fighting in the front line, the commanding general of an army corps, awarded with the Swords and Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross, General of the Infantry Wilhelm Wegner, found a heroic death.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 420.
2. Berger 1999, p. 367.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 771.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 438.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 57.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 45.
7. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 262.

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.
• 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 (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.
• 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.
• 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

• Wilhelm Wegener @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Wilhelm Wegener @ Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen-SS