Willibald Borowietz
Willibald Borowietz | |
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Born |
Ratibor, Province of Silesia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire now Racibórz, Silesian Voivodeship, Poland | 17 September 1893
Died |
1 July 1945 51) Camp Clinton, Mississippi near Clinton, Mississippi | (aged
Buried at | Fort Benning |
Allegiance |
German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1919) Nazi Germany (to 1943) |
Service/branch | Heer |
Years of service |
1914–19 1935–43 |
Rank | Generalleutnant |
Commands held | 15. Panzer-Division |
Battles/wars |
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Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Other work | Police Officer |
Willibald Borowietz (17 September 1893 – 1 July 1945) 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 with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Borowietz was captured when the Afrika Korps surrendered to Allied forces. He was held as a POW by the United States in Camp Clinton, Mississippi, where he committed suicide by electrocuting himself in a bathtub on 1 July 1945. Officially his death was attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage.[1]
His wife, Eva Ledien, was of Jewish descent. She committed suicide in October 1938 so that their children could be Aryanized. This freed Willibald to follow his career. Eva's sister, Käthe (Ledien) Bosse, was killed in Ravensbrück concentration camp on 16 December 1944.
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1914)
- Wound Badge (1914)
- in Black (4 May 1918)
- Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 December 1935)
- World War Commemorative Medal with Swords (Hungary, 1936)
- War Commemorative Medal 1915/1918 with swords (Bulgaria, 1938)
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- Certificate of Recognition of the Commander of the Army for outstanding performance on the battlefield (1941)
- General Assault Badge (14 April 1941)
- Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
- Armband Afrika (1943)
- Silver Medal of Military Valor
- German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1942 as Oberst in Schützen-Regiment 10[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 24 July 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Schützen-Regiment 10[4]
- 235th Oak Leaves on 10 May 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 15.Panzer-Division[5]
- Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (12 April 1941 and 11 May 1943)
Wehrmachtbericht references
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
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Saturday, 12 April 1941 | Bei dem Vorstoß einer Panzerdivision auf Üsküp am 6. und 7. April haben sich Oberst Apell, Kommandeur einer Schützenbrigade, und Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, Kommandeur einer Panzerjägerabteilung, besonders ausgezeichent.[6] | Oberst Apell, commander of a Schützenbrigade, and Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, commander of a Panzerjägerabteilung, distinguished themselves on 6 and 7 April during the advance of a Panzer-Division on Skopje. |
11 May 1943 | Auf dem afrikanischen Kriegsschauplatz haben sich die leichte Afrika-Division unter der Führung von Generalleutnant Graf Sponeck und die 15. Panzer-Division unter Führung von Generalmajor Borowietz besonders ausgezeichnet. | On the African theater of war, the light-Africa Division under the leadership of Lieutenant-General Graf Sponeck and the 15th Panzer Division under the command of Major General Borowietz, have particularly distinguished themselves. |
References
Citations
- ↑ Derek R. Mallett: Hitler's Generals in America: Nazi POWs and Allied Military Intelligence. University Press of Kentucky, 2013, ISBN 978-0-8131-4251-7, p. 88
- 1 2 3 4 Thomas 1997, p. 68.
- ↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 53.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 120.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, p. 480.
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.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1, 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.
- 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.
External links
- World War 2 Awards.com
- Lexikon der Wehrmacht
- Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
- Willibald Borowietz @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 16, 2010)
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst |
Commander of 15. Panzer-Division 11 November 1942 – 13 May 1943 |
Succeeded by Unit Surrendered |
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