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Wietersheim, von, Wend Hans Georg Herbert Egmond C

Date of birth:
April 18th, 1900 (Neuland/Kreis Löwenberg/Silesia, Germany)
Date of death:
September 19th, 1975 (Bad Honnef/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Promotions:
27.09.1919: Leutnant
01.10.1923: new RDA 01.06.1922 (16)
01.06.1927: Oberleutnant (7)
xx.xx.193x: new RDA 01.11.1926 (5a)
01.02.1934: Rittmeister (15)
25.05.1934: Hauptmann
01.12.1938: Major - RDA 01.04.1938 (1a)
01.04.1941: Oberstleutnant (61)
20.04.1942: Oberst - RDA 01.04.1942 (117b)
01.11.1943: Generalmajor (9)
01.07.1944: Generalleutnant (7)

Career:
06.08.1918: Fähnrich
26.09.1918: Husaren-Regiment 4
13.04.1920: Reiter-Regiment 7
15.05.1920: demobilized
01.10.1923: 2. / Reiter-Regiment 12 (Großenhain)
17.06.1925: 4. / Reiter-Regiment 7 (Lüben)
01.11.1928: Ausbildungseskadron - Reiter-Regiment 7 (Breslau)
01.01.1934: Chef - 3. / Reiter-Regiment 4 (Potsdam)
25.05.1934: Kraftfahrkampf-Abteilung 3 (Wünsdorf)
15.08.1934: Chef - 1. / Kraftfahrkampf-Abteilung 3 (Wünsdorf)
01.10.1934: Chef - 1. / Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 (Wünsdorf)
15.10.1935: Chef - 1. / Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 (Stahnsdorf)
06.10.1936: Chef - 1. (PzSp) / Aufklärungs-Abteilung 3 (Stahnsdorf)
12.10.1937: Adjutant - 3. Panzer-Division (Berlin)
05.03.1940: Kommandeur - Kradschützen-Bataillon 1
18.11.1941: Kommandeur - Schützen-Regiment 113
22.07.1943: Führer-Reserve OKH (HGr Süd)
11.08.1943-01.09.1943: Kommandeur - 11. Panzer-Division
01.11.1943-24.02.1944: Kommandeur - 11.Panzer-Division
01.05.1944-14.04.1945: Kommandeur - 11.Panzer-Division
10.04.1945: Führer - XXXI. Panzer-Korps
19.04.1945: Führerreserve OKH (III)
03.05.1945-08.05.1945: Kommandeur - 11.Panzer-Division

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Adjutant, Stab, 3. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
October 1st, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 5th April 1919.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon 1, 1. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
May 20th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon 1, 1. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
December 24th, 1941

Award 40/7.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Schützen-Regiment 113, 1. Panzer-Division, XXXXI. Armee-Korps, 4. Panzer-Armee, Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
February 10th, 1942
In heavy defensive fighting west of Kalinin on the night of the 19./20.10.1941, one of Wietersheim's weakened Bataillonen came under attack by superior Soviet forces, with its line being penetrated in several locations. A Soviet breakthrough here would have resulted in their recapture of an important railway bridge over the Volga. Wietersheim personally gathered up his scant reserve forces and led them into a counterattack, which successfully sealed off the Soviet break-in points. The importance of this action was not lost on Wietersheim's superiors, and he was awarded the Knight's Cross.

854th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113, 1. Panzer-Division, Heeresgruppe D
Awarded on:
January 12th, 1943
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
The following newspaper excerpt (dated 14.01.1943) describes why Wietersheim received the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberst von Wietersheim was ordered to launch a counterattack with his Kampfgruppe whilst serving in the Toropez area at the end of November [1942]. He thrust forward when a favourable opportunity presented itself, throwing back the far numerically superior Soviets in the process and thereby eliminating the imminent danger of a hostile breakthrough.”

176th Award.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kdr, 11. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
December 24th, 1943
Wehrmachtbericht

The 11th Silesian Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General v. Wietersheim and the 13th Altmark Panzer-Division under the command of Major-General Hauser have particularly proven themselves in combat southeast of Kirovograd.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 11. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
March 26th, 1944
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern
Awarded for the outstanding leadership of his 11. Panzer-Division during the battles on the southern sector of the eastern front throughout late 1943 and early 1944.

58th Award.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 11. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
September 4th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht

The 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim, employed for the protection of our retreat in the Rhône Valley, has proved itself to be excellent in attack and defense.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 11. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
December 24th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht

In the Battle of Lorraine and in the advance battles of the Western Wall at the Saar, the 11th Panzer-Division under the command of Lieutenant-General Wend von Wietersheim and the 25th Panzer-Grenadier-Division under the leadership of Colonel Burmeister have fought magnificently.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Kommandeur, Kradschützenbataillon 1
Awarded on:
October 15th, 1940
Panzerkampfabzeichen (ohne Zahl)
in bronze
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
April 5th, 1919
Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
with swords
Kriegserinnerungsmedaille

Sources

Photos