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Ziegler, Joachim (Waffen SS)

Date of birth:
October 19th, 1904 (Hanau am Main/Hessen, Germany)
Date of death:
May 2nd, 1945 (Berlin, Germany)
Service number:
SS-Nr.: 491.403 // NSDAP-Nr.:
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Joachim Ziegler was transferred to the Waffen-SS in June 1943 and finally became Brigadeführer (Generalmajor). Was killed during the Battle for Berlin on May 2nd 1945.

Promotions:
01.12.1926: Leutnant
01.06.1929: Oberleutnant
01.01.1935: Hauptmann - RDA 01.01.1935 (8)
01.03.1940: Major
15.10.1940: Major i.G.
01.02.1942: Oberstleutnant i.G.
14.03.1943: Oberst i.G. - RDA 01.01.1943
01.08.1943: SS-Oberführer
01.08.1944: SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen SS

Career:
05.04.1923: entered the Reiter-Regiment 15, Reichswehr
00.00.1925: Lehrgang, Kriegsschule
01.12.1926: Leutnant, Zugführer, Reiter-Regiment 15
00.07.1929: Oberleutnant, Schwadronschef, Reiter-Regiment 15
00.01.1935: Hauptmann, Chef, 7. Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 6
00.00.1936: Hauptmann, Kompaniechef, Panzertruppe, Legion Condor
10.11.1938-05.02.1940: Hauptmann, Adjutant, 3. Panzer-Brigade, 3. Panzer-Division
00.03.1940: Major, Ic, Stab, 7. Panzer-Division
29.07.1940: Major, Ib, Stab, 7. Panzer-Division
15.10.1940: admitted in the Generalstab
26.10.1940: Major i.G., Ib, 20. Infanterie-Division (mot.)
00.06.1941: Major i.G., Ia, 20. Infanterie-Division (mot.)
15.07.1942: Oberstleutnant i.G., stellvertretender Chef des Stabes, LVII. Panzer-Korps
28.09.1942: Oberstleutnant i.G., Chef des Stabes, XXXIX. Panzer-Korps
00.06.1943: transferred to the Waffen SS
20.06.1943-10.08.1943: Oberst i.G., Chef, Generalstab, III. (germ.) SS-Panzer-Korps
28.07.1944-25.04.1945: SS-Ofu, Führer, 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland'
10.08.1944: SS-Brif, Kommandeur, 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division 'Nordland' - Narva
23.01.1945-25.01.1945: fightings in Preekuln, Libau; Kurland
15.02.1945: fightings near Arnswalde,
03.03.1945: fightings in Pomerania, Stettin
17.03.1945: fightings in Altdamm,Oder River - Division credited with 194 tanks destroyed
00.04.1945: fightings in Berlin
26.04.1945: SS-Brif, dismissed and put under arrest in the Reichskanzlei
01.05.1945-02.05.1945: SS-Brif, severely WIA near Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station Weidendammer Bridge, North Berlin trying to break out of the encircled Berlin with SS-Division 'Nordland' and Kampfgruppe 'Mohnke' and DOW in the Brunnenstrasse near the Humboldthain Park

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Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Panzertruppe,Legion Condor
Awarded on:
June 1939
Medalla de la Campaña de España 1936-1939
Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Panzertruppe, Legion Condor
Awarded on:
June 1939
Panzertruppenabzeichen der Legion Condor
Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Awarded on:
May 31st, 1939
Spanienkreuz, Gold mit Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Adjutant, 3. Panzer-Brigade, 3. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
September 23rd, 1939
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Generalstabsoffizier, Ic, 7. Panzer-Division, "Gespenster-Division"
Awarded on:
June 28th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Awarded on:
August 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst im Generalstab (Colonel to the General Staff)
Unit:
Chef, Generalstab, XXXIX. Panzer-Korps
Awarded on:
March 14th, 1943

Award 329/8.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Oberführer (Brigade General)
Unit:
Ia, Chef des Stabes, III. (germanische) SS-Panzer Korps
Awarded on:
August 1943
Vapaudenristin 1.luokka (VR 1)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division, "Nordland", III.(germanischer) SS-Panzer-Korps, Heeresgruppe Nord
Awarded on:
September 5th, 1944
Ziegler received the Knight's Cross for his role as commander of the 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland" during the German defensive success at the Tannenberg Line in summer 1944.

3560th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Waffen-SS (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division, "Nordland", III.(germanischer) SS-Panzer-Korps, Heeresgruppe Nord
Awarded on:
April 28th, 1945
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Received for the following actions...
1) Preventing a Soviet breakthrough in his sector during their assault on Libau on 24/25.01.1945.
2) Relieving the town of Arnswalde on 15.02.1945. He was able to smash through the Soviet defences and permitted the escape of 1100 soldiers, 1000 wounded and 7000 civilians.
3) Defending against Soviet attacks toward Stettin in March 1945. In the period from 03-18.02.1945 his division destroyed 194 tanks.

848th Award.

Sources

  • Photo 1: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  • Photo 2:
  • Photo 3:
  • Photo: Wilco Vermeer collection, the Netherlands
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
    - ziegler joachim.JPG2.JPG.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
    - Yerger, Mark C., Waffen-SS Commanders – The Army, Corps and Divisional Leaders of a Legend; Krüger to Zimmermann, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., USA, 1999
    - Mitcham Jr., S.W. Rommel’s Lieutenants – The Men Who Served the Dessert Fox, France, 1940, Praeger Security International, Westport, U.S.A., 2006
    - Krätschmer, E.G., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS, Nation Europa Verlag GmbH, Coburg, Deutschland, Auflage 2003

Photos