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Jansen, Willi

Date of birth:
March 17th, 1914 (Düsseldorf/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:
October 31st, 2004 (Düsseldorf/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

After the Second World War, Willi Jansen served with the Bundeswehr, finally reaching the rank of Hauptmann.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Ordonnanz-Offizier Panzergrenadier-Regiment 128
Awarded on:
May 15th, 1944
On the 07.04.1944 the German 23. Panzer-Division was ordered to capture Hill 114, a key terrain feature in its area, in order to establish a more viable main line of defense. During the course of the battle Oberleutnant Jansen, the staff liaison officer of the Pz.Gr.Rgt. 128, took command of the regiment’s I. Bataillon and personally led it towards the objective. He rallied the soldiers of the battalion and broke through the Soviet positions, inflicting heavy losses and capturing Hill 114 by the middle of the afternoon. Jansen was badly wounded during the attack, however his bravery and initiative was later recognized by his reception of the Knight’s Cross.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Sources

Photo