Date of birth:

May 13th, 1905 (Oppeln/Silesia, Germany)

Date of death:

September 27th, 1984 (Feldkirchen/Carinthia, Austria)

Nationality:

German

Walter Pelchen was born on May 13th 1905 in Oppeln that was then in Upper Silesia, what lies in Poland today. He followed high school (Gymnasium) in Gleiwitz. From May 1921 until October 1922 he was part of the paramilitary group called the "Freikorps" who fought against the Polish forces in Upper Silesia during the formation of Poland. After that he went back to school to finish the Gymnasium.
On April 19th 1926 he volunteered for the Officers course with the "Deutsche Schutzpolizei". This force was formed as a paramilitary organisation because the Germans were not allowed to have more than 100.000 soldiers. In 1929 he became a Leutnant and Oberleutnant in 1933. In 1936 he was incorporated in the newly formed German Wehrmacht. On August 1st 1937 he became a Hauptmann with the Cavalry. He Fought in Poland, France and on the Eastern Front. During the fighting’s in Stalingrad he commanded a Regiment with the 6.Armee. He was wounded in January 1942. After his recovery he served on the Eastern Front until the end of the war. In 1941 he was promoted to Major, on February 1st 1943 to Oberstleutnant and to Oberst on October 1st 1943.
After the war he became a Forestry farmer in Carinthia, Austria. He died on September 29th 1984 in Feldkirchen in Austria

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• Photo 1: Nikolaus Mohrenschildt
• - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht
  - Family papers