Borowietz, Willibald
- Date of birth:
- September 17th, 1893 (Ratibor/Silisia, Germany)
- Date of death:
- July 1st, 1945 (Clinton/Missouri, United States)
- Buried on:
- Fort Moore National Cemetery
Grave: 84.
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
Died as Prisoner of War with the Americans.
Promotions:
March 5th, 1914: Fähnrich;
January 23rd, 1915: Leutnant;
October 18th, 1918: Oberleutnant M4m;
December 21st, 1921: Polizei-Hauptmann;
August 11th, 1931: Polizei-Major;
October 1st, 1935: Major mit RDA vom 1-10-1934 (63);
April 1st, 1940: Oberstleutnant (83);
February 1st, 1942: Oberst (23);
January 1st, 1943: Generalmajor (39);
May 1st, 1943: Generalleutnant mit RDA vom 1-7-1943 (7).
Career:
September 1st, 1939: Kdr. Pz.Abw.Abt. 50;
February 1st, 1941: Kdr. Pa.Jg.Abt. 50;
June 10th, 1941: mdFb Schütz.Rgt. 10;
October 1st, 1941: Kdr. Schütz.Rgt. 10;
October 5th, 1942: Führer-Reserve OKH;
November 10th, 1942: Kdr. 10. Pz.Gren.Brig.;
November 18th, 1942: mdFb 15. Pz.Div.;
January 1st, 1943: Kdr. 15. Pz.Div.
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- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur Schützen-Regiment 10 / 9.Panzer-Division / XIV.Armee-Korps / Panzergruppe 1 / Heeresgruppe Süd
- Awarded on:
- July 24th, 1941
The following wartime excerpt describes why Borowietz was awarded the Knight’s Cross…
“Having already overrun several enemy resistance lines, Oberstleutnant Borowietz led his Vorausabteilung in a thrust forwards toward Zbaraz via Plurow—Zalosce (northwest of Tarnopol). He was able to achieve swift progress through a bold pursuit action during the evening and night. In the process his Vorausabteilung captured or destroyed 92 enemy tanks, 16 artillery pieces, 12 anti-aircraft guns and innumerable additional materiel. His prudent and exemplary leadership here resulted in the destruction of a Russian tank division.”
371st Award
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalmajor (Brigadier)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 15.Panzer-Division / Heeresgruppe Afrika
- Awarded on:
- May 10th, 1943
The following press article, dated 18.05.1943, describes why Borowietz was awarded the Oakleaves…
“During the last major combat in Tunisia, Generalmajor Borowietz served as the commander of a Panzer-Division west of Tunis. Here the enemy attacked the German lines with an overwhelming superiority that included strong support from artillery and air forces. The divisional commander defended against the enemy onslaught at the head of his soldiers in a heroic battle. Pulling back before the enemy’s might, he occupied new defensive positions before Tunis and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy from here. The enemy continued to assail the strongpoints with innumerable tanks, and once again the General and his few soldiers offered up brave resistance to the last man. By doing so they bought time for the destruction of all militarily important facilities in the city of Tunis and for the creation of new defensive positions.”
235th Award.
Sources
- Photo 1: Gareth Collins
- Photo: Gareth Collins via Axis Biographical Research
- - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- KUROWSKI, F., Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, United States, 1996.
- PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
- THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1992.
- NARA Roll T-78 R884
- Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
- Federl, C., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, Germany, 2000