Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 21st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 1st, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer / Hauptmann der Schutzpolizei (Captain)

Unit:

Führer, II. Bataillon, Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 19, 4. SS-Polizei-Division, Höheren SS und Polizeiführer im Bereich des Militärbefehlshabers Frankreich, Oberbefehlshaber West

Awarded on:

December 11th, 1944

Engelbrecht’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“SS-Hauptsturmführer and Hauptmann der Schupo Wilhelm Engelbrecht was employed in the area around Limoges in order to fight French nationalist/communist resistance movements, first as commander of the 7. Kompanie and later as Bataillon commander of the II./SS-Pol.Rgt. 19. In this capacity he has especially distinguished himself along with his men and significantly contributed to the pacification of this area.

Over the course of the first weeks of August these resistance groups continually formed up new forces around the city of Limoges, aided by regular airdrops of high-quality weapons. It came to a point where contact with the outside world was only possible with either strong escorts or aircraft.

The commander of the Verbindungsstab 586 and the supreme commander of all forces in Limoges, Generalmajor Gleiniger, saw the situation as being so hopeless for these reasons that he tried to negotiate surrender terms with the terrorists. As Engelbrecht was advising Generalmajor Gleiniger concerning the defense of Limoges on the morning of the 21.08.1944, he was asked by the latter what he thought of a surrender. Engelbrecht responded that he would never surrender. He reported to Regiment 19 concerning the negotiations between Generalmajor Gleiniger and the terrorists, and requested further instructions.

At around 17:00 he received the following order from Regiment 19:

‘Negotiations are forbidden. The Bataillon and Wehrmacht elements are to immediately break out to the east. Always report your current location via radio.’

In the meantime, at around 16:00, Generalmajor Gleiniger had personally made contact with the terrorist negotiators and surrendered. Returning from these surrender negotiations at around 18:10, Generalmajor Gleiniger declared to Hauptmann Engelbrecht that he had surrendered and furthermore said the following words to him: ‘I order that the units are to report for duty in their quarters and lay down their weapons.’ Engelbrecht responded that he would not carry out this order, but refrained from arresting the General on the spot as this conversation was being conducted in the presence of numerous French civilians and men of the Polizei and Wehrmacht. A short while later he sent an officer from his Bataillon to arrest Generalmajor Gleiniger in his office. (Gleiniger shot himself on the morning of 22.08.1944 after a successful breakthrough in the car he was carrying with the Kampfgruppe).

At the same time Engelbrecht rescinded the surrender order of Generalmajor Gleiniger for all German departments in Limoges, and made them aware of his arrest of the general. He then ordered all military formations and German civilians to form up along the road to St. Leonard. From these units he formed a Kampfgruppe of 700 men, which also included wounded and German women, and then took over its leadership. At 20:30 he broke out of the city and fought his way through the terrorists towards St. Leonard (located 22 km to the east of Limoges). Despite the heavy combat friendly losses were insignificant, and St. Leonard was reached at around 23:00.

Upon arriving here he transferred leadership of his Kampfgruppe to the higher ranking Bataillon commander SS-Hauptsturmführer und Hauptmann der Schupo Otremba, who had also arrived in the city.

It was only thanks to Engelbrecht’s independent decisiveness that this 700-man group was able to escape via the detainment of Generalmajor Gleiniger, an unworthy and incompetent commander. Engelbrecht relied on his own strong personality to take command and lead the breakout from the city.

Through these actions he saved these men at the last minute from a humiliating surrender, and later led this unit in its defense of a rallying position.

For these reasons I hold him as worthy of the requested award. No other award has been applied for or given out for this achievement.”