Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)

Unit:

Zugführer, 11. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 35, 25. Panzergrenadier-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

January 25th, 1945

Awarded the Knight’s Cross for his actions during the fighting near the road junction at Bitsch in late 1944. His role in the battle is described in the following excerpt from a report written by Oberst i.G. Schrode…

“… On the 21.12.1944 the enemy succeeded in blowing up or disabling additional armoured turrets at the Schießeck redoubt, with the result that all its artillery pieces were rendered unusable. However the garrison nonetheless held out for the entire day. The 1./35 likewise held the Freudenberg farm and thereby maintained the corridor towards the redoubt. The farm was the cornerstone of the position in these days, and it was recaptured 4 times via counterthrusts.

On the evening of this day the Rgt. 35 launched a new counterattack to free the redoubt’s garrison. But, just as on the previous day, it encountered heavy enemy resistance. Just before midnight a patrol from the 2./35 managed to reach one of the two emergency exits. This was made possible thanks to the actions of Unteroffizier Wieland, who had freely volunteered for this mission. He discovered a narrow gully, and by single-handedly creeping and crawling along it he was able to reach the emergency exit. The garrison was subsequently able to evacuate the redoubt along this same route. It did so unnoticed and after it had successfully destroyed the telephone exchange.

After liberating the redoubt’s garrison the I./35 retreated from the Freudenberg and Suselhof farms to the hills south of Schorbach.

The brave stand of the garrison of the Schießeck redoubt was named in the Wehrmachtbericht of the 22.12.1944. Unteroffizier Wieland was awarded the Knight’s Cross.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)