Josef Rettemeier

Josef-Wilhelm Rettemeier

Josef Rettemeier
Born 17 September 1914
Niederdollendorf
Died 19 December 1997(1997-12-19) (aged 83)
Bad Nauheim
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branch Heer
Bundeswehr
Years of service 1934–45
1956–72
Rank Oberst (Wehrmacht)
Oberst (Bundeswehr)
Commands held Panzer-Abteilung 5
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work Military advisor in Taiwan

Josef-Wilhelm Rettemeier (17 September 1914 – 19 December 1997) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberst in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Rettemeier was commissioned as a Leutnant in 1936, and was assigned to the Panzertruppe. After the outbreak of World War II, he saw combat in France, North Africa and the Eastern Front, assuming command of a company and battalion-sized formations. He was also in charge of a training unit for Panther tank drivers and officer candidates in the fall of 1944.[1]

Rettemeier worked in the steel industry before joining the Bundeswehr in 1956, leading panzer regiments and brigades, then served as X.O. in panzer and jäger divisions. After his retirement in 1972, Rettemeier traveled to Taiwan as the member of "Ming-teh-Gruppe", a German military advisory group. During his assignment in Taiwan, Rettemeier aided the creation and training for armored troops of the Republic of China Army. He died in Bad Nauheim in 1997.[2]

Awards and decorations

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Wang 2007, p. 251.
  2. ↑ Wang 2007, pp. 251-52.
  3. 1 2 Thomas 1998, p. 200.
  4. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 289.
  5. ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 68.

Bibliography

  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2005). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe III Radusch – Zwernemann [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color III Radusch – Zwernemann] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-22-5. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9. 
  • Wang, Yue-che (2007). German Military Advisors in Taiwan 1963-1975 (明德專案 : 德國軍事顧問在台工作史實) (in Chinese). Taipei, Taiwan: Transoxania Publishing Corp. ISBN 9789574146543. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/19/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.