Paul Laux

Paul Laux
Born	11 November 1887 Weimar
Died	2 September 1944 (aged 56) Riga
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1907–44
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	126. Infanterie-Division II Armeekorps 16. Armee
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Paul Laux (11 November 1887 – 2 September 1944) was a German general (General of the Infantry) in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16th Army. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Laux took command of the 10th Division in Passau. On 18 March some of these troops reached Vienna.^[1] In March 1939, when National Socialists and the 85th Infantry Regiment commemorated fallen heroes on the Passau Cathedral Square, Laux praised Adolf Hitler.^[2] Next, his men invaded Bohemia. On 13 April Laux commemorated the annexation of Austria in Passau.^[3]

As commanding officer of the 126th Infantry Division, Laux took part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.^[4] On 29 August 1944 Paul Laux crashed during a reconnaissance flight. He died of his injuries on 2 September 1944.

Awards

• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (January 1940) & 1st Class (July 1940)^[5]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 December 1941 as Generalleutnant and commander of 126. Infanterie-Division^[6]
  • 237th Oak Leaves on 17 May 1943 as General der Infanterie and commander of II Armeekorps^[7]

References

Citations

1. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, pp. 139f
2. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, pp. 199f
3. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, p. 139
4. Anna Rosmus Hitlers Nibelungen, Samples Grafenau 2015, p. 200
5. Thomas 1998, p. 16.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 234.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.

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.
• 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.