Walter Melzer

Walter Melzer
Born	7 October 1894 Leipzig
Died	23 June 1961 (aged 66) Bremen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	252. Infanterie-Division XXIII. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of Belgium Battle of France Battle of Dunkirk Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Voronezh (1942) Operation Bagration Vilnius Offensive Baltic Offensive (1944) Battle of Memel East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Melzer (7 October 1894 – 23 June 1961) was a highly decorated General der Infanterie in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the XXIII corps. 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 recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (9 August 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (10 March 1918)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (16 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (3 October 1939)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 11 February 1943 as Oberst in Grenadier-Regiment 694^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 21 August 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 151^[3]
  • 558th Oak Leaves on 23 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 252. Infanterie-Division^[4]

References

Notes

1. Thomas 1998, p. 72.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 303.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 252.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 73.

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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com