Walter Neitzel

Walter Neitzel
Born	9 May 1913 Greifenberg
Died	2 September 1944 (aged 31) Kaikasi, Latvia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	?–1944
Rank	Oberstleutnant (Posthumously)
Commands held	I./Grenadier-Regiment 409
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Demyansk Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Neitzel (9 May 1913 – 2 September 1944) was a highly decorated Oberstleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients 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. Walter Neitzel died on 2 September 1944 in Kaikasi, Latvia. He was posthumously promoted to Oberstleutnant and on 5 September 1944 was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 November 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 July 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (7 August 1943)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 30 July 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 3./Infanterie-Regiment 409^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 2 June 1943 as Hauptmann and leader of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 409^[3]
  • 576th Oak Leaves on 5 September 1944 as Major and commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 409^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 115.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 327.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 263.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 74.

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

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht