Joachim Ziegler
Encyclopedia
Joachim Ziegler was a Brigadeführer
and Major General in the Waffen SS during World War II
and the commander of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
, who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II, The Oakleaves being a second award.
Ziegler was awarded the Spanish Cross
for his participation in the Spanish Civil War
, fighting in the Condor Legion
.
In 1939 he served as the adjutant in the 3rd Panzer Brigade and on 23 September 1939 he was awarded the Iron Cross
2nd class followed by a 1st class award in June 1940.
On 14 March 1943 he was promoted to Oberst
and served on the General Staff of the XXXXII Army Corps. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 1 June 1943 and was invited by the Wehrmacht to a command position in the Waffen SS. From 20 June 1943 he was the Chief of General Staff of the III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
, and in November 1943 he was granted permission to wear an SS uniform for the duration of his command.
When Fritz von Scholz
was killed in action he was asked to take over command of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland. On 5 September 1944 he was awarded the Knights Cross for the conduct of the division in action and the Oakleaves in April 1945.
On 25 April, Brigadeführer Gustav Krukenberg
was appointed the commander of (Berlin) Defence Sector C which included the Nordland Division. Joachim Ziegler was relieved of his command of Nordland the same day. The exact reason for the transfer of the Nordland command is not clearly known. Apparently, it was requested by General Helmuth Weidling
.
After Hitler's death Krukenberg assembled most of his escort made up of French SS for the breakout of Berlin
. They joined up with Ziegler and a larger group of Nordland troops. They crossed the Spree just before dawn. Near the Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station they came under heavy fire. Joachim Ziegler was gravely wounded. Ziegler died from his wounds on the 2 May 1945.
Brigadeführer
SS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
and Major General in the Waffen SS during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the commander of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland
The 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland, also known as Kampfverband Waräger, Germanische-Freiwilligen-Division, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division 11 or 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nordland, was a Waffen SS, Panzergrenadier division recruited from foreign volunteers...
, who was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II, The Oakleaves being a second award.
Ziegler was awarded the Spanish Cross
Spanish Cross
The Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for Franco.- History :With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany sent the Condor Legion to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.On April 14, 1939, Germany...
for his participation in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, fighting in the Condor Legion
Condor Legion
The Condor Legion was a unit composed of volunteers from the German Air Force and from the German Army which served with the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legion developed methods of terror bombing which were used widely in the Second World War...
.
In 1939 he served as the adjutant in the 3rd Panzer Brigade and on 23 September 1939 he was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd class followed by a 1st class award in June 1940.
On 14 March 1943 he was promoted to Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
and served on the General Staff of the XXXXII Army Corps. He was awarded the German Cross in Gold on 1 June 1943 and was invited by the Wehrmacht to a command position in the Waffen SS. From 20 June 1943 he was the Chief of General Staff of the III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
The III SS Panzer Corps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The The III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps (III. (germanische) SS-Panzerkorps) was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The...
, and in November 1943 he was granted permission to wear an SS uniform for the duration of his command.
When Fritz von Scholz
Fritz von Scholz
Fritz von Scholz, Edler von Rerancze, known as Fritz von Scholz was an Austrian Austro-Hungarian Army and later German Waffen SS officer who served in both the First and Second World Wars....
was killed in action he was asked to take over command of the 11th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nordland. On 5 September 1944 he was awarded the Knights Cross for the conduct of the division in action and the Oakleaves in April 1945.
On 25 April, Brigadeführer Gustav Krukenberg
Gustav Krukenberg
Dr Gustav Krukenberg was Brigadeführer of the Charlemagne Division of the Waffen-SS and further commander of its remains and the SS Division Nordland during the Battle of Berlin in April 1945....
was appointed the commander of (Berlin) Defence Sector C which included the Nordland Division. Joachim Ziegler was relieved of his command of Nordland the same day. The exact reason for the transfer of the Nordland command is not clearly known. Apparently, it was requested by General Helmuth Weidling
Helmuth Weidling
Helmuth Otto Ludwig Weidling was an officer in the German Army before and during World War II...
.
After Hitler's death Krukenberg assembled most of his escort made up of French SS for the breakout of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. They joined up with Ziegler and a larger group of Nordland troops. They crossed the Spree just before dawn. Near the Gesundbrunnen U-Bahn station they came under heavy fire. Joachim Ziegler was gravely wounded. Ziegler died from his wounds on the 2 May 1945.
Awards
- Spanish CrossSpanish CrossThe Spanish Cross was an award of Germany given to Germans who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for Franco.- History :With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, Germany sent the Condor Legion to give military aid to Francisco Franco's nationalist forces.On April 14, 1939, Germany...
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (23 September 1939)
- 1st Class (28 June 1940)
- German CrossGerman CrossThe German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold (14 March 1943) - Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
- Knight's Cross on 5 September 1944 as BrigadeführerBrigadeführerSS-Brigadeführer was an SS rank that was used in Nazi Germany between the years of 1932 and 1945. Brigadeführer was also an SA rank....
and commander of the 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland" - (848th) Oak Leaves on 28 April 1945 as Brigadeführer and commander of the 11. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland"
- Knight's Cross on 5 September 1944 as Brigadeführer