Rudolf Witzig
Encyclopedia
Rudolf Witzig was a German Fallschirmjäger
during World War II
and 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 recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Witzig is most well known for his action against the Belgian fortress Fort Eben-Emael
.
on 1 April 1935, as an officer candidate. Two years later, on 20 April 1937, he was promoted to Leutnant and served as a platoon leader in the 31st Pioneer Battalion. Witzig volunteered for service in the Fallschirmjäger on 1 August 1938, and joined the Parachute Infantry Battalion under the command of Major
Richard Heidrich
. A year later, after transferring to the Luftwaffe
and then holding the rank of Oberleutnant
, he was leader of the Sturmabteilung Koch pioneer platoon. This unit was named after Hauptmann
Walter Koch
.
Witzig's greatest military achievement was the capture of Fort Eben-Emael in the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael
on 10 May 1940; that same day, Oberleutnant Witzig was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. A special announcement of the Wehrmachtbericht
on May 11 lauded the accomplishments of Witzig and his airborne landing group. On May 16, Witzig was further honored by an early promotion to Hauptmann.
Rudolf Witzig led the 9th Company of the Parachute Assault Regiment during the Invasion of Crete. Wounded in the course of the battle, he was transferred from the Luftwaffe hospital in Athens to several other hospitals.
On 10 May 1942, Witzig was placed in command of the Corps Parachute Pioneer Battalion. He received promotion to Major on 24 August 1942. From November 1942, he and his battalion served in Tunisia under the command of Oberst Hasso von Manteuffel
, General Friedrich Freiherr von Broich
, and General Alfred Bülowius
, incorporated into the Barenthin Luftwaffe Regiment. The defensive successes in the northern sector of the Tunisian Front are closely linked with Rudolf Witzig.
Witzig served as the commanding officer of I Battalion, 21st Parachute Pioneer Regiment, from 15 June 1944, and simultaneously as commanding officer of the regiment. Witzig and his unit were mentioned a second time in the Wehrmachtbericht
on 8 August 1944, after the destruction of 27 enemy tanks near Kumele.
His last service in World War II was as commanding officer of the 18th Parachute Regiment, from 16 December 1944. With his regiment, he went into captivity on 8 May 1945. Witzig's last honor of the war had come the previous day, when his name was placed on the Honor Roll of the Luftwaffe.
of the Federal Republic of Germany on 16 January 1956. He retired on 30 September 1974 holding the rank of Oberst.
Fallschirmjäger
are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....
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 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...
in the Bundeswehr
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
. 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. Witzig is most well known for his action against the Belgian fortress Fort Eben-Emael
Fort Eben-Emael
Fort Eben-Emael is an inactive Belgian fortress located between Liège and Maastricht, on the Belgian-Dutch border, near the Albert Canal, and designed to defend Belgium from a German attack across the narrow belt of Dutch territory in the region. Constructed in 1931–1935, it was reputed to be...
.
Military career
Rudolf Witzig joined the 16th Pioneer Battalion in HöxterHöxter
Höxter is the seat of the Höxter district, and a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia on the left bank of the river Weser, 52 km north of Kassel in the centre of the Weser Uplands...
on 1 April 1935, as an officer candidate. Two years later, on 20 April 1937, he was promoted to Leutnant and served as a platoon leader in the 31st Pioneer Battalion. Witzig volunteered for service in the Fallschirmjäger on 1 August 1938, and joined the Parachute Infantry Battalion under the command of Major
Major (Germany)
Major is a rank of the German military which dates back to the Middle Ages.It equates to Major in the British and US Armies, and is rated OF-3 in NATO.During World War II, the SS equivalent was Sturmbannführer....
Richard Heidrich
Richard Heidrich
Richard Heidrich , was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
. A year later, after transferring to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and then holding the rank of Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant
Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
, he was leader of the Sturmabteilung Koch pioneer platoon. This unit was named after Hauptmann
Hauptmann
Hauptmann is a German word usually translated as captain when it is used as an officer's rank in the German, Austrian and Swiss armies. While "haupt" in contemporary German means "main", it also has the dated meaning of "head", i.e...
Walter Koch
Walter Koch (Fallschirmjäger)
Walter Koch was a member of the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership...
.
Witzig's greatest military achievement was the capture of Fort Eben-Emael in the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael
Battle of Fort Eben-Emael
The Battle of Fort Eben-Emael was a battle between Belgian and German forces that took place between 10 May and 11 May 1940, and was part of the Battle of the Netherlands, Battle of Belgium and Fall Gelb, the German invasion of the Low Countries and France...
on 10 May 1940; that same day, Oberleutnant Witzig was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
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...
. A special announcement of the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on May 11 lauded the accomplishments of Witzig and his airborne landing group. On May 16, Witzig was further honored by an early promotion to Hauptmann.
Rudolf Witzig led the 9th Company of the Parachute Assault Regiment during the Invasion of Crete. Wounded in the course of the battle, he was transferred from the Luftwaffe hospital in Athens to several other hospitals.
On 10 May 1942, Witzig was placed in command of the Corps Parachute Pioneer Battalion. He received promotion to Major on 24 August 1942. From November 1942, he and his battalion served in Tunisia under the command of Oberst Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso von Manteuffel
Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
, General Friedrich Freiherr von Broich
Friedrich Freiherr von Broich
Friedrich Freiherr von Broich was a German career military officer and panzer commander in World War II.-Awards:* Iron Cross **2nd Class **1st Class...
, and General Alfred Bülowius
Alfred Bülowius
Alfred Bülowius was a Luftwaffe commander during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership....
, incorporated into the Barenthin Luftwaffe Regiment. The defensive successes in the northern sector of the Tunisian Front are closely linked with Rudolf Witzig.
Witzig served as the commanding officer of I Battalion, 21st Parachute Pioneer Regiment, from 15 June 1944, and simultaneously as commanding officer of the regiment. Witzig and his unit were mentioned a second time in the Wehrmachtbericht
Wehrmachtbericht
The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 8 August 1944, after the destruction of 27 enemy tanks near Kumele.
His last service in World War II was as commanding officer of the 18th Parachute Regiment, from 16 December 1944. With his regiment, he went into captivity on 8 May 1945. Witzig's last honor of the war had come the previous day, when his name was placed on the Honor Roll of the Luftwaffe.
Later life
Rudolf Witzig re-joined the military service in the newly created BundeswehrBundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
of the Federal Republic of Germany on 16 January 1956. He retired on 30 September 1974 holding the rank of Oberst.
Awards
- 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 (17 October 1943) - 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....
- 2nd Class (12 May 1940)
- 1st Class (13 May 1940)
- Wound BadgeWound BadgeWound Badge was a German military award for wounded or frost-bitten soldiers of Imperial German Army in World War I, the Reichswehr between the wars, and the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during the Second World War. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied...
(1939) in Black (18 October 1941) - Cuff titleCuff titleA cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
- "Kreta" (12 November 1942)
- "Afrika" (6 Januray 1943)
- Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (1 August 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 10 May 1940 as Oberleutnant and leader of the Sturmgruppe "Granit" in the Luftlande-Sturmabteilung Koch
- 662nd Oak Leaves on 25 November 1944 as Major and commander of the I./Fallschirm-Pionier-Regiment 21
- Mentioned two times in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
- Mentioned on Honor Roll of the Luftwaffe on 7 May 1945