Werner von Gilsa
Encyclopedia
Werner Albrecht Freiherr von und zu Gilsa (born 4 March 1889 in Berlin; † 8 May 1945 Leitmeritz) was a German officer and General of Infantry, whose last assignment was as Wehrmacht commandant of Dresden. In 1936, while he was a lieutenant colonel, Gilsa became commandant of the Olympic Village, during the Berlin Olympic Games.
Gilsa was descended from a noble German family, the Lords and Barons of Gilsa, and was himself a baron (Freiherr). He joined the Garde-Fusilier regiment, part of the German army, on 19 March 1908. On 19 August 1909 Gilsa was appointed second lieutenant. At the beginning of the First World War, he went to the front as a platoon leader. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 24 July 1915. In the meantime he was awarded Iron Cross
es second and first class. Gilsa became regimental adjutant, then brigade adjutant; on 15 July 1918 he was promoted to captain. At war’s end he was awarded the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords
, as well as other decorations.
on 15 October 1935. As such he became, in the summer of 1936, the commander of the Olympic village, replacing the demoted Wolfgang Fürstner
.
. In the winter of 1941/42 the division was sent to the Eastern Front
. For the defence of the fortified sites at Sukhinitchi (Festen Platzes Suchinitschi), Gilsa was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
with Oak Leaves, on 24 January 1942. He was promoted to lieutenant general on 1 October of that year.
Gilsa was a confidant of the conspirators in the Stauffenberg assassination plot to kill Hitler.
, from 2 October to 8 November 1944. Gilsa was Military Commander of Dresden
from 15 March to May 1945. In Dresden he opened the Wehrmacht hospitals and food warehouses to the civilian population.
Captured by the Russians at the end of the war, Gilsa committed suicide.
Pre-War and World War I
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....
es second and first class. Gilsa became regimental adjutant, then brigade adjutant; on 15 July 1918 he was promoted to captain. At war’s end he was awarded the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Knight's Cross with Swords
House Order of Hohenzollern
The House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
, as well as other decorations.
Weimar Years
After the war Gilsa was transferred to the Reichsheer. From here he made the transition, in the spring of 1920, to the Reichsheer's 115th military infantry regiment and was responsible for the training of 100,000 men. He became a company officer in the 5th Prussian infantry regiment, then company commander. Between 1924 and 1927, he was chief of the 8th MG (machine gun) company of the 5th Prussian infantry regiment. On 1 October 1930 he was appointed adjutant to the commander of the troop exercise area in Döberitz and as such was promoted to Major, on 1 June 1931.Wehrmacht Career
Gilsa became commander of the 1st Battalion of the 6th Infantry Regiment on 1 April 1934; he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 September. With the enlargement of the Reichsheer, Gilsa became the commander of the 1st Battalion of the infantry regiment at Lübeck. He was appointed commander of the Berlin Guard-RegimentInfantry Regiment Großdeutschland
The Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland was an élite German Heer ceremonial and combat unit which saw action during World War II. The regiment served in the campaigns in France and the Low Countries in 1940. It then served exclusively on the Eastern Front until the end of the war...
on 15 October 1935. As such he became, in the summer of 1936, the commander of the Olympic village, replacing the demoted Wolfgang Fürstner
Wolfgang Fürstner
Wolfgang Fürstner was a German Wehrmacht captain. In 1936 Fürstner was the first commander, then vice-commander, of the Olympic village during the Berlin Olympic Games, summer 1936.-Family:...
.
World War II
Gilsa was, from 1 October 1936 to 31 January 1941, commander of the 9th Infantry Regiment. He led his unit in the Polish campaign at the outbreak of World War II. During the campaign, Gilsa was awarded both clips (Spangen) for his Iron Crosses, meaning that he was awarded these decorations for the second time. In early 1940 his regiment fought in the campaign against France. Gilsa succeeded in taking Charleville with some Maas bridges intact, contributing to the success of the German advance. For this achievement, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 June 1940. From 1 April 1941 to 4 April 1943, Gilsa was commander of the 216th Infantry Division216th Infantry Division (Germany)
The 216th Infantry Division was created on 26 August 1939 by reorganizing several Border Defense and Army Reserve units from Lower Saxony, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Hannover...
. In the winter of 1941/42 the division was sent to the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. For the defence of the fortified sites at Sukhinitchi (Festen Platzes Suchinitschi), Gilsa 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...
with Oak Leaves, on 24 January 1942. He was promoted to lieutenant general on 1 October of that year.
Gilsa was a confidant of the conspirators in the Stauffenberg assassination plot to kill Hitler.
Last Commands
Gilsa was promoted to General of Infantry on 1 July 1943. From 11 June 1943 to 23 November 1944 he was Commanding General of the LXXXIX Army Corps, which took part in the Battle of the ScheldtBattle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
, from 2 October to 8 November 1944. Gilsa was Military Commander of Dresden
Bombing of Dresden in World War II
The Bombing of Dresden was a military bombing by the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force and as part of the Allied forces between 13 February and 15 February 1945 in the Second World War...
from 15 March to May 1945. In Dresden he opened the Wehrmacht hospitals and food warehouses to the civilian population.
Captured by the Russians at the end of the war, Gilsa committed suicide.
Awards and decorations
- 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....
(1914)- 2nd Class (18 October 1914)
- 1st Class (14 May 1915)
- Hanseatic CrossHanseatic CrossThe Hanseatic Cross was a decoration of the three Hanseatic Cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Lübeck, who were member states of the German Empire during World War I...
of Hamburg - Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with SwordsHouse Order of HohenzollernThe House Order of Hohenzollern was an order of chivalry of the House of Hohenzollern. It was both a military and a civil award...
- Cross of HonorCross of HonorThe Cross of Honor, also known as the Honor Cross or, popularly, the Hindenburg Cross, was a commemorative medal inaugurated on July 13, 1934 by Reichspräsident Paul von Hindenburg for those soldiers of Imperial Germany who fought in World War I...
- 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 (14 September 1939)
- 1st Class (21 October 1939)
- Eastern Front MedalEastern Front MedalThe Eastern Front Medal, , more commonly known as the Ostmedaille was instituted on May 26, 1942 to mark service on the German Eastern Front during the period November 15, 1941 to April 15, 1942...
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight'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 June 1940 as OberstOberstOberst 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 commander of Infanterie-Regiment 9 - 68th Oak Leaves on 24 January 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 216. Infanterie-Division
- Knight's Cross on 5 June 1940 as Oberst