Johannes Mayer

Dr. rer. pol. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Mayer
Dr. rer. pol. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Mayer
	File:Johnannes Mayer.jpg Johannes Mayer
Born	6 September 1893
Died	7 August 1963 (aged 69)
Place of birth	Stepenitz, Province of Brandenburg
Place of death	Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918); Weimar Republic (to 1933); Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–1945
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands held	Infanterie-Regiment 501; 329. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I; World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
Other work	Engineer

Dr. rer. pol. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Mayer^{[Notes 1]} (6 September 1893 – 7 August 1963) was a German General of the Infantry, serving during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Military career[]

Mayer was born on 6 December 1893 in Stepenitz in the Province of Brandenburg, the son of a pastor. He attended the boarding school Pforta, where he graduated with his Abitur (diploma) as best of his class. He then started studying theology. With the outbreak of World War I he volunteered for military service and joined Infanterie-Regiment "Prinz Moritz von Anhalt-Dessau" Nr. 42. Throughout World War I he served with this regiment earning both classes the Iron Cross (Eisernes Kreuz).

Awards[]

Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class (24 August 1915)^[1]
- 1st Class (16 December 1916)^[1]
Cross of Honor
Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 4th to 1st Class
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (6 June 1940)^[1]
- 1st Class (9 June 1940)^[1]
Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
Eastern Front Medal
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Knight's Cross on 13 September 1941 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 501^[2]
- 453rd Oak Leaves on 13 April 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 329. Infanterie-Division^[2]
- 89th Swords on 23 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of the 329. Infanterie-Division^[2]
Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (16 March 1944, 18 July 1944)

References in the Wehrmachtbericht[]

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
16 March 1944	In Kämpfen nordwestlich Newel hat sich die rheinisch-westfälische 329. Infanteriedivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Mayer besonders ausgezeichnet.^[3]	The Rhenish-Westphalian 329th infantry division under the leadership of Generalleutnant Mayer distinguished itself in combat northwest of Newel.
18 July 1944	Bei den Kämpfen an der Ostfront haben sich im Süden die fränkisch-sudentendeutsche 88. Infanterie-Division unter Führung von Generalmajor v. Rittberg und im Norden die rheinisch-westfälische 329. Infanterie-Division unter Führung des Generalleutnants Mayer durch besondere Härte und Zähigkeit wiederholt ausgezeichnet.^[4]	The Frankish- Sudeten German 88th infantry division under the command of Generalmajor von Rittberg in the northern sector of the eastern front and the Rhenish-Westphalian 329th infantry division under the leadership of Generalleutnant Mayer in the southern sector distinguished themselves by showing hardship and toughness.

Notes[]

↑ In German a Doctorate of political economy is abbreviated as Dr. rer. pol. (Doctor rerum politicarum) and a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. (Doctor-Ingenieur).

References[]

Citations

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Thomas 1998, p. 66.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Scherzer 2007, p. 532.
↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 58.
↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 167.

Bibliography

Berger, Florian (1999). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges (in German). Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 3-9501307-0-5.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2300-3.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.

External links[]

Military offices
Preceded by Oberst Bruno Hippler	Commander of 329th Infanterie-Division 22 March 1942 – 9 August 1943	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Paul Winter
Preceded by Generalleutnant Paul Winter	Commander of 329th Infanterie-Division September, 1943 – 16 July 1944	Succeeded by Generalmajor der Reserve Werner Schulze
Preceded by General der Infanterie Hermann Foertsch	Commander of X. Armeekorps 21 December 1944 – 27 December 1944	Succeeded by General der Artillerie Siegfried Thomaschki
Preceded by General der Infanterie Wilhelm Hasse	Commander of II. Armeekorps 15 January 1945 – 1 April 1945	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Alfred Gause

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[1] In German a Doctorate of political economy is abbreviated as Dr. rer. pol. (Doctor rerum politicarum) and a Doctorate in engineering is abbreviated as Dr.-Ing. (Doctor-Ingenieur).

[Thomas_p66-2] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 Thomas 1998, p. 66.

[Scherzer_p532-3] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 Scherzer 2007, p. 532.

[4] Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 58.

[5] Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 167.

[Notes 1]

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