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This biographical article. Needs additional citations for verification. |
| Waldemar von Gazen | |
|---|---|
 Waldemar von Gazen | |
| Born | December 6, 1917 |
| Died | January 13, 2014 (aged 96) |
| Place of birth | Hamburg, German Empire |
| Place of death | Göttingen,Lowersaxony |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Years of service | 1936-1945 |
| Rank | Major im Generalstab |
| Commands held | Pz.Gren.Rgt. 66 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords |
| Other work | Lawyer |
Waldemar von Gazen called Waldemar von Gaza (born 6 December 1917) was an Officer in the German Wehrmacht and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II. 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[]
Waldemar von Gazen joined the military service with Infanterie-Regiment 66 (66th Infantry Regiment) as a Fahnenjunker (Cadet) in 1936. He was promoted to Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) on 1 September 1938 and participated in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France as a platoon leader (Zugführer). He was promoted to Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) on 1 September 1940. He was tasked with the leadership of the 2nd company of Schützen-Regiment 66 on the Eastern Front.[citation needed]
Von Gazen was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 September 1942 for his achievements in summer of 1942 and the assault on Rostov. Shortly afterwards he was made leader of the I. Bataillon (1st Battalion) of the regiment. In early 1943 he distinguished himself again in combat as the leader of a Kampfgruppe (combat formation) in the Kuban bridgehead. For these actions he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 18 January 1943.[citation needed]
Von Gazen was made leader of Schützen-Regiment 66 in April 1943 and was officially commander of the regiment on 28 August 1943. His regiment succeeded in holding the German lines in the vicinity of Melitopol against numerous attacks by the Red Army at the end of September 1943. Von Gazen was severely wounded in these battles. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 3 October 1943 for the achievements of his regiment.[citation needed]
After a period of convalescence he was transferred to the Generalstab des Heeres (General staff of the Army) on 1 July 1944. Here he received a general staff traineeship. He was appointed Ia (operations officer) of the 13. Panzer-Division stationed in Hungary in early September 1944. He was transferred again and appointed Ia of the 2. Panzer-Division in February 1945. Von Gazen was taken prisoner of war at the end of hostilities in Europe and released in 1946.[citation needed]
Awards[]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Panzer Badge in Bronze (3rd Class)
- Wound Badge in Silver
- Tank Destruction Badge
- German Cross in Gold on 15 November 1941 as Oberleutnant in the 2./Schützen-Regiment 66[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht[]
| Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
|---|---|---|
| 3 October 1943 | Bei den Abwehrkämpfen südostwärts Saporoshje zeichneten sich das Jägerregiment 138 unter Führung des Oberstleutnants Graf von der Goltz, eine unter Führung von Major von Gaza stehende Panzergruppe sowie die Sturmgeschützabteilung 243 und die Heeres-Panzerjägerabteilung 721 besonders aus.
[6] || The Jägerregiment 138 under the leadership of Oberstleutnant Graf von der Goltz, a Panzer group under the command of Major von Gaza as well as Sturmgeschützabteilung 243 and the Heeres-Panzerjägerabteilung 721 distinguished themselves in the defensive battles south east of Zaporizhia. |
References[]
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Berger, Florian (2000). Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. 2., überarbeitete Auflage (in German). Florian Berger, Wien. 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.
- Patzwall, Klaus D. and Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall (in German). ISBN 3-931533-45-X.
- Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 - 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham - Huppertz (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 3-932381-20-3.
- 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.
- Williamson, Gordon and McGregor, Malcolm (2005). German Commanders of World War II. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-596-1.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
