Military Wiki
Walter Botsch
Born (1897-02-27)February 27, 1897
Died 7 January 1969(1969-01-07) (aged 71)
Place of birth Braunsbach
Place of death Schwäbisch Gmünd
Allegiance  German Empire (to 1918)
 Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany
Service/branch Heer
Years of service 1915–1945
Rank Generalleutnant
Unit XXX. Armeekorps
19. Armee
Commands held 18. Volksgrenadier-Division
LIII. Armeekorps
LVIII. Panzerkorps
Battles/wars

World War I
World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Walter Botsch (27 February 1897 – 7 January 1969) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht 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.

Awards and decorations[]

Notes[]

  1. According to Scherzer as commanding general of the LIII. Armeekorps.[3]
  2. Walter Botsch's nomination by the troop was already received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 27 October 1944, forwarded for approval on 3 November 1944 and apparently deferred. The file card notes in the field for the presentation: "see folder for further leadership reports". A second nomination by the troop, most likely related to a different act of bravery or leadership skills, according to the file card was received by the HPA on 5 April 1945. The book of "awarded Knight Crosses" states "deferred" because Botsch was considered missing in action on 16 April 1945. A nomination of the HPA with number 5082 was created. According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.[3]

References[]

Citations
  1. Patzwall and Scherzer 2001, p. 54.
  2. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 141, 487.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Scherzer 2007, p. 122.
Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
  • 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.
  • 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.

External links[]

Military offices
Preceded by
None
Chief of Staff of 19. Armee
August 1943 - January 1945
Succeeded by
Oberst i.G. Kurt Brandstädter
Preceded by
Generalmajor Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn
Commander of 18. Volksgrenadier-Division
5 February 1945 - 6 March 1945
Succeeded by
Unit absorbed into 26. Volksgrenadier-Division
Preceded by
General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothirch und Trach
Commander of LIII. Armeekorps
6 March 1945 – 25 March 1945
Succeeded by
Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein
Preceded by
General der Panzertruppe Walter Krüger
Commander of LVIII. Panzerkorps
25 March 1945 – April 1945
Succeeded by
None
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