Willibald Borowietz (17 September 1893 – 1 July 1945) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. 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. Borowietz was captured when the Afrika Korps surrendered to Allied forces. He was held as a POW by the United States and died in their captivity in an auto accident. His wife, Eva Ledien, was of Jewish descent. She committed suicide in October 1938 so that their children could be Aryanized. This freed Willibald to follow his career. Eva's sister, Käthe (Ledien) Bosse, was killed in Ravensbrück concentration camp on 16 December 1944.
Knight's Cross on 24 July 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Schützen-Regiment 10 [1]
235th Oak Leaves on 10 May 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 15.Panzer-Division [2]
Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (12 April 1941 and 11 May 1943)
Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht[]
Date
Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording
Direct English translation
Saturday, 12 April 1941
Bei dem Vorstoß einer Panzerdivision auf Üsküp am 6. und 7. April haben sich Oberst Apell, Kommandeur einer Schützenbrigade, und Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, Kommandeur einer Panzerjägerabteilung, besonders ausgezeichent.[3]
OberstApell, commander of a Schützenbrigade, and Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, commander of a Panzerjägerabteilung, distinguished themselves on 6 and 7 April during the advance of a Panzer-Division on Skopje.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
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.
Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
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.
1 Oak Leaves with Panzer-Regiment 2 (16th Panzer Division). 2 Oak Leaves with the 15th Panzer Division. 3 Knight's Cross with Schützen-Regiment 10, Oak Leaves with Kradschützen-Bataillon 59, Swords with Panzergreandier-Regiment 10. 4 Oak Leaves with Brigade z.b.V. (Panzer Division "Hermann Göring"). 5 Knight's Cross with Grenadier-Regiment 195 (78th Infantry Division). This along with the ? (question mark) indicates doubt regarding the veracity and formal correctness of the listing.
German Empire (to 1918)
Weimar Republic (to 1919)
Nazi Germany (to 1943)
