Bio of Oberstleutnant Werner Ziegler (1916-2001)

Werner Ziegler

Date of Birth: 30.04.1916 - Hausach, Baden (German Empire)
Date of Death: 15.04.2001 - Ofersheim, Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Promotions:
00.00.1939 Leutnant
08.09.1942 Oberleutnant
00.00.1942 Hauptmann
01.05.1943 Major
01.06.1944 Oberstleutnant

Career:
00.00.1936 Infanterie-Regiment 20
03.10.1939 Adjutant / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 186
01.10.1940 Führer 2.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 186
00.00.1942 Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 186
01.07.1943 Stabsoffizier V. Armeekorps
00.00.1943 Stabsoffizier 19. Panzer-Division
06.03.1944 Führer Grenadier-Regiment 186
01.06.1944 Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 186
00.09-10.1944 Kommandeur Grenadier Regiment 1112
00.00.1945 Stabsoffizier V. Armeekorps
00.00.1956 Joined the Bundeswehr and served at the Infantry School in Hammelburg
00.00.1960 Stellvertretender Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Brigade 35
00.00.1967 Retired as Oberst and Kommandeur Panzergrenadier-Brigade 19

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.193_ Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen in Bronze
00.00.193_ Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
07.07.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
26.04.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Bronze
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
31.12.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Leutnant and Führer 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 186 / 73.Infanterie-Division. On 14 August 1941, during the battles between the Dniester and the Bug rivers, Leutnant Ziegler and his Kompanie took the heavily occupied town of Petrovskoye on the western bank of the Bug in a coup d'état and cleared out the surrounding area in bitter house fighting. More than 300 prisoners were captured in the process.
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
08.09.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #121, as Oberleutnant and Führer 2.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 186 / 73.Infanterie-Division. Awarded for his leadership during the urban fighting in Novorossiysk on 6 September 1942.
00.00.194_ Krimschild
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange in Bronze
00.00.194_ Sonderabzeichen für das Niederkämpfen von Panzerkampfwagen durch Einzelkämpfer
00.00.194_ Kubanschilz
23.10.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #102, as Major and Führer Grenadier-Regiment 186 / 73.Infanterie-Division. Ziegler's Regiment participated in the final battle for Sevastopol in May 1944. On 7 May 1944, during the general Soviet attack against the German V. Armeekorps, his Regiment stood firm in its defensive positions on Windmill Hill, even after it had been surrounded. Ziegler and his men were able to hold their ground successfully until relieved by Kampfgruppen Marienfeld and Faulhaber on the morning of the next day.
00.00.1968 Bundesverdienstkreuz I.Klasse

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Werner Ziegler joined the 20th Infantry Regiment in 1936, where he was promoted to Leutnant in 1939.

On October 3, 1939 he became adjutant in the 1st Battalion of the 186th Infantry Regiment. After the western campaign in 1940, he took over the leadership of the 2nd Company of the 186th Infantry Regiment on October 1, 1940. He led this during the Balkan campaign and at the beginning of the campaign "Barbarossa". In the battles on the Crimean peninsula, he distinguished himself with special bravery. For his achievements he was awarded the Knight's Cross on December 31, 1941. He was known for using innovative warfare tactics and was a feared expert in night raids.

After the difficult positional battles on the Mius in the winter of 1941/42, he distinguished himself again in the summer of 1942 in the Kuban region. He and his company played a decisive role in the capture of Novorossiysk, for which he was awarded the oak leaf as an Oberleutnant on September 8, 1942.

On the night of September 10, 1942, the day when the 1st Battalion of Grenadier Regiment 186 of the 73rd Infantry Division under Eichenlaubträger Oberleutnant Werner Ziegler set out for the final assault on the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, the small flotilla of the “Brandenburg ' - the inflatable boats towed by the assault boats - in a wide arc around Novorossiysk to the south-east. The 122 kilometers between Tuapse and Novorossiysk, over which the access road led, were to be interrupted about 30 kilometers south-east of Novorossiysk. Explosives and weapons were stowed in the inflatable boats. When Oberleutnant Ziegler and his grenadiers from the 73rd Infantry Division entered the city, fought down house after house and fought his way to the harbor to knock out the anti-aircraft batteries there, the time had come for the “Brandenburgers”. The next target was called Tuapse, and this key point in the narrow coastal plain was crucial. In order to reach it and take it by surprise, the road had to be closed to the retreating Soviet troops from Novorossiysk, lest they reinforce the garrison of Tuapse. Ziegler's successes would not have been possible without the deployment of the "Brandenburgers", and this applied to many companies during the Second World War.

Shortly thereafter, Ziegler was promoted to Hauptmann and commander of the 1st Battalion. On May 1, 1943, he was promoted to major in the Novorossiysk area. On July 1, 1943 he had to give up his battalion in order to be transferred to the staff of the V Army Corps and then to the staff of the 19th Panzer Division. On March 6, 1944, he returned to his old 186th Grenadier Regiment as a leader. After the loss of the Crimea and the evacuation to Hungary, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel on June 1, 1944 and commanded the 186th Grenadier Regiment.

In autumn 1944 he was then commander of the Grenadier Regiment 1112 and on October 23, 1944 he was awarded the swords as a lieutenant colonel. Seriously wounded, he had to give up his command. After his recovery, he was then commissioned to the staff of the V Army Corps. At the end of the war he was taken prisoner by the Western Allies, from which he was released in 1946 and was able to return to his wife. He then worked for ten years in the private industry before joining the Bundeswehr. In 1956 he served at the Infantry School in Hammelburg under Brigadegeneral Hellmuth Mäder. In 1960 Ziegler served deputy commander of the Panzergrenadierbrigade 35. Seven years later he retired as Oberst and commander of the Panzergrenadierbrigade 19 in Ahlen.

Adolf Hitler welcomes Heer officers Werner Ziegler (foreground) and Gerhard Hein at the Werwolf headquarters on the occasion of the presentation of the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz.

Werner Ziegler (left) in 1960 as commander of Panzergrenadierbrigade 35 of the Bundeswehr.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Werner_Ziegler_(soldier)
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Ziegler,_Werner
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34554/Ziegler-Werner.htm
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/german-photographs-postcards/show-your-signed-photos-284539-104/