Bio of Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Walther (1910-2010)

Wilhelm Karl Walther

Date of Birth: 27.01.1910 - Dresden, Sachsen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 25.11.2010 - Leimen, Baden-Württemberg (Germany)

Battles and Operations: Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of Netherlands (1940), Operation Marita (1941), Balkan Campaign (1941), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Eastern Front (1941-1943), Battle of the Dodecanese (1943)

Promotions:
00.00.1934 Gefreiter der Reserve
00.00.193_ Unteroffizier der Reserve
00.00.193_ Feldwebel der Reserve
01.06.1936 Leutnant der Reserve
01.06.1937 Leutnant
01.10.1938 Oberleutnant
01.03.1941 Hauptmann
01.02.1943 Major
01.05.1944 Oberstleutnant

Career:
00.00.1916 - 00.00.1920 Grundschule in Dresden
00.00.1920 - 00.00.1929 Gymnasium in Dresden
00.00.1929 - 00.00.1933 Technisches Hochschule Dresden
00.09.1933 - 00.10.1934 Baufirma "Schwenke"
00.11.1933 at the same time, Military Sport Instructor at the University of Hamburg
01.11.1934 - 30.10.1935 Kradschützen-Kompanie / Kraftfahr-Abteilung Cannstadt
01.11.1935 - 30.05.1936 Kradschützen-Kompanie / Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 / 2.Panzer-Division
01.06.1936 Zugführer in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 / 2.Panzer-Division
00.09.1939 Kompanieführer in Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 / 2.Panzer-Division
15.03.1940 - 29.05.1940 transferred to 4.Kompanie / Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800
29.03.1940 - 31.05.1940 Führer 4.Kompanie / Baulehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800
01.06.1940 - 16.09.1940 Chef 4.Kompanie / Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800
16.09.1940 Führer I.Bataillon / Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800
00.06.1941 - 00.08.1941 Verbindungsoffizier in Panzergruppe 4
01.11.1941 - 19.11.1942 Kommandeur I.Bataillon / Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800
19.11.1942 - 00.04.1943 Kommandeur Verband 801 / Sonderverband "Brandenburg"
00.04.1943 Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg"
01.10.1944 severely wounded at Gross Betschkerek
00.03.1945 - 00.04.1945 Stabchef SS-Jagdverbände
00.04.1945 - 08.05.1945 Führungsgruppe Schutzkorps Alpenland
00.06.1946 arrested at Annaberg, Austria, by the United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps
00.08.1946 transferred to Glasenbach, near Salzburg (as prisoner 29-15886)
00.11.1946 transferred to Ludwigsburg, north of Stuttgart (as prisoner 29-15886)
00.02.1947 transferred to Dachau before transported to the Netherlands
17.05.1950 released

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht IV.Klasse (4 Jahre)
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
00.00.1939 Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit spange "Prager Burg"
00.00.19__ Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
24.08.1934 DRL Sportabzeichen in Gold #1025
00.00.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
24.06.1940 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Stosstruppführer in 4.Kompanie / Baulehrbataillon z.b.V. 800. Awarded for capturing a strategic bridge at Gennep during the assault on the Netherlands. Leading an 8-man team disguised as Dutch military police escorting German prisoners, they made their assault seizing the bridge and disabling the detonators
00.00.1940 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
00.00.1943 Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
00.00.1944 Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber

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Among early recruits of Lehr-Regiment 'Brandenburg' z.b.V. 800 special unit in 1940 was a 30-year-old army officer from Dresden. Wilhelm Walther was so christened after being born on 27 January 1910 — the same birthday as the German emperor, Wilhelm II. The son of an innkeeper, 'Uwe', as he would later be known, enjoyed a middle-class family upbringing. After attaining his Abitur (high school certificate) in 1929, he attended university, where he studied architecture and became active in the Burschenschaft Cheruscia (a student fraternity). He also joined the paramilitary Grenzschutz (border protection), heading an unofficial student company. Young Walther evidently possessed martial qualities that did not go unnoticed. In November 1933, on the recommendation of the Sturmabteilung-Hochschulamt (Storm Division/SA-High School Department), he was appointed military sports instructor at the University of Hamburg, and, between mid-January 1933 and the end of October 1934, headed the SA-Sportschule (SA Sport School) at nearby Trittau, where he was awarded the SA-Sportabzeichen in Gold (SA Sports Badge in Gold). At age 24, he joined the Reichswehr (shortly to be reorganised as the Wehrmacht).

Walther was a reserve Feldwebel (sergeant), prior to being commissioned on 1 June 1936 as a reserve Leutnant (second lieutenant) in Aufklarungs-Abteilung 5 (A.A.5), an armoured reconnaissance unit in 2. Panzer-Division. He became a regular Leutnant in June 1937, being promoted to Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) on 1 October 1938. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was a Kompanie Fuhrer, taking part in the Polish campaign. His primary employment as a staff officer, however, was not to his liking. Keen to see more action, Walther applied for a transfer to the Fallschirmjager (paratroopers). Prevented from leaving by his commanding officer, he asked if he might instead join the Luftwaffe (air force) to train as a Schlachtflieger (ground-attack pilot). This, too, was refused. So, Walther telephoned a friend, former-A.A.5 officer Dietrich Witzel, then serving in another, little-known, unit. Witzel urged Walther to put his name forward, only saying that his new employer would be the Abwehr. Without any real idea of what he was letting himself in for, Walther did so and, this time, he was successful. Canaris himself had approved the request, overruling any further objections by Walther's CO.

Wilhelm Walther was assigned to 4. Kompanie, Bau-Lehr-Bataillon z.b.V. 800 on 15 March 1940. He was Kompanie Fiihrer until 31 May, by which time he had become the first of his unit to receive the coveted Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross).

The first task for Oberleutnant Walther after joining the battalion was to secure one of a series of objectives in the Netherlands preparatory to the German invasion of that country. On 10 May 1940, he led a small team in seizing a railway bridge, some 300 metres in length, that spanned the River Meuse near the town of Gennep.

The initial strength of the commando group was probably no more than a dozen in total. This included three Dutch Kampfdolmetscher (combat interpreters) wearing German-manufactured Koninklijke Marechaussee (gendarmerie) uniforms. Walther and his German contingent were their `prisoners' — with sub-machine guns concealed beneath long coats, six stick grenades slung behind their backs, and with egg grenades in each man's gas mask canister and Brotbeutel (tread bag'). In the early hours of the morning, the team was taken by lorry towards the German—Dutch border.

There, one of the Dutch volunteers asked to withdraw. He was disarmed and held at a German border post. The remainder continued on foot. After some two and a half hours, when just short of their objective, Walther called a halt and observed what lay ahead: a defence system that included concrete bunkers and a numerically superior local guard force. After half an hour, Walther and his team broke cover, advancing in plain view. Exactly what occurred next is debatable. On reaching the bridge, there was some sort of scuffle and several guards were overpowered. This enabled a Feldwebel to enter the guardhouse, where he set to severing telephone wires. While this was taking place, someone at the far end of the bridge opened fire, wounding another Feldwebel in the hand. Leaving two team members with their Dutch prisoners and the lightly wounded man, Walther and the others pressed on. Midway, more wires were seen and surreptitiously cut. For whatever reason, the small group met with no further opposition until they neared the opposite side, when they encountered a guard force of platoon-strength, if not more. The Dutchmen seemed hesitant, clearly uncertain how to deal with such a situation. After only a cursory search, five men took charge of the 'prisoners', leading them towards the western bridgehead. At the same time, one of Walther's Dutchmen returned the way he had come, with the pretext of collecting his bicycle, and joined the team members there.

Walther's mission was not going well. He and his men — only four or five at this stage — were covered by their escorts' rifles and so prevented from producing their own weapons. Just when it seemed that the mission had failed, Walther noticed in the distance what he took to be steam from an expected German armoured train. Seizing the initiative, he shouted a warning: "Panzerzug von hinten, voile Deckung!" (Armoured train behind, get under cover!'). This had the desired effect, distracting the guards and enabling the Germans to escape and take up firing positions. Meanwhile, those at the eastern bridgehead began to shift a heavy barrier, to clear the way for the approaching armoured train. This was achieved under fire, during which an Obergefreiter was badly wounded.

The train arrived with German troops, some of whom joined in the shooting, misidentifying Walther and his men. Walther was wounded and left momentarily partially deaf when a round pierced the right side of his helmet. After the mistake was realised and the situation brought under control, remaining bunkers were cleared, sometimes while under German artillery fire, and by about 06:00 it was all over. An estimated thirty to forty Dutch prisoners had been taken, apparently without fatalities on either side.

For his performance, on 24 June Oberleutnant Walther was decorated with the Ritterkreuz. Years later, he explained: 'By crossing the Gennep bridge, 9. Panzer-Division was able to set off for the Peelstellung [defence line] and, after a successful breakthrough, was able to establish contact with the Fallschirmjager who had landed near Moerdjik as early as 12 May. Thus, the southern entrance way to "Fortress Holland" was firmly in German hands.' The operation would be used as an example during future training for 'Brandenburg' troops, demonstrating, as it did, the ability to think fast and improvise and never to accept defeat, whatever the odds.

On 1 June 1940, Walther became a Kompanie-Chef in II. Bataillon of what was now Lehr-Regiment 'Brandenburg' z.b.V. 800, being appointed I. Bataillon Fuhrer on 16 September. He was promoted to Hauptmann on 1 March 1941. In April, he took part in Operation `Marita' and the Balkans Campaign — the occupation of Greece and Yugoslavia. Operation `Barbarossa' —the German invasion of Russia — followed in June.

Walther was employed as liaison officer with Panzergruppe 4, probably until mid-August, when he is believed to have returned to Germany and been hospitalised at Darmstadt. On 1 November, he resumed his previous role at I. Bataillon. After a spell of home duty, Walther returned to Russia, where he remained for some eight months, until 9 February 1943 —serving initially as Kommandeur I. Bataillon (1 April 1942 to 19 November 1942). Subordinated to Heeresgruppe B (Army Group B), Walther's battalion was at the forefront of the push towards Stalingrad, and for some time operated as an ad-hoc battle formation: `Gruppe Walther'.

By this time, the Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsfuhrers-SS (SD — Security Service of the Reichsfuhrer-SS) — rightly considered by Hitler as being more dependable than many in the rival Abwehr — were also engaged in clandestine tasks not dissimilar to those undertaken by the Brandenburger. In April 1943, SS-Obersturmfuhrer (SS First Lieutenant) Otto Skorzeny would be appointed commander of the SS special force.

Such a development clearly represented a threat to the continued existence of the Abwehr commandos. As it was, they were no longer being utilised to their full potential, but instead were being increasingly employed at precarious sectors of the front. It was decided to expand and reorganise the force, which, in January 1943, became Sonderverbandes 'Brandenburg'. Five Verbanden would provide the nucleus of the restructured formation (Walther having been appointed in November 1942 to command Verband 801, formerly I. Bataillon). In April 1943, the Brandenburger were subordinated to the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW Armed Forces High Command) / Wehrmachtführungsstab (Armed Forces Command Staff), leaving only an independent Lehr-Regiment `Kurfurst' under Abwehr control. The Verbanden and their parent unit were also redesignated. Verband 801 became Jägerregiment 1 `Brandenburg' of what was now the Division 'Brandenburg'. Significantly, the suffix z.b.V. no longer applied.

Walther was promoted to Major on 1 February 1943, and in June 1943 returned to Russia, this time to the Leningrad area. After only a few weeks, he was redeployed to Greece. There, his command was involved in the seizure of the Dodecanese from British and Italian forces, concluding with Walther negotiating the Italian surrender of the island of Samos on 22 November 1943. Following anti-guerrilla operations in mainland Greece in early 1944, Jagerregiment 1 moved to Yugoslavia. In May/June 1944, newly promoted Oberstleutnant Walther participated in Operation Rossel-sprung' (Knight's Move'), the main objective of which was to kill or capture Josip Broz Tito. Notwithstanding the resources and manpower involved, the undertaking failed, and Tito was airlifted to safety (subsequently re-establishing his headquarters on the Adriatic island of Vis).

An increasingly mistrustful Hitler had in the meantime reassigned the functions of the Abwehr to the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA — Reich Security Main Office). Canaris had been sacked and replaced by Oberst Georg Hansen, a fellow conspirator in the German anti-Nazi movement — also soon to be arrested in the wake of the 20 July 1944 bomb plot. What, then, was to become of the Brandenburger?

In summer 1944, the division was again reorganised to include several Streifkorps (raiding force units) and in August, the 'Brandenburg' cuff title was introduced. This was an honour bestowed upon the most elite formations, as well as those who had participated in notable campaigns. A number of Brandenburger, among them Oberstleutnant Walther, were invited to Berlin and hosted by the Reich Propaganda Minister Dr. Joseph Goebbels. The following month, the division was subordinated to the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH — Army High Command)/Generalstab des Heeres (Army General Staff). The majority of Brandenburger would go on to serve as regular infantry in what became Panzergrenadier-Division `Brandenburg', soon to join Panzergrenadier-Division `Grossdeutschland' to form Panzerkorps `Grossdeutschland'. Hundreds of disaffected Brandenburger, hoping to continue in a familiar role, and irrespective of their politics, opted to join SS-Obersturmbannführer (SS Lieutenant Colonel) Otto Skorzeny's SS-Jagdverbande, which had effectively replaced the oldstyle Brandenburger. Only the 'Brandenburg' Kustenjäger (coastal assault force) and Fallschirmjäger would retain their autonomous status.

For a while, Oberstleutnant Walther continued to serve in the Panzergrenadier-Division 'Brandenburg'. On 1 October 1944, he was severely wounded as the Russians closed in on Gross Betschkerek (today Zrenjanin, Serbia), where ethnic German residents would soon suffer a terrible ordeal under Tito's partisans.

With his role as regimental commander having passed to Oberst Erich von Bruckner, Walther would spend several months convalescing in hospitals in Austria and Germany. He would not resume command. Deemed fit to return to active duty, in March 1945 Walther joined the SS-Jagdverbände as Skorzeny's Chief of Staff, having replaced another former Brandenburger, Adrian Freiherr von Foelkersam, lost in action in January that year.

SS-Obersturmbannführer Skorzeny had a high regard for his Chief of Staff; Walther less so for Skorzeny, commenting many years later: 'In my eyes, he was not at all an officer.' Neither did Walther rate the SS-Jagdverbände, considering them amateurs in comparison with the now-defunct 'Brandenburg' commandos.

After a brief period at the front on the Oder, north-east of Berlin, Walther undertook his final task. Together with Skorzeny, he saw out the rest of the war in Austria, as part of Führungsgruppe (Lead Group) of Schutzkorps Alpenland (SKA — Alpine Region Protection Corps), in the forlorn hope of organising a guerrilla action against the advancing Allied forces. Soon after, Germany surrendered.

On 8 May 1945, Walther attempted to conceal his association with Skorzeny and the Waffen-SS. He obtained a Soldbuch (paybook) in the name of Uwe Schutze and set out for Jugenheim, south of Frankfurt am Main, intending to rejoin his family, but a motoring accident resulted in his being hospitalised for several weeks. Discharged by American authorities at Furstenfeldbruck in July, 'Uwe Schutze' continued north to Stuttgart. For a while, at least, his ruse had worked.

Many Brandenburger had little choice in their fate. As part of Panzerkorps 'Grossdeutschland', elements of Panzergrenadier-Division 'Brandenburg' fought costly delaying actions against the Soviets. An unknown number escaped annihilation or an uncertain future as prisoners of war by withdrawing via the Baltic to British-occupied northern Germany. Those who survived Soviet captivity returned home only after several years.

In June 1946, Wilhelm Walther was arrested at Annaberg, Austria, by the United States Army Counter Intelligence Corps. Transferred to Glasenbach, near Salzburg, in August, then to Ludwigsburg, north of Stuttgart, in November, prisoner 29-15886 eventually arrived in February 1947 at Dachau.

Extremely fortunate to have avoided extradition to Yugoslavia, where the authorities wanted to try him for alleged war crimes, Walther was instead transported to the Netherlands. Eventually, it was decided that there was no case for prosecution. On 17 May 1950, Wilhelm Walther was deported back to Germany, a free man.

The old Brandenburger would always consider his arrest and incarceration as unjust. As far as he was concerned, he had done nothing wrong; he had merely fulfilled his duty as an officer and a soldier.

Wilhelm Walther as leader of the Student Company in Grenzschutz. Zeithain, autumn 1931. The motorcycle is a Victoria model KR 50 SV.

Wilhelm Walther (right) as head of the defence department of the Dresden student body for the Gymnastics Festival in Stuttgart, July 1933. The duelling scar, a result of "academic fencing", was a mark of honor among the social elite.



Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther (Stosstruppführer in 4.Kompanie / Baulehrbataillon z.b.V. 800) which were held after the end of the Battle of France, summer 1940. Walther received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 June 1940 for capturing a strategic bridge at Gennep during the assault on the Netherlands. Leading an 8-man team disguised as Dutch military police escorting German prisoners, they made their assault seizing the bridge and disabling the detonators. Other pictures from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Wilhelm Walther smoking in the field.



Wilhelm Walther wearing stahlhelm.



Münich, 27 January 1941: Deputy Führer and Reichsminister Rudolf Hess, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Studentenbund (German National-Socialist Student Association), greeting officers of the German Wehrmacht, all holders of the Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuzträger) and all of whom had been members of the NSD-Studetenbund. From left to right: Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther (Ritterkreuz on 24 June 1940 as Stoßtruppführer 4.Kompanie / Baulehr-Bataillon zur besonderen Verwendungen 800 "Brandenburg"), Leutnant der Reserve Helmut Ringler (Ritterkreuz on 15 May 1940 as MG-Halbzugführer in Sturmgruppe "Stahl" / Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"), Leutnant der Reserve Fritz Steger (Ritterkreuz on 15 August 1940 as Zugführer in Infanterie-Regiment 20 [motorisiert] / 10.Infanterie-Division [motorisiert]), and Leutnant der Reserve Franz Berger (Ritterkreuz on 19 July 1940 as Stoßtruppführer 11.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 130 / 45.Infanterie-Division).

Hauptmann Wilhelm Walther (right, Führer I.Bataillon / Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800) in Athens, 1941.


Wilhelm Walther and fellow Heer soldiers.





Three original color pictures of Wilhelm Walther.



Wilhelm Walther as a Major.

Major Wilhelm Walther (Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") during sea trip on course for Samos Island (Greece) in 1943 using Schnellboot "S 55" commanded by fellow Ritterkreuzträger Oberleutnant zur See Horst Weber.



Major Wilhelm Walther (left, Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") with the surrendering Italians in Samos Island, Greece, 1943. When the negotiating Italian officer enquired if it was really necessary to surrender those who had womenfolk in the island, Walther was unmoved, responding with: "Matey, if one surrenders, it generally means everybody."



Wilhelm Walther during briefing with Heer and Kriegsmarine officers.



Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Walther wearing parade uniform.



Wilhelm Walther after the war, wearing the 1957 version of the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes.

Illustrated biography of Wilhelm Walther by Anthony Rogers

Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
"German Army Uniforms and Insignia 1933-1945" by Brian L. Davis
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/03/album-foto-brandenburgers-sonderverband.html
https://www.brennpunkt-zeitgeschichte.de/neuigkeiten/unveroffentlichte-zeitzeugeninterviews-fotos-von-angehorigen-d-division-brandenburg/?fbclid=IwAR0wGdAoxLzUybefdzayKVugRsfcVSjeUxGmWDAjONMnkArn_fDS5EbaJHw
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=274551&hilit=wilhelm+walther
http://www.kegans-militaria.com/third_reich_daggers
https://www.militaryimages.net/media/wilhelm-walther.90259/
https://nrw-archiv.vvn-bda.de/texte/0304_oberla_nder.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/41428/Walther-Wilhelm.htm
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/-1957-medals-orders-and-decorations/646479-nice-rkt-photo
http://ww2colorfarbe.blogspot.com/2016/08/oberstleutnant-wilhelm-walther.html
http://www.zuidfront-holland1940.nl/index.php?page=photo&pid=4487