Wolfgang von Malotki
Date of Birth: 25.02.1921 - Danzig (Freie Stadt Danzig)
Date of Death: 12.07.2002 - Germany?
Promotions:
01.12.1941 Leutnant der Reserve
01.01.1943 Oberleutnant der Reserve
01.03.1943 Hauptmann der Reserve
Career:
00.11.1938 Cadet in Infanterie-Regiment 45
00.00.194_ Zugführer in 3.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division
01.01.1943 Chef 3.Kompanie / Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division
00.03.1943 Tactic lecturer in 8.Kompanie / 5.Infanterieschulen für Fahnenjunker in Poznań
00.01.1945 Kommandeur Panzer-Stoss-Reserve Poznan
Awards and Decorations:
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
30.07.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold, as Leutnant d.R. in 3.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 45
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange in Bronze
07.03.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant der Reserve and Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Grenadier-Regiment 45 / 21.Infanterie-Division. The following newspaper excerpt (dated 10.03.1943) describes why von Malotki was awarded the Ritterkreuz: “Oberleutnant v. Malotki conducted a decisive counterthrust south of Lake Ladoga right as strong enemy forces were trying to roll up friendly positions after they had penetrated the line. He threw the Bolsheviks back at the head of a handful of Grenadiers and brought the main battle line back into friendly hands.”
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Wolfgang von Malotki was born on February 25, 1921 in the Free City of Danzig. Already after his final exams in November 1938, von Malotki was conscripted into the 45th Infantry Regiment as a cadet of the cadet school. In this unit he served both during the September Campaign, the invasion of France and during Operation Barbarossa, i.e. the attack on the USSR. In recognition of his merits and commanding abilities, on December 1, 1941, he was promoted to Leutnant of the reserve. In July of the following year, he was awarded the German Cross in Gold, and earlier his uniform was decorated with the Iron Cross 1st Class and the Infantry Assault Badge. From January 1, 1943, he became the commander of the 3rd company of grenadiers in his native regiment, which was renamed the 45th Grenadier Regiment, simultaneously with the promotion to Oberleutnant d.R.. In late January, the 21st Infantry Division, which included the 45th Regiment, was fighting in the Leningrad area, south of Lake Ladoga. Despite the huge losses and the advantage of the enemy, Oberleutnant von Malotka, at the head of his decimated company, launched a decisive counterattack that threw back the attacking Russians and allowed the front line to be reconstructed.
For this feat, he was promoted to the rank of Hauptman on March 1, and was awarded the Knight's Cross on March 7, 1943. In early March, he was transferred from the 21st Division to the 5th Infantry Officer Cadet School in Poznań, where he was a tactics lecturer in the 8th Company. This can be considered a lucky coincidence for von Malotka, because a year later his former division was completely destroyed in Belarus. During the fighting on the Eastern Front, von Malotka was wounded a total of 5 times, for which he received the Black Badge for Wounds, and was also awarded the Nahkampfspange in Bronze.
At the turn of 1944 and 1945 it was known that the Russian armies were rapidly approaching Poznań. On January 20, 1945, on the order of Himmler, Poznań was declared a fortress. However, the city's garrison and military infrastructure did not deserve this name: there were about 15,000 soldiers in Poznań - it was a great mixture of different combat value: former territorial defense battalions, Luftwaffe and Volkssturm units with low combat capabilities, there were remnants of broken Wehrmacht divisions, policemen, members of the RAD and soldiers of the Waffen SS and SD. There were even several dozen Latvian SS men. These forces were reinforced by the 5th Infantry Cadet School, including Captain Von Malotka, who became the commander of the Armored Shock Reserve - an armored unit that was too small to decide the outcome of the battle. It consisted of one PzKpfw VI Tiger, two PzKpfw V Panthers, one PzKpfw IV, one Jagdpanzer 38(t), one Jadgpanzer IV, one self-propelled howitzer, seventeen assault guns and only three SdKfz 251 carriers. The commander chose one of the Panthers as his vehicle. The meeting with him in Festung Posen was recalled by Leutnant Wilhelm Berlemann: “Initially, I was with a few comrades in Fort Rauch. We haven't been assigned to any unit yet. Apparently, there were plans to assign us some special task. Quite by chance I met a certain Hauptmann decorated with the Knight's Cross who appeared in the fort with several tanks. He was looking for young Leutnants to interest them in commanding tanks. Due to the fact that I had never dealt with them, he offered me a tour of these vehicles and a test drive. (...) I remember being shocked by the bad visibility and happy when my feet touched the ground again. I thanked him for the test drive, but refused to go to the armored unit. The Hauptmann was disappointed."
However, during this ride, Captain von Malotki showed an unusual way to engage enemy tanks without using a cannon, because while driving, sitting in the tank commander's seat, he suddenly opened the hatch and fired the Panzerfaust, as it turned out, he was in the habit of mounting several of these weapons on the Panther's turret, which according to him, it was "the latest way to conserve ammunition in tanks". The Armored Shock Reserve was divided into two subunits: one stationed in the Poznań Citadel, and Kampfgruppe von Malotki consisting of 12 armored vehicles (Tiger, Panther and 10 assault guns) and 120 soldiers. This unit was stationed at the old Fort Rauch. On January 23, the unit enters the fight with the Russians in the strength of Tigers, Panthers and grenadiers, destroying the artillery observer position on the water tower and fighting several IS2 tanks.
On January 27, Captain von Malotka's tank was damaged in the fighting between Dębiec and Rynek Wildecki, and he himself was wounded in the leg and head. Two Stugs were lost then. The second Panther fought 4 days longer before being destroyed. Hauptmann von Malotki was evacuated from Poznań by Ju-52 plane, as a Knight of the Knight's Cross he had a guaranteed place on board, and it was the last plane that left the German city of Poznań. On the other hand, his unit, which was shrinking due to the declining equipment and people, still put up fierce resistance.
On February 14, the Battle Diary of Oberkomanndo der Heeres published the following entry: "In Poznań, the 500th Training and Reserve Battalion of Assault Cannons and Kampfgruppe SS "Lenzer" distinguished themselves by exemplary action in defense of the city." This battalion was part of the Armored Strike Reserve and showed great bravery, but nothing could stop the Russians. And so 9 days later a red flag flew over Festung Posen, while Captain von Malotki was evacuated to Cottbus and then to the hospital in Flensburg. He probably ended the war as the commander of the cadet school located in Randers, Denmark. After the war, he was reluctant to talk about his war experiences, even with his relatives. He died on July 12, 2002 suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
Source :
Agustin Vazquez photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=180074330234301&id=110114217230313&paipv=0&eav=AfY_XUqbkoXsNMdbm5uSviYYFw0v8iSkFYiD42VBvZou7W53WtGMDoiz4bRPv5iz1e4&_rdr
https://reibert.info/media/wolfgang-von-malotki-jpg.357796/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/11594/Malotki-von-Wolfgang.htm
