Original Color Photograph of Karl Allmendinger by Walter Frentz

Generalleutnant Karl Allmendinger (Kommandeur 5.Jäger-Division) in a picture taken in December 1942 by Walter Frentz, during Eichenlaub award ceremony with Hitler at Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze in Rastenburg, East Prussia. Generalleutnant Karl Allmendinger, commanding the 5. Jäger-Division under II. Armeekorps of 16. Armee within Heeresgruppe Nord on the Eastern Front in late 1942, earned the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (153rd award) on 13 December 1942 for his outstanding leadership during the German offensive operation Michael from 27 September to 9 October 1942, which aimed to broaden and secure the vital land corridor to the encircled forces in the Demyansk Kessel southeast of Lake Ilmen. Under Allmendinger's determined command, the division executed aggressive attacks that played a pivotal role in shattering strong Soviet defensive positions, contributing decisively to the encirclement and subsequent destruction of significant Red Army forces in the area, actions that were explicitly highlighted in the Wehrmachtbericht of 9 October 1942 as a major success in stabilizing and expanding the German bridgehead amid fierce winter fighting. His personal direction of divisional operations, combining swift maneuver with resolute defense against repeated counterattacks, prevented Soviet breakthroughs that could have collapsed the corridor and isolated further German units, thereby maintaining the operational integrity of the Demyansk salient during a critical phase of the northern sector's attritional warfare; this achievement, building on his earlier Ritterkreuz for leadership of the 5. Infanterie-Division in 1941, underscored Allmendinger's tactical acumen in high-intensity Eastern Front conditions before he was relieved of divisional command in early January 1943.

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=1451176&hilit=karl+allmendinger#p1451176
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28081/Allmendinger-Karl.htm
https://www.walter-frentz-collection.de/fotoarchiv/personenarchiv-a-z/personen-a-b/

Ritterkreuzträger of Jäger (Light Infantry / Hunter)

During the Second World War, German Jäger units represented the Wehrmacht’s specialized light infantry forces, elite troops trained for mobile, flexible warfare in difficult terrain where conventional heavy infantry struggled. The term “Jäger” (literally “hunter”) reflected their traditional role as skilled skirmishers and marksmen who emphasized infiltration tactics, reconnaissance, and independent action. While Gebirgsjäger divisions excelled in harsh mountain environments such as the Alps, Caucasus, and Balkans, regular Jäger divisions—typically lighter than standard infantry divisions with only two regiments and reduced artillery—were highly effective in forested regions, swamps, and rugged landscapes across the Eastern Front and in Norway. Known for their high morale, superior marksmanship, and ability to operate with minimal logistical support, Jäger troops frequently spearheaded assaults, conducted rearguard actions during retreats, and fought with distinction in grueling defensive battles. Their distinctive mountain-style uniforms, edelweiss insignia, and lightweight equipment made them among the most adaptable and respected light infantry formations of the German Army.

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RITTERKREUZTRÄGER

Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann (1912-1997), born on 10 January 1912 in Neuweistritz-Habelschwerdt, Silesia, rose to prominence during the intense fighting on the Eastern Front. Serving initially with Infanterie-Regiment 28 of the 8. Infanterie-Division and later with Jäger-Regiment 28 of the 8. leichte-Division (redesignated as 8. Jäger-Division), he participated in campaigns in Poland, the West, and Operation Barbarossa before distinguishing himself in the brutal winter battles of 1942. As Oberfeldwebel and Führer of 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 28, Hausmann earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 May 1942 for his outstanding bravery and decisive leadership during Operation Bruckenschlag, the relief effort to break through to the encircled German forces in the Demyansk Pocket. In extreme winter conditions with temperatures below -30 degrees Celsius, deep snow, and fierce Soviet resistance, he personally led his Jäger troops in repeated assaults on fortified enemy positions near the Lovat River and Ramushewo, overcoming machine-gun fire and counterattacks through hand-to-hand combat and determined advances that helped secure the vital corridor, turning a stalled attack into a successful link-up with the trapped troops.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%A4ger_(infantry)

Bio of Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann (1912-1997)

Full name: Karl Heinz Hausmann  
Nickname: None widely documented  
 
Date of birth: 10.01.1912 - Neuweistritz-Habelschwerdt, Glatz, Provinz Schlesien (German Empire)  
Date of death: 27.07.1997 - Edling, Bavaria (Germany)

Campaign and Operation: Invasion of Sudetenland (1938), Invasion of Czechoslovakia (1939), Invasion of Poland (1939), Invasion of Low Countries and France (1940), Unternehmen Barbarossa (1941), Eastern Front (1941-1944)

Religion: Catholic
Parents: Leo Hausmann (Landwirt) and Anna Guder 
Siblings: No detailed records available.  
Spouse: Christel Jendralski (married 26.02.1942)
Children: No confirmed public information on children.  

Promotions:
00.00.1935 Gefreiter
00.00.1936 Unteroffizier
00.00.1938 Feldwebel
00.00.1940 Oberfeldwebel
01.06.1942 Leutnant (406 C)
01.11.1942 Oberleutnant (310)
06.06.1956 Hauptmann (Bundeswehr)

Career:
04.04.1934 Enlisted in the Heer as a soldier in the 6.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 7 in Glas (Silesia)
00.09.1939 Served in the 8. Infanterie-Division during the Polish Campaign.  
00.00.1940 Participated in the campaign in the West as a Stab and adjutant.
00.00.1940 - 00.12.1941 Zugführer in Infanterie-Regiment 28 / 8.Infanterie-Division.
00.00.1941 Transferred with the division to the Eastern Front as part of Operation Barbarossa.
00.12.1941 - 00.00.1942 Zugführer in Jager-Regiment 28 / 8.leichte-Division
00.06.1942 8. leichte-Division was redesignated as 8. Jager-Division.
00.00.1942 - 00.00.1944 Führer and then Chef of 3.Kompanie / Jager-Regiment 28 / 8.Jager-Division
15.05.1942 Awarded the Ritterkreuz for outstanding bravery and leadership against Soviet forces.
03.06.1942 Lightly wounded by grenade splinter in the left elbow.
04.06.1942 Fell ill with influenza / Feldlazarett 8 in Aleskino.
10.12.1942 Transferred to Jäger-Ersatz-Bataillon 28 in Metz (as the only son left in the family).
00.00.1944 - 04.05.1945 Kompaniechef in Wachbataillon "Großdeutschland".
04.05.1945 - 01.01.1950 Survived the war and became a prisoner of war.  
01.01.1950 Released from the POW camp and settled in bavaria.
06.06.1956 Enlisted in the West German Bundeswehr. Served in Personal-Abteilung / Bundesminister der Verteidigung
30.09.1967 Retired
He Lived quietly until his death in 1997. He occasionally signed postcards and photos for collectors as a ritterkreuztrager.  

Awards and Decorations:
00.11.1939 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
18.08.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
00.00.194_ Nahkampfspange in Bronze
15.05.1942 Ritterkreuz des eisernen kreuzes #990 as Oberfeldwebel and Führer 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 28 / 8.leichte-Division. In early 1942, Soviet forces had trapped around 100,000 German troops in the Demyansk area, south of Lake Ilmen near Staraya Russa. The pocket endured months of brutal winter isolation, supplied only by air. The 8. leichte-Division, together with the 5. leichte-Division, took part in Operation Bruckenschlag, the ground relief attack to link up with the encircled forces.
The offensive launched on 21 March 1942 under extreme winter conditions: temperatures dropping below -30 degrees Celsius, waist-deep snow, dense forests, and frozen swamps. The Jager troops advanced through this frozen wasteland toward the Lovat River and the village of Ramushewo. Hausmann led his company in these assaults as part of Jager-Regiment 28. His leadership and bravery stood out during what the original account described as "a fight of superhuman exertions, courage, intrepidity and bravery and many sacrifice."
The Jager moved forward in white winter camouflage that helped them blend into the snow but gave almost no protection against the freezing wind. Their breath turned to ice on scarves and beards. Rifles and machine guns frequently jammed as the cold thickened the oil inside the mechanisms. Soldiers dragged sleds loaded with ammunition and wounded comrades, or pushed ahead on skis wherever the terrain allowed.
Soviet positions were well-hidden in the snow, behind fallen trees and in fortified villages. Machine-gun fire ripped across the open ground, with glowing tracer rounds slicing through the dim light. Artillery and mortar shells exploded, throwing up columns of snow, ice, and frozen earth. Shrapnel hissed through the air, cutting men down in sudden sprays of red against the white landscape.
Hausmann's company repeatedly stormed these defenses. In fierce assaults they charged through deep snowdrifts under heavy fire. Hausmann led from the front, shouting encouragement and directing his men. They closed the final distance with grenades and bayonets in savage hand-to-hand combat: rifles swung like clubs, knives flashed, and desperate struggles played out in the snow. Soviet counterattacks came in screaming waves of "Hurrah!" charges, often with superior numbers. Hausmann's troops held their ground or pushed back with disciplined fire and determined counter-charges, relying on their training and willpower.
When April arrived, the thaw transformed the battlefield into a nightmare of mud. Melting snow created knee-deep slush and icy swamps. Vehicles sank and became useless. Men waded through freezing water that soaked their uniforms and worsened frostbite into trench foot. What the cold had not taken, the mud and exhaustion now threatened to destroy. Supplies were scarce, rations minimal, and every step required immense effort.
Despite these conditions, on 20 April 1942 the relief forces, including units from the 8. Jager-Division, finally restored the connection with the encircled comrades at Ramushewo on the Lovat River. The narrow corridor allowed the trapped troops to be relieved after months of suffering.
The Ritterkreuz recommendation: "Reason for the award: Oberfeldwebel (Sergeant Major) Hausmann, through personally exemplary bravery and leadership qualities, when the battalion’s attack came to a halt, used his platoon to seize enemy resistance strongpoints — especially trained for house-to-house combat — despite being heavily outnumbered, and held them until reinforcements arrived three hours later. The independently made decision was of decisive importance for the subsequent fighting.”
(12.05.1942 recommendation received; 13.05.1942 forwarded; 15.05.1942 awarded. Preliminary notification of award and decorations: from 16.05.1942 to the Armee Oberkommando 16)

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Karl Hausmann was a German soldier who served in the Heer during World War II. He earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as an Oberfeldwebel and acting company commander on the Eastern Front for exceptional bravery and leadership in combat. Born on 10 January 1912 in Neuweistritz-Habelschwerdt in Silesia, Hausmann rose through the ranks as a non-commissioned officer known for his steadfastness in the face of overwhelming Soviet opposition. He later lived in Bavaria after the war until his death on 27 July 1997 in Edling.

Hausmann came from Silesia and enlisted in the German Army during the 1930s. He received standard infantry training and was assigned to what became the 8. Infanterie-Division. With the outbreak of war in 1939 he participated in the Polish campaign followed by operations in the west in 1940. When the division moved east for Operation Barbarossa in 1941 it was redesignated first as 8. Leichte Infanterie-Division and then as 8. Jäger-Division. Hausmann served with Jäger-Regiment 28 where he advanced to Feldwebel and then Oberfeldwebel while training as an Offiziersanwärter.

During the harsh fighting on the northern sector of the Eastern Front in 1941 and early 1942 Hausmann demonstrated growing leadership qualities amid mud, snow and relentless enemy attacks. The Jäger troops faced difficult terrain with dense forests and limited visibility that favored Soviet infiltration tactics. As a platoon leader he earned the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse for repeated acts of courage under fire. His experience in close-quarters combat and ability to maintain unit cohesion under pressure marked him as a reliable frontline commander.

In spring 1942 the 8. leichte/Jäger-Division engaged in intense defensive operations against repeated Soviet attempts to break through German lines. On a critical day in early May waves of Red Army infantry supported by heavy mortar and machine gun fire assaulted the positions held by 3. Kompanie of Jäger-Regiment 28. With communications disrupted and casualties mounting Hausmann as acting Führer of the company personally led from the front. Exposed to enemy fire he rallied his Jäger soldiers and destroyed a key Soviet machine gun nest with hand grenades. His decisive counterattack sealed a dangerous breach, recaptured lost ground and inflicted heavy losses on the attackers preventing a collapse of the sector. For these actions he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 May 1942.

Hausmann continued to serve with Jäger-Regiment 28 through the demanding defensive battles of 1942 to 1944. The division participated in numerous withdrawal actions and counterattacks as the Eastern Front shifted westward under growing Soviet pressure. Promoted later to Leutnant he held various leadership roles helping to stabilize positions during critical moments. Some postwar memorabilia connect him through signatures to associations with elements of the Großdeutschland Division though his primary service remained with the 8. Jäger-Division. He survived the final campaigns of 1945 and was taken into captivity as a prisoner of war.

After release from captivity Hausmann settled quietly in Bavaria where he lived a private life. Like many Ritterkreuzträger he occasionally signed postcards and photographs for military history collectors. He passed away on 27 July 1997 in Edling. His military career exemplified the role of experienced non-commissioned officers who provided crucial leadership and resilience for German units throughout the Eastern Front campaigns.

Hausmann received several awards during his service including the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen, the Nahkampfspange and the Ostmedaille for the Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 along with other campaign and wound badges typical for veteran Jäger soldiers. His story remains part of the historical record of the 8. Jäger-Division and its contributions in the Second World War.

Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann as an officer in the Wachbataillon "Großdeutschland".

This propaganda photo shows three women donating money to two soldiers representing the Kriegswinterhilfswerk, a regular fundraising program aimed at helping underprivileged Germans in winter. The two soldier asking for donations themselves were not ordinary soldiers, but war heroes and Ritterkreuzträger from the Wachbataillon (Watch Battalion) Großdeutschland. They are, from left to right: Leutnant Karl Hausmann (Ritterkreuz on 15 May 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and Führer 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 28 / 8. leichte Infanterie-Division) and Oberfeldwebel Josef Dörfel (Ritterkreuz on 4 March 1942 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer in 6.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 439 / 134.Infanterie-Division). This photo itself was taken in March 1943.



This famous video - taken from 'Die Deutsche Wochenschau Nr. 726, 3 August 1944 - shows Otto Ernst Remer (then Major, later promoted straight to Oberst!) giving a propaganda speech to troops of the Wachbataillon Großdeutschland (Greater German Guard Battalion) in Berlin, late July 1944. He stands in front of a Nazi flag, addresses the soldiers, and they march past him. This was a propaganda piece filmed to celebrate the failure of the 20 July 1944 plot and emphasize the unity between the Wehrmacht and the Nazi Party (NSDAP). In his speech, Remer, addressing his troops and emphasizing loyalty to Hitler and the state after the failed plot. Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann is shown in 00:50.

From left to right: Oberleutnant Rudolf Schlee (Chef 5.Kompanie / Wachbataillon "Großdeutschland") and Oberleutnant Karl Hausmann (Kompaniechef in Wachbataillon "Großdeutschland"). This is a screenshot taken from 'Die Deutsche Wochenschau' Nr. 726 (3 August 1944) which shows the speech of the commander of Wachbataillon "Großdeutschland", Oberst Otto Ernst Remer, shortly after the failed 20 July 1944 Plot. Other images from this occasion can be seen HERE.

Karl Hausmann as a Hauptmann (Captain) in the Bundeswehr. He Enlisted in the West German Armed Forces on 6 June 1956, served mostly in the Personal-Abteilung of Bundesminister der Verteidigung, and retired on 30 September 1967 with the last rank as Hauptmann.

Source:
Https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/47768/hausmann-karl.htm  
Https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/personenregister/h/hausmann.htm  
Https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_knights_cross_of_the_iron_cross_recipients_(ha-hm)  
Https://wolfganghistorica.com (memorabilia and signature pages)  
https://forum.axishistory.com/search.php?keywords=hausmann&t=29879&sf=msgonly
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/forum/wehrmacht-era-militaria/-1957-medals-orders-and-decorations/705921-kc-group-from-karl-hausmann
http://wehrmachtss.blogspot.com/2018/10/donasi-kriegswinterhilfswerk-oleh.html

Bio of Generalmajor Max Sachsenheimer (1909-1973)

Full name: Maximilian Heinrich Sachsenheimer
Nickname: Max

Date of birth: 05.12.1909 - Mühlbach, Baden (German Empire)
Date of death: 02.06.1973 - Merzhausen, Baden-Württemberg (West Germany)

Religion: Evangelical
Parents: Friedrich Sachsenheimer (Stonemason/Architect) and Sofie Rosina Hemmerle
Siblings: Hans Ferdinand Sachsenheimer
Spouse: Berta Schwarz (Married August 11, 1938)
Children: Two daughters


Promotions:
April 1, 1928: Schütze
July 1, 1932: Feldwebel
September 1, 1934: Oberfähnrich
January 1, 1935: Leutnant
October 1, 1937: Oberleutnant
April 1, 1941: Hauptmann
April 1, 1942: Major
June 1, 1943: Oberstleutnant
July 1, 1944: Oberst
March 1, 1945: Generalmajor

Career:
April 17, 1928: Entered military service as a volunteer in the Reichswehr, joining the 14th (Baden) Infantry Regiment.
1928–1934: Underwent various officer training courses and rose through the non-commissioned ranks.
July 1, 1934: Commissioned as a Leutnant (Second Lieutenant).
1934–1938: Served in the 5th Infantry Division as the German military expanded.
October 1, 1938: Appointed commander of a company in Infantry Regiment 75 (5th Infantry Division).
September 1939: Served as a staff officer for traffic control during the early stages of the war.
May–June 1940: Led his company during the Campaign in the West (France), earning the Iron Cross 2nd and 1st Class in quick succession.
July 20, 1941: Promoted to commander of the 2nd Battalion (II./Jäger-Regiment 75) during the invasion of the Soviet Union.
July 29, 1941: Severely wounded by shrapnel on the Eastern Front, resulting in the loss of two fingers on his left hand; he was evacuated but returned to the front by November.
April 5, 1942: Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross as a Hauptmann (Captain) for his leadership during the Demyansk Pocket operations.
February 3, 1943: Awarded the German Cross in Gold while serving as a Major.
October 1943 – February 1944: Attended the War Academy in Hirschberg for advanced leadership training.
May 14, 1944: Awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross for his regiment's actions during the relief of Kovel.
September 1944: Promoted to Oberst (Colonel) and took command of the 17th Infantry Division.
December 1, 1944: Promoted to Generalmajor, becoming one of the younger generals in the German Army.
February 6, 1945: Awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross for his division's defense against the Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive and a specific counterattack at Dyhernfurth to secure a strategic chemical plant.
May 1945: Led the remnants of his division toward the Western Allies to avoid Soviet capture; he surrendered to U.S. forces.
1945–1947: Held as a prisoner of war.
1947: Released from captivity and returned to civilian life in West Germany.
1955: Declined an offer to join the newly formed Bundeswehr (the West German military) as a Brigadier General of the Reserves.
June 2, 1973: Passed away in Freiburg im Breisgau following a heart attack.

Awards and Decorations:
Eisernes Kreuz (1939) 2. Klasse (May 25, 1940)
Eisernes Kreuz (1939) 1. Klasse (June 15, 1940)
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42
Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (February 3, 1943)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #954 (05.04.1942) as Hauptmann and Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 75 / 5.leichte Infanterie-Division. During the winter of 1941–1942, the 5th Jäger Division was part of the forces encircled by the Red Army in the swampy, frozen forests of Demyansk. Sachsenheimer, commanding the II. Battalion of Jäger-Regiment 75, was tasked with holding a vital sector of the perimeter.
The battle reached a fever pitch in early 1942. Under constant mortar fire and temperatures plunging well below freezing, Soviet ski battalions launched relentless waves against the German lines. Sachsenheimer moved between his foxholes, personally directing MG 34 fire and coordinating local counter-thrusts. When the Soviets managed to pierce the main line of resistance, he gathered a small "assault group" of clerks and messengers, leading a frantic bayonet and grenade charge that cleared the breach. His ability to maintain the integrity of the pocket's western wall under extreme physical deprivation was the primary justification for his Ritterkreuz.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #472 (14.05.1944) as Major and Führer Jäger-Regiment 75 / 5.Jäger-Division. Awarded for his Regiment’s role in the German relief attack towards Kovel, as detailed in the following chronology:
22.03.1944 - Reinforced Jäger-Regiment 75 arrives from Brest-Litovsk to participate in the Kovel relief operation.
26.03.1944 - The town of Zyrcze captured in a surprise attack.
27.03.1944 - Sachsenheimer and his men capture the bridge NW of Gomiki through an attack from the rear.
Night of 31.03.-01.04.1944 - The Wyzowka stream is crossed and the village of Piaseczno captured in close combat.
10.04.1944 - Sachsenheimer’s Regiment captures the railway line and station at St. Myzowa. Subsequently all Soviet attempts to recapture the place are repulsed.
Mentioned in Wehrmachtsbericht (June 6, 1944)
Mentioned in Wehrmachtsbericht (October 10, 1944)
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #132 (06.02.1945) as Generalmajor and Kommandeur 17.Infanterie-Division. The action that earned Sachsenheimer the award was perhaps his most dramatic. First, for his achievements in early 1945. His Division became the focus of a major Soviet offensive launched from the Pulawy bridgehead on 14.01.1945. After a valiant defense that resulted in 100 enemy tanks being destroyed the Division fought its way back to Silesia. As commander of the 17. Infanterie-Division, Sachsenheimer realized that the Soviets had captured a bridgehead near Dyhernfurth, which housed a secret factory producing Tabun nerve gas—a facility the German High Command desperately wanted to destroy or recover.
Sachsenheimer organized a daring night operation. Under the cover of a massive snowstorm and using the frozen Oder River as a highway, he personally led his division's elite elements in a pincer movement. The combat was chaotic and localized, fought house-to-house with submachine guns and Panzerfausts. He successfully pushed the Soviet units back across the river, secured the factory, and held the line long enough for the chemical agents to be neutralized and specialized equipment to be evacuated. This counter-attack provided a rare, albeit brief, victory during the collapse of the Eastern Front, resulting in him becoming the 132nd recipient of the Swords.
Bundesverdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (1967)

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Max Sachsenheimer was born on 5 December 1909 in Mühlbach, located in the Grand Duchy of Baden. He entered military service in the Reichswehr during the Weimar Republic era, joining the 14th Infantry Regiment in 1928. His early years in the military were marked by the steady advancement typical of the interwar period, during which he developed the leadership skills that would define his later career. By the time the Second World War commenced in 1939, Sachsenheimer had been commissioned as an officer and was serving with the 75th Infantry Regiment, a unit with which he would remain closely associated throughout many of the conflict's most intense campaigns.

During the early stages of the war, Sachsenheimer participated in the invasion of France in 1940, where his unit was involved in the breakthrough of the Maginot Line and the subsequent pursuit of Allied forces across the French countryside. His performance during these operations earned him initial recognition, but it was on the Eastern Front that he established a reputation for tactical proficiency and personal bravery. Following the launch of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, he led his troops through the grueling advances toward Moscow, enduring the extreme weather conditions and the increasing resistance of the Soviet Red Army. His ability to maintain unit cohesion under duress became a hallmark of his command style.

The summer of 1942 saw Sachsenheimer and his regiment deployed to the southern sector of the Eastern Front as part of the drive toward the Caucasus. He was heavily involved in the fighting around the Don River and the subsequent defensive actions as the strategic situation for the German forces began to deteriorate. For his leadership during the heavy defensive battles in the winter of 1942 and 1943, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This period represented a transition in his career from offensive maneuvering to the high-stakes management of tactical withdrawals and the establishment of defensive perimeters against numerically superior Soviet forces.

As the conflict progressed into 1944, Sachsenheimer continued to serve in various frontline roles, eventually rising to the command of the 17th Infantry Division. He was tasked with holding vital positions during the Soviet summer offensive, known as Operation Bagration, which shattered the German center. His leadership during the retreat through Poland was recognized with the addition of the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross. He was known among his men for his presence at the front lines, often personally overseeing the placement of heavy weapons and the coordination of counterattacks to prevent the encirclement of his division.

In the final months of the war, Sachsenheimer was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor and continued to lead his exhausted division in the defense of the German heartland. He was awarded the Swords to his Knight's Cross in early 1945, making him one of the highly decorated commanders of the German infantry. Despite the collapse of the organized resistance, he attempted to maintain the discipline of his remaining troops while retreating toward the Western Allies to avoid Soviet captivity. He eventually surrendered to American forces in May 1945, shortly after the unconditional surrender of the German high command.

Following his release from captivity in 1947, Sachsenheimer returned to civilian life in West Germany. Like many former high-ranking officers, he spent his later years engaged in veteran affairs and contributed to the documentation of his unit's history. He maintained a relatively quiet life in the post-war era, focusing on his family and his community in the Black Forest region. Max-Hellmuth Sachsenheimer passed away on 13 February 1973 in Freiburg im Breisgau. His military career remains a subject of study for those interested in the tactical execution of mid-level infantry command and the complexities of leadership during the protracted retreat on the Eastern Front.

In 3 November 1942, a big delegation of Ritterkreuzträger (German Knight's Cross recipients) visited the Reichsjugendführung, doing inspections of training places and communications with young Hitlerjugend members. This picture was taken when they met the HJ leader, Reichsjugendführer Artur Axmann. The identification as follow: 1.Hauptmann Karl Langesee (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 207 / 97.Jäger-Division. Ritterkreuz in 10 August 1942), 2.Leutnant der Reserve Gerhard Hein (Führer 5.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 209 / 58.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz in 3 September 1940 and Eichenlaub in 6 September 1942), 3.Hauptmann Harald von Hirschfeld (Führer II.Bataillon / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division. Ritterkreuz in 15 November 1941), 4.Hauptmann Erich Löffler (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 57 / 9.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz in 7 October 1942), 5.Oberleutnant Wilhelm Henz (Kommandeur 2.Kompanie / Kradschützen-Bataillon 29 / 29.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz in 8 August 1941), 6.Oberleutnant der Reserve Günther Hilt (Führer 7.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 56 / 5.Jäger-Division. Ritterkreuz in 14 September 1942), 7.Hauptmann Max Sachsenheimer (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 75 / 5.Jäger-Division. Ritterkreuz in 5 April 1942), 8. Hauptmann Hans-Gotthard Pestke (Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 176 / 61.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz in 15 November 1941), 9.Reichsjugendführer Artur Axmann, and Generalleutnant Friedrich Herrlein (General der Infanterie beim Oberkommando des Heeres. Ritterkreuz on 22 September 1941)

In 3 November 1942, a big delegation of Ritterkreuzträger (German Knight's Cross recipients) visited the Reichsjugendführung, doing inspections of training places and communications with young Hitlerjugend members. This picture was taken when they met the HJ leader, Reichsjugendführer Artur Axmann. The identification as follow: (1) Oberleutnant Günter Klappich (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 60 [motorisiert] / 16.Infanterie-Division [motorisiert]. Ritterkreuz on 31 July 1942), (2) Hauptmann Erich Löffler (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 57 / 9.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz on 7 October 1942), (3) Hauptmann Wilhelm Spindler (Chef 13.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division. Ritterkreuz on 21 December 1940), (4) Hauptmann Max Sachsenheimer (Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 75 / 5.Jäger-Division. Ritterkreuz on 5 April 1942), (5) Hauptmann Hans-Gotthard Pestke (Chef 3.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 176 / 61.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz on 15 November 1941), (6) Generalleutnant Friedrich Herrlein (General der Infanterie beim Oberkommando des Heeres. Ritterkreuz on 22 September 1941), (7) Oberleutnant der Reserve Richard Grünert (Kommandeur 3.Kompanie / Kradschützen-Bataillon 7 / 7.Panzer-Division. Ritterkreuz on 14 October 1941), (8) Oberleutnant Peter Kiesgen (Führer 1.Kompanie / I.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 239 / 106.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz on 5 October 1941), (9) unidentified, (10) Reichsjugendführer Artur Axmann, (11) Oberleutnant Hans Guhr (Regimentsadjutant Infanterie-Regiment 513 / 294.Infanterie-Division. Ritterkreuz on 10 September 1942), and (12) Generalmajor Friedrich-Jobst Volckamer von Kirchensittenbach (Stellvertretenden Inspekteur der Inspektion des Erziehungs- und Bildungs-Wesens im Oberkommando des Heeres. Ritterkreuz later on 26 March 1944).

Source:
Berger, Florian. Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges. Selbstverlag Florian Berger, 1999.
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945. Podzun-Pallas, 2000.
Scherzer, Veit. Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945. Scherzers Militär-Verlag, 2007.
Thomas, Franz. Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z. Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/S/SachsenheimerM.htm]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Sachsenheimer
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/16839/Sachsenheimer-Maximilian-Heinrich-Max.htm
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html
https://www.geni.com/people/Max-Sachsenheimer/6000000030025427844
https://forum.axishistory.com/

Bio of Oberst Wolfgang Kretzschmar (1907-1944)

Full name: Wolfgang Hans Kretzschmar  
Nickname: No information  

Date of Birth: 02.07.1907 - Allenstein, Ostpreußen (German Empire)  
Date of Death: 27.12.1944 - KIA Frauenburg bei Saldus (Latvia)
Buried on: German War Cemetery Frauenburg / Saldus, Plot: U1. Row: 16. Grave: 471.

Battles and Operations: Polenfeldzug, Westfeldzug, Ostfront (Kämpfe südlich des Ladoga-Sees, Abwehrschlachten am Wirtz-See, 3. Kurlandschlacht)  

Religion: No information  
Parents: No information  
Siblings: No information  
Spouse: Ursula Gertrud Annemarie Elisabeth Görg  
Children: two children (names unknown)  

Promotions:  
00.00.1926: Einjährig-Freiwilliger
00.00.1923: Fahnenjunker
00.00.1931: Leutnant
00.00.1935: Oberleutnant
00.00.1939: Hauptmann
00.01.1942: Major
01.02.1944: Oberstleutnant
01.08.1944: Oberst

Career:  
1926 Joined as one-year volunteer in Infantry Regiment 3;
?: Stab, Infanterie-Regiment 45;
1936: Ausbildungsoffizier, Infanterieschule Döberitz;
? - 1938: Stabsoffiziersausbildung, Kriegsakademie;
?: Stab, X. Armeekorps;
February 18th, 1940: Bataillonskommandeur, Infanterie-Regiment 506;
January 1941: Lehrgangsleiter/Taktikausblider, Infanterieschule;
June 16th, 1942 - August 1942: Kommandant, Infanterie-Bataillon z.b.V. 540;
winter 1942 - July 21st, 1943: Kommandant, Grenadier-Bataillon z.b.V. 540;
December 1943: Kommandeur, Jäger-Regiment 24(L);
November 1944 - 27 december 1944: stellvertretender Führer, 12. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division; 

Awards and Decorations:  
02.10.1936 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4. Klasse (4 Jahre)  
02.10.1936 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 3. Klasse (12 Jahre)  
02.10.1936 Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 2. Klasse (18 Jahre)  
12.10.1939 Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse  
00.06.1940 Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz (WIA 11.06.1940)
23.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse  
00.00.194_ Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber  
17.03.1943 Anerkennungsurkunde des Oberbefehlshabers des Heeres  
15.05.1943 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #1799 as Major and Kommandeur Grenadier-Bataillon 540 z.b.V. In late January and early February 1943, Kretzschmar’s unit was ordered to hold a strategically vital hill that anchored the entire German defensive sector. Under freezing conditions and relentless Soviet pressure, massed enemy infantry and artillery hammered the position day after day. When the Soviets finally punched through at the boundary with the neighboring unit, threatening to roll up the whole line, Kretzschmar personally assembled a scratch force from troops on his right flank. Leading this handful of men himself through blinding snow and enemy fire, he launched a furious counterattack that smashed the penetration, restored the front, and saved the sector.
00.07.1943 Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber (WIA 11.06.1940 00.08.1942 + 21.07.1943)
Nahkampfspange in Bronze  
Nahkampfspange in Silber  
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #600 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment 24 (L) / 12.Luftwaffen-Feld-Division. Kretzschmar again proved his mettle during the defensive battles at Wirtz Lake in September 1944. The Soviet 1st Shock Army hurled repeated tank-supported assaults against his regiment’s positions. For days his men fought with grim determination, beating back twelve separate armored attacks in close-quarters combat. Only on 15 September 1944, during the thirteenth enemy onslaught at Ergli, did the front finally crack under the overwhelming weight of steel and numbers.
12.01.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern #121 (posthumous) as Oberst and Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment 24 (L) / 12.Luftwaffen-Feld-Division. In the final weeks of his life, during the 3rd Battle of Courland in December 1944, Kretzschmar’s regiment held a sector near Dzukste. The fighting was apocalyptic: wave after wave of Soviet attacks crashed against German lines in blinding snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures. Kretzschmar’s men stood “like a rock in the surf,” absorbing blow after blow while he led from the front, moving between foxholes, directing fire, and inspiring his troops by personal example. On 27 December 1944, still fighting with weapon in hand, Oberst Kretzschmar was killed in action. For his utter devotion to duty and ultimate sacrifice his regiment’s stand was recognized with the Schwerter to the Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub, awarded posthumously.
Ärmelband Kurland

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wolfgang Hans Kretzschmar was a German Army officer during World War II who rose to the rank of Oberst and became one of the most highly decorated soldiers of the conflict. Born on 2 July 1907 in Allenstein, East Prussia, in the German Empire, he was killed in action on 27 December 1944 near Frauenburg in Latvia while serving on the Eastern Front. Kretzschmar commanded various infantry and grenadier units in some of the war's fiercest defensive battles and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, one of Nazi Germany's highest military honors. His career spanned from the interwar period through the invasions of Poland and the West to prolonged and brutal engagements against Soviet forces, where his personal leadership under extreme conditions earned him repeated recognition for bravery and tactical skill.

Kretzschmar entered the Reichswehr in 1926 as a one-year volunteer with Infantry Regiment 3. He advanced steadily through the ranks, receiving his commission as Leutnant in 1931 and promotion to Oberleutnant in 1935. Before the outbreak of war he held instructional and staff positions, serving as a training officer at the Infantry School in Döberitz in 1936 and completing general staff training at the War Academy until 1938. He later joined the staff of the X Army Corps. These early roles prepared him for the demands of modern warfare, emphasizing tactics and leadership that he would later apply with notable success on the battlefield.

With the start of World War II, Kretzschmar took part in the Polish Campaign in 1939 and the Western Campaign in 1940. He was appointed battalion commander in Infantry Regiment 506 on 18 February 1940 and by January 1941 had become a course leader and tactics instructor at the Infantry School. In June 1942 he assumed command of Infantry Battalion z.b.V. 540, a special-purpose probation unit formed in Fulda in December 1941 and composed largely of soldiers seeking redemption through frontline service after disciplinary issues. Redesignated Grenadier Battalion z.b.V. 540 in October 1942, the formation operated as an independent army troop often attached to divisions in high-risk sectors. Under Kretzschmar the battalion earned a reputation for resilience in the harsh terrain of the Eastern Front.

The unit saw its most intense action south of Lake Ladoga in late 1942 and early 1943 as part of the defensive lines near Leningrad. The landscape of frozen swamps, dense forests, and icy trenches turned every Soviet assault into a nightmare of artillery barrages and close-quarters fighting amid snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures. In late January and early February 1943, Kretzschmar's battalion was ordered to hold a strategically vital hill that anchored the entire German sector. When massed Soviet infantry and artillery punched through at the boundary with a neighboring unit, threatening to collapse the line, Kretzschmar personally assembled a scratch force from his right flank. Leading the men himself through blinding snow and enemy fire, he launched a furious counterattack that smashed the penetration, restored the front, and saved the position. For this leadership and bravery he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 15 May 1943. He was severely wounded during operations in August 1942 and again in July 1943 while still commanding the battalion.

After recovering from his wounds, Kretzschmar returned to frontline duty and by December 1943 had taken command of Jäger Regiment 24 of the 12th Luftwaffe Field Division. In September 1944, during the defensive battles at Wirtz Lake, his regiment faced repeated tank-supported assaults from the Soviet 1st Shock Army. For days the men fought in grim close-quarters combat, repelling twelve separate armored attacks before the line finally buckled on 15 September at Ergli under overwhelming numbers and firepower. The regiment's outstanding performance in holding the sector against such pressure earned Kretzschmar the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross on 30 September 1944. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant in February 1944 and to Oberst in August 1944.

In November 1944 Kretzschmar became deputy commander of the 12th Luftwaffe Field Division. During the apocalyptic fighting of the Third Battle of Courland in December 1944, his forces held a sector near Dzukste against wave after wave of Soviet attacks in blinding snowstorms and freezing conditions. Kretzschmar led from the front, moving between foxholes to direct fire and inspire his troops by personal example as they stood firm like a rock against the onslaught. On 27 December 1944 he was killed in action near Frauenburg while still fighting with weapon in hand. For his regiment's stand and his ultimate sacrifice he was awarded the Swords to the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves posthumously on 12 January 1945. Kretzschmar was married to Ursula Gertrud Annemarie Elisabeth Görg and left behind two children whose names remain unknown. His service exemplified the combination of professional skill and personal courage demanded by the Eastern Front's relentless campaigns.

Source:  
Berger, Florian: Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern. Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges.  
Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer: Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945.  
Scherzer, Veit: Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939-1945.  
Thomas, Franz: Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945.  
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/  
https://en.wikipedia.org/  
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/34582/Kretzschmar-Wolfgang-Hans-J%C3%A4ger-Regiment-24.htm
https://grokipedia.com/  
https://rk.balsi.de/index.php?action=list&cat=300  
https://www.unithistories.com/units_index/index.php?file=/officers/personsx.html  
https://web.archive.org/web/20091027052912fw_/http://geocities.com/orion47.geo/index2.html  
https://forum.axishistory.com/  
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/  
https://www.geni.com/  
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Wolfgang_Kretzschmar

Ludwig Müller with His Jäger

Generalleutnant Ludwig Müller (center, Kommandeur 97. Jäger-Division), affectionately called “Wurselsepp” with genuine Bavarian humor by his soldiers, discuss details of the operations with his officers. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Beissel on 6 November 1943. Only two weeks previously - on 25 October 1943 - Divisionskommandeur Müller was awarded with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his leadership of the 97. Jäger-Division during the campaign for the Kuban bridgehead, and in particular the fighting for Hill 114.1 (east of Moldawanskoje) in the time period 16 July - 14 September 1943. Here the Soviets tried many times, in vain, to seize this important hill from which all their movements in the area could be observed. It was only following the German evacuation of the Kuban bridgehead that this hill finally fell into their hands.

Source :
https://www.ebay.de/itm/395095426624?itmmeta=01HQMHYVC75J8VGRQT5RD2MRB3&hash=item5bfd85c640:g:BoYAAOSwdVBljbZ9
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/12448/M%C3%BCller-Ludwig-97-J%C3%A4ger-Division.htm

Bio of Major d.R. Max Wandrey (1910-1945)

Max Albert Adolf Christian Wandrey

Date of Birth: 08.04.1910 - Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (German Empire)
Date of Death: 21.02.1945 - in a Lazarett near Kruschwitz, Rothenburg/Oberlausitz, Sachsen (Germany). Mortally wounded near Sprottisch-Waldau on 20.02.1945 when his Kubelwagen ran over a mine.
Buried: Friedhof von Krauschwitz, Muskau, Oberlausitz (Germany)

Battles and Operations: Invasion of Poland (1939), Battle of France (1940), Operation Barbarossa (1941), Battle of Smolensk (1941), Battle of Moscow (1941-1942), Battles of Rzhev (1942-1943), Dodecanese Campaign (1943), Battle of Leros (1943), Battle of Memel (1944), and Vistula–Oder Offensive (1945)

NSDAP-Number: 125 004 (Joined 01.01.1929)
SS-Number: 50 313 (Joined 00.00.1932)
Religion: Gottgläubig (Believe in God)
Mother: Martha Wandrey
Spouse: Hel. Seyfarth (21.11.1910)
Children: Erika and Gerhard Wandrey

Promotions:
00.12.1928 SA-Mann
00.02.1932 SS-Mann
00.00.1932 Unterführeranwärter
00.00.1933 Gefreiter der Reserve
00.00.1935 Feldwebel der Reserve
20.04.1935 SS-Untersturmführer der Allgemeine-SS
20.04.1936 SS-Obersturmführer der Allgemeine-SS
30.01.1937 SS-Haupsturmführer der Allgemeine-SS
01.06.1940 Leutnant der Reserve
01.06.1942 Oberleutnant der Reserve
30.01.1943 SS-Sturmbannführer der Allgemeine-SS
09.01.1944 Hauptmann der Reserve
01.10.1944 Major der Reserve

Career:
00.06.1925 - 00.08.1928 Wehrverband Hindenburg
00.12.1928 - 00.02.1932 member of SA (Sturmabteilung)
00.00.1935 member of 28. SS-Standarte (Hamburg)
31.08.1936 - 25.10.1936 Ergänzungs-Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 69
25.10.1936 - 13.05.1937 member of Infanterie-Regiment 69
00.00.1937 full time member of SS-Abschnitt XV (Hamburg)
14.09.1939 called up again after the mobilisation
14.09.1939 - 12.11.1940 Zugführer in 9.Kompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 26 / 20.Infanterie-Division
00.11.1940 transferred to Infanterie-Regiment 254 / 110.Infanterie-Division
10.12.1940 -  04.10.1942 Adjutant II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 254 / 110.Infanterie-Division
00.00.1943 Führer II.Bataillon / SS-Standarte 28 (Hauptamtlicher SS-Führer der Allgemeinen SS)
00.11.1943 Chef 11.Kompanie / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg"
01.10.1944 Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg"

Awards and Decorations:
00.02.1934 Ehrenwinkel der Alten Kämpfer
16.12.1935 Julleuchter der SS
01.12.1936 DRL Sportabzeichen in Bronze
01.12.1936 SS-Ehrenring
01.12.1937 SA-Sportabzeichen in Bronze
01.04.1939 Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 10 Jahre
01.04.1939 Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP 15 Jahre
01.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse (document signed by Divisionskommandeur Kurt von Briesen)
29.07.1940 Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber
01.10.1940 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
07.08.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse (document signed by Divisionskommandeur Ernst Seifert)
13.05.1942 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
00.00.1942 Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42" (Ostmedaille)
00.00.194_ Ärmelband Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Brandenburg"
00.00.1943 Nahkampfspange in Bronze
09.01.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant der Reserve and Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Kampfgruppe "Müller" (22. Infanterie-Division). Awarded for his contribution to the German conquest of Leros in November 1943. Landing on the island on the 16th of that month, Wandrey's Kompanie commander was quickly wounded and so Wandrey stepped in to fill this role. At around 15:00 that day Wandrey stormed the dominant Hill 204 with about 50 men, and located the British HQ there. With 20 soldiers, Wandrey stormed the command post and took the British General Tilney prisoner.
16.03.1945 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub #787 (posthumously), as Major der Reserve and Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Panzergrenadier-Division “Brandenburg”. Awarded for the major role he played in the breakout of Gruppe von Saucken in early 1945. Around mid-February, as commander of an inexperienced Bataillon of the Panzergrenadier-Division "Brandenburg", Wandrey led a stubborn defense east of Sprottisch-Waldau. The leadership of Saucken's moving pocket thus oriented their breakout efforts towards this point, pushing north from the Primkenauer forest and linking up with Wandrey's forces on the 11-12.02.1945.

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Max Wandrey joined the 69th Infantry Regiment in 1936, where he completed his one-year military service. In 1937 he was a full-time SS leader in Hamburg and was called up to Infantry Regiment 69 at the start of the war.

On June 1, 1940, he was promoted to Leutnant der Reserve and joined the 254 Infantry Regiment in November 1940. From July 1941 he took part in the Russian campaign and was awarded the German Cross in Gold on May 13, 1942. On June 1, 1942, he was promoted to Oberleutnant der reserve and at the beginning of 1943 became chief of the 11th company of the 1st “Brandenburg” (Jäger) Regiment.

With the elite unit he took part in the disarmament of Italian units (→ Axis case) in Greece and the Aegean. After his decisive role in the conquest of the island of Leros by the “Müller” combat group during Operation “Leopard” in mid-November 1943, he was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Crosses) on January 9, 1944. At the same time he was promoted to Hauptmann der reserve. With a 20-man strike force, he surprisingly attacked and eliminated the British-Italian position system on Monte Meraviglia on Leros from the east. Wandrey was personally responsible for the capture of British Forces Commander Brigadier Robert Tilney on November 16, 1943.

On October 1, 1944, he was promoted to major in the reserve and commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Jäger Regiment “Brandenburg”. With this he fought in the defense of the Danube position in the Esseg area in the fall of 1944, in southern Hungary at the end of 1944 and then moved to the Lodz area in Poland at the beginning of 1945. The Panzergrenadier-Division “Brandenburg” has now been subordinated to the Panzerkorps "Grossdeutschland".

On February 16, 1945, Wandrey and his unit once again particularly distinguished themselves when they achieved a defensive success against the Soviet 23rd Guards Rifle Division with the 2nd Battalion in the fighting in the southern part of the Sagan Forest/Silesia. On the orders of regimental commander Erich von Brückner, Wandrey and his battalion had to withdraw; there were heavy retreats from the Litzmannstadt area via Petrikau to the Neisse. On February 20, 1945, the Red Army's 12th Guards Tank Brigade surrounded Wandrey's battalion. It was able to take out eight T-34/85s before an attempt was made to break out on armored personnel carriers. During this outbreak - Wandrey was on the last vehicle - suffered a serious wound when he hit a mine on February 20, 1945, from which he died on February 21, 1945 in the hospital in Krauschwitz in Lower Silesia. He was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz on 16 March 1945.

Max Wandrey in M32 black Allgemeine-SS uniform.



Max Wandrey in civilian uniform, probably before he joined the Wehrmacht.

A studio portrait of Leutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey before he received the Ritterkreuz. Interestingly, he is wearing both the Ribbon bar for the NSDAP Service Award of 10 and 15 Years!

Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold which he received on 13 May 1942 as Leutnant der Reserve and Adjutant II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 254 / 110.Infanterie-Division. He was promoted to Oberleutnant d.R. on 9 January 1944.



Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold which he received on 13 May 1942 as Leutnant der Reserve and Adjutant II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 254 / 110.Infanterie-Division. He was promoted to Oberleutnant d.R. on 9 January 1944.



Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey with the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold which he received on 13 May 1942 as Leutnant der Reserve and Adjutant II.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 254 / 110.Infanterie-Division. He was promoted to Oberleutnant d.R. on 9 January 1944.



Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") which was held in Crete Island, Greece, January 1944. Flanking Wandrey (center) were Major Wilhelm Walther (Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") who wore the same tropical colored stahlhelm as Wandrey, and General der Flieger Hellmuth Felmy (Kommandierender General LXVIII. Armeekorps) wearing a tropical Luftwaffe uniform complete with his "Hermann Meyer" cap. Wandrey was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 9 January 1944 for his performance in the attack on the island of Leros during Operation Leopard. Later he would also receive the Eichenlaub #787 posthumously on 16 March 1945 as Major der Reserve and Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg". Other pictures from this ceremony can be seen HERE.

The grave of Max Wandrey.



SS-Dienstlaufbahn of Max Wandrey.





SS file of Max Wandrey.

Data of Max Wandrey from SS-Oberabschnitt Nordsee.

Data of Max Wandrey from SS-Oberabschnitt Nordsee.

Grouping from the estate of Major der Reserve Max Wandrey, The 787th recipient of the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes. This grouping were auctioned by Andreas Thies with the price of 13.000 €. Other pictures from this grouping can be seen HERE.

Source :
Michael D. Miller photo collection
"Jump Into Hell: German Paratroopers in World War II" by Franz Kurowski
https://www.andreas-thies.de/auctions/67-750747
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Wandrey,_Max
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=250569&p=2280593&hilit=wandrey#p2280593
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/W/WandreyM.htm
https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Max_Wandrey
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/20271/Wandrey-Max-Brandenburg.htm
https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-gedenken/graebersuche-online/detail/881fb1042e1473b7d3f78e61b592a9b9
https://web.archive.org/web/20111228124146fw_/http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/W/Wandrey-Max.htm