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Bleckwenn, Wilhelm

Date of birth:
October 21st, 1906 (Berge/Province of Hanover, Germany)
Date of death:
May 10th, 1989 (Saarbrücken/Saarland, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kompanie-Offizier MG-Bataillon 1
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur I. / Grenz-Infanterie-Regiments 127
Awarded on:
March 20th, 1940
Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur I. / Grenz-Infanterie-Regiments 127
Awarded on:
May 21st, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur I. / Grenz-Infanterie-Regiments 127
Awarded on:
July 1st, 1940

Silver version.
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur I. / Grenz-Infanterie-Regiments 127
Awarded on:
July 1st, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Kommandeur III. / Infanterie-Regiment 256 / 112. Infanterie-Division / 2. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
September 10th, 1941
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Major
Unit:
Führer Infanterie-Regiment 487 / 267.Infanterie-Division / 4.Panzerarmee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
April 14th, 1942

Award 106/12
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 487 / 267. Infanterie-Division / 4. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
August 20th, 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 487 / 267. Infanterie-Division / 4. Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
August 20th, 1943
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 487 / 267.Infanterie-Division / 9.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte
Awarded on:
April 6th, 1944
Awarded for significantly aiding the 31. Infanterie-Division on the 21.02.1944. On this day the Soviets achieved deep penetrations in its sector (located between the Dnieper bend and Koromka). Bleckwenn played a major role in ensuring that the Division was not destroyed on the boundary between the 4. and 9. Armee.

2876th Award
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 487 / 267. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
October 18th, 1944
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Following Heeresgruppe Mitte’s collapse during Operation Bagration, Oberst Bleckwenn and a small Kampfgruppe under his command managed to break through to East Prussia after a period of 44 days of fighting through Belorussian forests. In the process he and his men overcame the torrential currents of the Memel river on the night of the 04./05.08.1944 while crossing it at a point south of Druschkiniki. He was subsequently awarded the Oakleaves for this noteworthy accomplishment.

621th Award.

Sources

  • Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
  • Photo: Wilco Vermeer collection, the Netherlands
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Armee Tagesbefehl Nr. 12, Armee Oberkommando 4, 3 Mai 1944
    - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
    - Island Farm POW Camp: / Special Camp:XI
    - Axis Biographical Research

Photo