TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Wünnenberg, Alfred (Waffen SS)

    Date of birth:
    July 20th, 1891 (Sarrebourg/Lorraine, Germany)
    Date of death:
    December 30th, 1967 (Krefeld/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)
    Service number:
    SS-Nr.: 405.898 // NSDAP-Nr.: 2.222.600
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS und Polizei Alfred Bernhard Julius Ernst Wünnenberg
    Promotions:
    25.02.1913: Fahnenjunker
    28.06.1913: Unteroffizier
    27.01.1914: Fähnrich
    05.08.1914: Leutnant
    06.11.1917: Oberleutnant
    00.00.1920: Charakter Hauptmann
    19.09.1920: Polizei-Oberleutnant - RDA 01.02.1920
    13.07.1921: Polizei-Hauptmann
    00.08.1931: Major der Reserve
    01.04.1932: Major der Schutzpolizei
    20.04.1937: Oberstleutnant der Schutzpolizei
    01.01.1940: Oberst der Schutzpolizei and SS-Standartenführer
    09.11.1941: SS-Oberführer
    09.12.1941: SS-Brigadeführer
    01.10.1941: Generalmajor der Polizei
    01.07.1942: SS-Gruppenführer
    11.07.1942: Generalleutnant der Polizei
    01.07.1943: SS-Obergruppenführer / General der Waffen-SS und Polizei

    Career:
    25.02.1913: Fahnenjunker, Infanterie-Regiment „Vogel von Falckenstein" (7. Westfälisches) Nr. 56
    00.09.1914: Leutnant, Kompanieführer
    00.00.1915: WIA on the Eastern front
    00.06.1916: Flugzeugführer-Ausbildung
    00.08.1917: Aufklärungsflieger, Feld-Flieger-Abteilung 47
    00.04.1919: Grenzschutz Ost
    00.10.1919: Freikorps in Oberschlesien
    00.09.1920-00.00.1939: Polizei-Oberleutnant, Schutzpolizei
    00.04.1921: Hunde-Zugführer, Höheren Polizeischule, Essen
    00.02.1922-00.04.1923: Ausbilder, Höhere Polizeischule Potsdam-Eiche
    00.05.1923: Hunde-Ausbilder, Polizeischule Essen
    00.05.1923-00.02.1924: Kommandeur, Polizeihund-Einheit
    00.00.1924: Polizeischule Krefeld
    00.00.1926: Polizeischule Köln
    00.05.1928: Polizei-Verwaltung
    00.00.1928: Ausbilder, Polizei-Institut Charlottenburg
    00.00.1929-25.07.1933: Polizei-Inspektion, Hindenburg
    01.05.1933: entered the NSDAP
    00.08.1933: Kdr, Schutzpolizei Beuthen
    00.05.1924: Kdr, Schutzpolizei Gleiwitz
    00.02.1935: Kdr, Schutzpolizei Saarbrücken
    00.10.1937: Kdr, Schutzpolizei Bremen
    00.10.1938: Oberstleutnant der Schupo, Kdr, Schutzpolizei Mannheim
    00.12.1938: Oberstleutnant der Schupo, Ia, Inspektion der Ordnungspolizei, Stuttgart
    02.10.1939-00.12.1941: SS-Staf und Oberst der Schupo, Kommandeur, Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3, Polizei-Division - campaign in the West then in Russia
    15.12.1941-10.06.1943: SS-Ofu, Kommandeur, SS-Polizei-Division
    10.06.1943: SS-Brif, Führer, IV. SS-Panzer-Korps
    31.08.1943: SS-Ogruf, Chef des Hauptamtes der Ordnungspolizei
    00.00.1945: Chef der Deutschen Polizei
    00.04.1945: Flensburg
    00.00.1946: POW in Dachau
    00.00.1947: released

    Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    February 10th, 1915
    Eisernes Kreuz 2.Klasse (1914)
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    September 9th, 1915
    Eisernes Kreuz 1.Klasse (1914)
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    July 5th, 1917
    Königlich Preussisches Flugzeugbeobachter-Abzeichen
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    October 30th, 1918
    with swords
    Ritter des Königlicher Preussischer Hausordens von Hohenzollern mit Schwertern
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    December 22nd, 1920
    Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold (1918)
    Period:
    First World War (1914-1918)
    Awarded on:
    1934
    Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
    Awarded on:
    March 31st, 1937
    Deutsches Reiterabzeichen in Bronze
    Awarded on:
    September 26th, 1939
    other sources give 26.09.1938
    Polizei Dienstauszeichnung 1. Stufe
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    March 31st, 1940
    other sources give 30.03.1938
    Luftschutz-Ehrenzeichen 2. Stufe
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Standartenführer / Oberst der Schutzpolizei
    Awarded on:
    June 18th, 1940
    1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Standartenführer / Oberst der Schutzpolizei
    Awarded on:
    August 21st, 1940
    other sources give 21.08.1941
    1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
    Ehrendegen des Reichsführers-SS
    SS-Ehrenring
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Standartenführer / Oberst der Schutzpolizei
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, SS-Polizei-Schützen-Regiment 3, SS-Polizei-Division, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    November 15th, 1941
    Here follows an excerpt from Wünnenberg's Knights Cross recommendation...
    "Oberst Wünnenberg is a skilled and model Regimental Commander. Especially remarkable is his daring personal actions during the capture of the hills at Stojanowschtschina near Luga on the 11th of August 1941. Seventeen enemy tanks and numerous heavy bunkers were also captured the same day.
    On the 23rd of August 1941 Alfred Wünnenberg was ordered to capture Ssyrez, the hills west of there and also advance to the hills at Turowo, east of Luga. Throughout this day he led his 3rd Regiment to Ssyrez and the hills west of Ssyrez and Wybor. Although his Regiment had been weakened due to heavy fighting in these areas, he pushed on to Nelaja and took the hills at Turowo. He advanced along the flanks and rear of the enemy, breaking their strong resistance. This made Regiment 2's capture of Luga possible.
    On the 13th of September Wünnenberg's Regiment was tasked with taking Krassnowardeisk, advancing from the southwest. They had to secure the bridges and reach the fork in the road, north of this city. They captured four heavy bunkers, took four bridges intact and also reached the city centre ahead of some enemy tanks.
    Oberst Wünnenberg, with his personal bravery, succeeded in breaking through the key positions of the outer defensive line of St. Petersburg (Leningrad). This ensured the continued advance towards Pushkin, via the Ishora position."
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Brigadeführer / Generalmajor der Polizei (Brigadier)
    Unit:
    Kommandeur, SS-Polizei-Division, Waffen-SS
    Awarded on:
    April 23rd, 1942
    Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
    Awarded for the successful leadership of his division at Volkhov and the role he played in closing the ring around the Volkhov pocket. He was able to do this by attacking through extremely swampy terrain, achieving the element of surprise against the enemy who expected him to attack along the road.

    91st Award.
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    SS-Gruppenführer / Generalleutnant der Polizei
    Awarded on:
    July 28th, 1942
    other sources give 05.08.1942
    Medaille
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1944
    SS-Dienstauszeichnung 4.Stufe (4 Jahre)

    Sources

    Photos