Willy Riedel
Willy RiedelSometimes spelled Willi Riedel. (10 November 1909 – 10 February 1982) was a highly decorated ''Major'' in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross (german: Ritterkreuz), and its variants were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was severely wounded in early 1943 by a grenade splinter and taken prisoner of war by the Soviet Army. Following World War II, he served in the National People's Army of East Germany. Early life Riedel, the son of an electrician, was born on 16 November 1909 in Liegnitz, at the time in the Province of Lower Silesia, present-day Legnica in southwestern Poland. Following his apprenticeship as a joiner, he joined the police school in Frankenstein in Schlesien, present-day Ząbkowice Śląskie, as a police candidate on 4 April 1929. After the ''Landespolizei'' (state police) was transferred i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Liegnitz
Legnica (Polish: ; german: Liegnitz, szl, Lignica, cz, Lehnice, la, Lignitium) is a city in southwestern Poland, in the central part of Lower Silesia, on the Kaczawa River (left tributary of the Oder) and the Czarna Woda. Between 1 June 1975 and 31 December 1998 Legnica was the capital of the Legnica Voivodeship. It is currently the seat of the county and since 1992 the city has been the seat of a Diocese. As of 2021, Legnica had a population of 97,300 inhabitants. The city was first referenced in chronicles dating from the year 1004, although previous settlements could be traced back to the 7th century. The name "Legnica" was mentioned in 1149 under High Duke of Poland Bolesław IV the Curly. Legnica was most likely the seat of Bolesław and it became the residence of the high dukes that ruled the Duchy of Legnica from 1248 until 1675. Legnica is a city over which the Piast dynasty reigned the longest, for about 700 years, from the time of ruler Mieszko I of Poland after the c ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Province Of Lower Silesia
The Province of Lower Silesia (german: Provinz Niederschlesien; Silesian German: ''Provinz Niederschläsing''; pl, Prowincja Dolny Śląsk; szl, Prowincyjŏ Dolny Ślōnsk) was a province of the Free State of Prussia from 1919 to 1945. Between 1938 and 1941 it was reunited with Upper Silesia as the Province of Silesia. The capital of Lower Silesia was Breslau (now Wrocław in Poland). The province was further divided into two administrative regions (''Regierungsbezirke''), Breslau and Liegnitz. The province was not congruent with the historical region of Lower Silesia, which now lies mainly in Poland. It additionally comprised the Upper Lusatian districts of Görlitz, Rothenburg and Hoyerswerda in the west, that until 1815 had belonged to the Kingdom of Saxony, as well as the former County of Kladsko in the southeast. The province was disestablished at the end of World War II and with the implementation of the Oder–Neisse line in 1945, the area east of the Neisse river fe ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Prisoner Of War
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war in custody for a range of legitimate and illegitimate reasons, such as isolating them from the enemy combatants still in the field (releasing and repatriating them in an orderly manner after hostilities), demonstrating military victory, punishing them, prosecuting them for war crimes, exploiting them for their labour, recruiting or even conscripting them as their own combatants, collecting military and political intelligence from them, or indoctrinating them in new political or religious beliefs. Ancient times For most of human history, depending on the culture of the victors, enemy fighters on the losing side in a battle who had surrendered and been taken as prisoners of war could expect to be either slaughtered or enslaved. Ear ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Zugführer (military)
is a military appointment to a sub-subunit leader, e.g. platoon leader, belonging to the Non-commissioned officer (NCO) rank group or junior officer. A leads or commands normally a subunit that is called in German language (en: platoon, platoon-size unit, or detachment). Germany of the Bundeswehr is an appointment. The is a subunit leader and commands a Zug (in the following platoon) that – depending on the service, branch, or branch of service – normally contains 30 to 60 service members or soldiers. The Bundeswehr platoon consists of some groups; some platoons build a company (infantry), battery (artillery), or squadron (Air Force). To the appointment of might be assigned normally an officer (2nd lieutenant of 1st lieutenant to the I. and II. platoon of a company), or an experienced port epee-NCO with the rank or (III. and IV. platoon of a company). However, in the German special command and support troops (de: ) to platoon leader might be appointed an OF2-rankTh ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Invasion Of Poland
The invasion of Poland (1 September – 6 October 1939) was a joint attack on the Republic of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union which marked the beginning of World War II. The German invasion began on 1 September 1939, one week after the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact between Germany and the Soviet Union, and one day after the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union had approved the pact. The Soviets invaded Poland on 17 September. The campaign ended on 6 October with Germany and the Soviet Union dividing and annexing the whole of Poland under the terms of the German–Soviet Frontier Treaty. The invasion is also known in Poland as the September campaign ( pl, kampania wrześniowa) or 1939 defensive war ( pl, wojna obronna 1939 roku, links=no) and known in Germany as the Poland campaign (german: Überfall auf Polen, Polenfeldzug). German forces invaded Poland from the north, south, and west the morning after the Gleiwitz incident. Slovak military forces ad ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ferdinand Neuling
Ferdinand Neuling (22 August 1885 – 20 February 1960) was a general of the Heer during World War II. In September 1939, German troops under his command occupied the Polish part of Upper Silesia and cities of Katowice, Mikołów, Chorzów, committing numerous war crimes on Polish civilians and resistance fighters. Biography In 1905 he joined the Kaiser's army as ensign in 139th Infantry Regiment. A year later he was promoted to lieutenant. He served in World War I and received the Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class. After 1918, he continued service in the Reichswehr. In 1929, he was promoted to major, in 1933 to lieutenant colonel. In the same year, he took command of 23rd Infantry Regiment. On 1 January 1939 he became General Major and three months later took command of Landwehr in Oppeln. On the eve of World War II he was ordered to create the 239th Infantry Division, basing on Landwehr soldiers. The Division's battle value was considered very low and the unit was scheduled to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Generalmajor
is the Germanic variant of major general, used in a number of Central and Northern European countries. Austria Belgium Denmark is the second lowest general officer rank in the Royal Danish Army and Royal Danish Air Force. As a two-star rank it is the equivalent to the rank of counter admiral in the Royal Danish Navy. The rank is rated OF-7 within NATO. It has the grade of M404 within the Ministry of Defence's pay structure. The rank of major general is reserved for the Chief of the army and air force. History On 25 May 1671, the ranks were codified, by King Christian V, with the publication of the Danish order of precedence. Here generals of the branch were placed below Lieutenant field marshal ( da, Feltmarskal Lieutenant), and above the noble rank of Count and the military rank of Lieutenant general. As part of the Army Reform of 1867, the ranks of Major, Lieutenant colonel were removed and only a single "General" rank was kept. After the 1880 reform, the gene ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Opole
Opole (; german: Oppeln ; szl, Ôpole) ; * Silesian: ** Silesian PLS alphabet: ''Ôpole'' ** Steuer's Silesian alphabet: ''Uopole'' * Silesian German: ''Uppeln'' * Czech: ''Opolí'' * Latin: ''Oppelia'', ''Oppolia'', ''Opulia'' is a city located in southern Poland on the Oder River and the historical capital of Upper Silesia. With a population of approximately 127,387 as of the 2021 census, it is the capital of Opole Voivodeship (province) and the seat of Opole County. Its built-up (or metro area) was home to 146,522 inhabitants. It is the smallest city in Poland that is also the largest city in its province. Its history dates to the 8th century, and Opole is one of the oldest cities in Poland. An important stronghold in Poland, it became a capital of a duchy within medieval Poland in 1172, and in 1217 it was granted city rights by Duke Casimir I of Opole, the great-grandson of Polish Duke Bolesław III Wrymouth. During the Medieval Period and the Renaissance, the city was ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Landwehr
''Landwehr'', or ''Landeswehr'', is a German language term used in referring to certain national army, armies, or militias found in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Europe. In different context it refers to large-scale, low-strength fortifications. In German, the word means "defence of the country"; but the term as applied to an insurrectional militia is very ancient, and ''lantveri'' are mentioned in ''Baluzii Capitularia'', as quoted in Henry Hallam, Hallam's ''Middle Ages'', i. 262, 10th edition. The English term "home guard" may possibly derive from an attempt to translate the term ''landwehr'', the earliest unit calling itself "home guard" being formed by German Americans, German immigrants in Missouri in the events leading up to the American Civil War. Austria-Hungary Austrian ''Landwehr'' The Austrian Landwehr was one of three components that made up the Austro-Hungarian Army, ground forces of the Austria-Hungary, Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy between 1868 and 1 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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239th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
The 239th Infantry Division (german: 239. Infanterie-Division) was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II. The division was activated in 1939 and remained in active duty until December 1941. Its staff was formally dissolved in 1942. Operational history The 239th Infantry Division was created on 26 August 1939 as part of the third Aufstellungswelle in Gleiwitz in Wehrkreis VIII. The division initially consisted of the Infantry Regiments 372 ( Cosel), 372 ( Beuthen) and 444 ( Oppeln), as well as the Artillery Regiment 239. The division's only commander throughout its lifespan was Ferdinand Neuling. During the Invasion of Poland, the 239th Infantry Division served on the border between Poland and Slovakia, but did not see any fighting. It was part of the reserves of Army Group South ( von Rundstedt), as part of VIII Army Corps ( Busch) under 14th Army (List). By November 1939, it had joined XXXIV Army Corps under ''Grenz-Abschnittskommando Süd'' along the G ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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8th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
8th Division, 8th Infantry Division or 8th Armored Division may refer to: Infantry divisions * 8th Division (Australia) * 8th Canadian Infantry Division * 8th Air Division (People's Republic of China) * 8th Division (1st Formation) (People's Republic of China), 1949–1952 * 8th Infantry Division (France) * 8th Division (German Empire) * 8th Ersatz Division (German Empire) * 8th Landwehr Division (German Empire) * 8th Bavarian Reserve Division, a unit of the Imperial German Army in World War I * 8th Infantry Division (Greece) * 8th (Lucknow) Division, a unit of the British Indian Army before and during World War I * 8th Infantry Division (India) * 8th Najaf Ashraf Division, Iran * 8th Division (Iraq) * 8th Division (Imperial Japanese Army) * 8th Division (Japan) * 8th Division (North Korea) * 8th Infantry Division (Pakistan), part of XXX Corps * 8th Infantry Division (Philippines) * 8th Infantry Division (Poland) * 8th Infantry Division (Russian Empire) * 8th Siberian Ri ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Oberwachtmeister
Oberwachtmeister (OWm) ( ge: for senior master-sentinel; senior watch-master) is in Austria and Switzerland a military rank of non-commissioned officers (NCO). Besides Austria and Switzerland today, the rank was also used for example in Germany and Russia. Austria ''Oberwachtmeister'' is in the Austrian Bundesheer the second lowest NCO-rank (assignment group M BUO 2 / professional NCO; respectively M ZUO 2 / longer-serving volunteer). The ''Oberwachtmeister'' will be normally deployed as leader (Austrian: Kommandant) of a squad (8 to 13 soldiers). During United Nations missions and in NATO Partnership for Peace the rank ''Oberwachtmeister'' will be designated in English with Staff Sergeant (SSG) and is equivalent to NATO-Rang code ''OR-6''. ;See also: * Ranks of the Austrian Bundesheer Germany In the German army ground forces the designation of the OR6-Oberfeldwebel rank of Cavalry and Artillery was the «Oberwachtmeister» until 1945. ; See also: * World War II Germ ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |