__NOTOC__ Walther Moritz Heinrich Wolfgang von Axthelm (23 December 1893 – 6 January 1972) was a German general (

General der Flakartillerie ''General der Flakartillerie'' (en: ''General of anti-aircraft artillery'') was a General of the branch rank of the Luftwaffe (en: German Air Force) in Nazi Germany. Until the end of World War II in 1945, this particular general officer rank was ...

) in the

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

who commanded the 1. Flakkorps. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Axthelm served with the

Ministry of Aviation The Ministry of Aviation was a department of the United Kingdom government established in 1959. Its responsibilities included the regulation of civil aviation and the supply of military aircraft, which it took on from the Ministry of Supply. ...

(''Reichsluftfahrtministerium'') from 12 January 1942 to the end of March 1945, holding the position of ''General der Flakwaffe'' (Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Artillery). Axthelm surrendered to American troops in 1945 and was interned until 1947.

Awards and decorations

on 4 September 1941 as ''

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 ...

'' and commander of the I. Flak-KorpsScherzer 2007, p. 196.

References

Citations

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Axthelm, Walther Von 1893 births 1972 deaths People from Hersbruck People from the Kingdom of Bavaria Luftwaffe World War II generals German Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States Military personnel of Bavaria Reichswehr personnel Generals of Anti-aircraft Artillery 20th-century Freikorps personnel Military personnel from Bavaria