Born in Kolberg, Angern joined the army of Imperial Germany as an Fahnen-junker (officer cadet). He was commissioned in the infantry and fought in World War I. In the interwar period, he joined the Wehrmacht and by 1938 was commander of the 3rd Schützen (Rifle) Brigade. The following year he led the 11th Schützen Brigade.[1] In August 1940, now an oberst, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross while commanding the brigade.[2]
On 15 August 1941, during the later stages of Operation Barbarossa, Angern was given command of the 11th Panzer Division. His time leading the division was brief, for he was wounded nine days later. He had a long period off active duty because of his wounds and during this time was promoted to generalmajor and received the German Cross in Gold.[1][3][Note 1]
Returning to duty on 15 September 1942, Angern took command of the 16th Panzer Division, operating to the north of the city of Stalingrad, supporting the divisions fighting in the city.[1] By mid-November, the division had been reduced to 4,000 personnel and had been ordered to withdraw to the Donets. The Red Army began a counteroffensive which encircled Stalingrad, trapping several elements of the division, including Angern and his staff, in the city along with the Sixth Army.[5] Angern remained in Stalingrad throughout the siege and was promoted to generalleutnant on 21 January 1943.[1][Note 2]
The advance of the Red Army pressed the Germans into the eastern portion of the Stalingrad perimeter and in mid-January, along with some other staff officers of the division, Angern considered escaping the encirclement by passing through the frontlines wearing captured Red Army uniforms accompanied by Russian Hiwis. Nothing came of the plan and, with defeat inevitable, Angern committed suicide on 2 February 1943.[1][6]
Notesedit
Footnotes
^The rank of generalmajor is equivalent to that of brigadier general in the United States Army.[4]
Mitcham, Samuel W. Jr. (2007). Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN978-0-8117-3353-3.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN978-3-931533-45-8.
Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN978-3-938845-17-2.
günther, angern, march, 1893, february, 1943, german, general, wehrmacht, during, world, commanded, 16th, panzer, division, during, battle, stalingrad, also, recipient, knight, cross, iron, cross, nazi, germany, günter, angern, right, born, 1893, march, 1893ko. Gunther Angern 5 March 1893 2 February 1943 was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded the 16th Panzer Division during the Battle of Stalingrad He was also a recipient of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany Gunther AngernGunter Angern far right Born 1893 03 05 5 March 1893Kolberg German EmpireDied2 February 1943 1943 02 02 aged 49 Stalingrad Soviet UnionAllegiance German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi GermanyService wbr branchArmy Wehrmacht Years of service1911 43RankGeneralleutnantCommands held11th Panzer Division16th Panzer DivisionBattles warsWorld War I World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Operation Weserubung Battle of France Battle of Arras 1940 Operation Barbarossa Battle of Bialystok Minsk Battle of Smolensk 1941 AwardsKnight s Cross of the Iron CrossGerman Cross in GoldBiography editBorn in Kolberg Angern joined the army of Imperial Germany as an Fahnen junker officer cadet He was commissioned in the infantry and fought in World War I In the interwar period he joined the Wehrmacht and by 1938 was commander of the 3rd Schutzen Rifle Brigade The following year he led the 11th Schutzen Brigade 1 In August 1940 now an oberst he was awarded the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross while commanding the brigade 2 On 15 August 1941 during the later stages of Operation Barbarossa Angern was given command of the 11th Panzer Division His time leading the division was brief for he was wounded nine days later He had a long period off active duty because of his wounds and during this time was promoted to generalmajor and received the German Cross in Gold 1 3 Note 1 Returning to duty on 15 September 1942 Angern took command of the 16th Panzer Division operating to the north of the city of Stalingrad supporting the divisions fighting in the city 1 By mid November the division had been reduced to 4 000 personnel and had been ordered to withdraw to the Donets The Red Army began a counteroffensive which encircled Stalingrad trapping several elements of the division including Angern and his staff in the city along with the Sixth Army 5 Angern remained in Stalingrad throughout the siege and was promoted to generalleutnant on 21 January 1943 1 Note 2 The advance of the Red Army pressed the Germans into the eastern portion of the Stalingrad perimeter and in mid January along with some other staff officers of the division Angern considered escaping the encirclement by passing through the frontlines wearing captured Red Army uniforms accompanied by Russian Hiwis Nothing came of the plan and with defeat inevitable Angern committed suicide on 2 February 1943 1 6 Notes editFootnotes The rank of generalmajor is equivalent to that of brigadier general in the United States Army 4 The rank of generalleutnant is equivalent to that of major general in the United States Army 4 Citations a b c d e Mitcham 2007 p 134 Scherzer 2007 p 193 Patzwall amp Scherzer 2001 p 16 a b Mitcham 2007 p 257 Mitcham 2007 p 131 Beevor 1999 pp 365 366 References editBeevor Antony 1999 Stalingrad London United Kingdom Penguin Books ISBN 978 0 14 024985 9 Mitcham Samuel W Jr 2007 Panzer Legions A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders Mechanicsburg PA United States Stackpole Books ISBN 978 0 8117 3353 3 Patzwall Klaus D Scherzer Veit 2001 Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II The German Cross 1941 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 in German Norderstedt Germany Verlag Klaus D Patzwall ISBN 978 3 931533 45 8 Scherzer Veit 2007 Die Ritterkreuztrager 1939 1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer Luftwaffe Kriegsmarine Waffen SS Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbundeter Streitkrafte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives The Knight s Cross Bearers 1939 1945 The Holders of the Knight s Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army Air Force Navy Waffen SS Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives in German Jena Germany Scherzers Militaer Verlag ISBN 978 3 938845 17 2 Military offices Preceded byGeneral der Panzertruppe Ludwig Cruwell Commander of 11th Panzer Division15 August 1941 24 August 1941 Succeeded byGeneral der Panzertruppe Hans Karl Freiherr von Esebeck Preceded byGeneraloberst Hans Valentin Hube Commander of 16th Panzer Division15 September 1942 2 February 1943 Succeeded byGeneralmajor Burkhart Muller Hillebrand Portal nbsp Biography Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gunther Angern amp oldid 1211751426, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
