August Zehender

August Zehender (28 April 1903 – 11 February 1945) was a German SS commander during the Nazi era. He led the SS Division Maria Theresia during World War II and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

August Zehender
Born(1903-04-28)28 April 1903
Died11 February 1945(1945-02-11) (aged 41)
Budapest, Hungary
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branch Waffen SS
RankSS-Brigadeführe and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS
UnitSS Division Maria Theresia
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Zehender was posted to the SS-Verfügungstruppe in 1935 (his NSDAP party number was 4263133 and his SS service number 224219). He was given command of a motorcycle battalion in the SS Division Das Reich. At the end of June 1941, Zehender was wounded on the Eastern Front at Losza. After his recovery he was posted to the SS Cavalry Brigade. In the spring of 1944, he was given command of the SS Division Maria Theresia, with which he fought at Budapest.

He was killed in action on 11 February 1945 in Budapest.[1]

Awards
  • German Cross in Gold on 16 October 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2[2]
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
    • Knight's Cross on 10 March 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of the SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2.[3]
    • 722nd Oak Leaves on 1 February 1945 as SS-Brigadeführer and commander of the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia"[3]
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See also
  • List SS-Brigadeführer

References

Citations
  1. Anthony Tucker-Jones: rare photographs from wartime archives, p.135 ("A grenade took off his right leg and he promptly committed suicide.")
  2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 528.
  3. Scherzer 2007, p. 802.

Bibliography
  • 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 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. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
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