Willibald Borowietz

Willibald Borowietz (17 September 1893 – 1 July 1945) was a German general during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Willibald Borowietz
Born(1893-09-17)17 September 1893
Died1 July 1945(1945-07-01) (aged 51)
Camp Clinton, U.S.A
Allegiance Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy (Wehrmacht)
RankGeneralleutnant
Commands held15th Panzer Division
Battles/warsWorld War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Borowietz surrendered to Allied forces together with the Afrika Korps. He was held as a POW by the United States in Camp Clinton, Mississippi, where he committed suicide by electrocuting himself in a bathtub on 1 July 1945. Officially his death was attributed to a cerebral hemorrhage.[1]

His wife, Eva Ledien, was of Jewish descent. She committed suicide in October 1938 so that their children could be Aryanized. Eva's sister, Käthe (Ledien) Bosse, was killed in Ravensbrück concentration camp on 16 December 1944.

Awards and decorations
  • Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (6 October 1914) & 1st Class (25 June 1915)[2]
  • Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (25 September 1939) & 1st Class (11 June 1940)[2]
  • German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1942 as Oberst in Schützen-Regiment 10[3]
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
    • Knight's Cross on 24 July 1941 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Schützen-Regiment 10[4]
    • Oak Leaves on 10 May 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 15.Panzer-Division[5]
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References

Citations
  1. Derek R. Mallett: Hitler's Generals in America: Nazi POWs and Allied Military Intelligence. University Press of Kentucky, 2013, ISBN 978-0-8131-4251-7, p. 88
  2. Thomas 1997, p. 68.
  3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 53.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 120.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.

Bibliography
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
  • 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.
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst		 Commander of 15. Panzer-Division
11 November 1942 – 13 May 1943		 Succeeded by
Unit Surrendered
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