Walter Petzel

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Petzel at the swearing-in of recruits in Posen, January 1940

Walter Petzel (1883–1965) was a German

Second World War
.

Life and early career

Petzel was born on 28 December 1883, the son of a landowner, in Oborzysk in the Province of Posen in what is now Poland. He joined the army in 1902 as a Fahnenjunker and, in 1903, was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant in the 1st Posen Field Artillery Regiment Number 20. In 1905, he was posted to the Artillery and Engineer School and, in 1908, became adjutant of the 2nd battalion (Abteilung) of his field artillery regiment. In 1910, he was sent to the Military Riding Institute for 2 years where he was promoted to lieutenant and, shortly thereafter, married Margarete Hauffe on 28 August 1911.[1]

First World War service

Rejoining his regiment in the post of adjutant in 1913, he was sent to the front at the start of the

First World War. In September that year he was badly wounded. In November he was promoted to the rank of captain and, in January 1915, was appointed as adjutant of the 10th Field Artillery Brigade. In December 1916, he returned to his Posen regiment, this time as a battery commander. In August 1917, he was appointed as a battalion commander within his regiment. For his service during the war, he was awarded a Knight's Cross of the House Order of Hohenzollern and both Iron Crosses as well as the Wound Badge.[1]

Inter-war service

Following the end of the war, Petzel transferred to the

Frankfurt an der Oder and, later, as commander of the 3rd Infantry (or Motorised) Division there.[2][3] In 1938, he was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed as Inspector of Artillery.[2][1]

Second World War service

In 1939, as the

Poznan, but was retired on 29 January 1945 just before the region was overrun.[2][1]

Post-war years

Petzel escaped to the west and settled in Hamelin, West Germany,[2] where he died on 1 October 1965.[1]

Decorations

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Walter Petzel at www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de. Retrieved 29 Oct 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Mitcham, Samuel W. The Rise of the Wehrmacht: Vol 1. London: Praeger, 2008. p. 216.
  3. ^ Mitcham, Samuel W. German Order of Battle: Panzer, Panzer Grenadier and Waffen SS Divisions in World War II. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole, 2007.

External links

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