Willibald Utz

Willibald Utz (20 January 1893 – 20 April 1954) 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 of Nazi Germany.

Willibald Utz
Born(1893-01-20)20 January 1893
Furth im Wald
Died20 April 1954(1954-04-20) (aged 61)
Bad Reichenhall
Allegiance German Empire
 Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Service/branchArmy
Years of service1913–1945
RankGeneralleutnant
Commands held100th Jäger Division
2nd Mountain Division
Battles/warsWorld War I

World War II

AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross

In April 1943, Utz was appointed commander of the newly reconstituted 100th Jäger Division, which had been destroyed at the end of the Battle of Stalingrad. Promoted to major general (generalmajor) on 1 July 1943, he led his command in fighting on the Eastern Front from March to December 1944.[1]

Now a lieutenant general (generalleutnant),[1] he took over command of the 2nd Mountain Division on 9 February 1945 when its previous commander was wounded. After fighting on the Western Front in the Saar-Moselle Triangle, his new command, earlier in the war considered an elite unit, was well below strength and combat effectiveness. The division finished the war in Württemberg where Utz surrendered it to the Western Allies.[2]

Awards and decorations

Notes
  1. Mitcham 2007, pp. 247–248.
  2. Mitcham 2007, pp. 263–264.
  3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 348.

Here are the primary German mountain units that took part in the invasion of Crete,

the 5. Gebirgs-Division plus an attached regiment from the 6. Gebirgs-Division:

5. Gebirgs-Division – Generalmajor Julius Ringel (awarded Knight's Cross) • Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 – Oberst Willibald Utz (awarded Knight's Cross) • Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 85 – Oberst August Krakau (awarded Knight's Cross) • Gerbirgs-Artillerie-Regiment 95 – Oberstleutnant August Wittmann (awarded Knight's Cross) • Gebirgs-Pionier-Batallion 95 – Major Schaette

6. Gebirgs-Division • Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 141 – Oberst Maximilian Jais (awarded Knight's Cross)

http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/U/UtzWillibald.htm

References
  • 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.
  • Mitcham, Jr., Samuel W. (2007). German Order of Battle, Volume Two: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
Military offices
Preceded by
Generalleutnant Werner Sanne		 Commander of the 100th Jäger Division
1 February 1943 – 1 January 1945		 Succeeded by
Oberst Hans Kreppel
Preceded by
Oberst Hans Roschmann		 Commander of the 2nd Mountain Division
9 February 1945 – German capitulation		 Succeeded by
none
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