Willibald Borowietz

Willibald Borowietz (17 September 1893 – 1 July 1945) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Borowietz was captured when the Afrika Korps surrendered to Allied forces. 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.

His wife, Eva Ledien, was of Jewish descent. She committed suicide in October 1938 so that their children could be Aryanized. This freed Willibald to follow his career. 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)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black (4 May 1918)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 December 1935)
• World War Commemorative Medal with Swords (Hungary, 1936)
• War Commemorative Medal 1915/1918 with swords (Bulgaria, 1938)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (25 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (11 June 1940)
• Certificate of Recognition of the Commander of the Army for outstanding performance on the battlefield (1941)
• General Assault Badge (14 April 1941)
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
• Armband Afrika (1943)
• Silver Medal of Military Valor
• German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1942 as Oberst in Schützen-Regiment 10
• 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
  • 235th Oak Leaves on 10 May 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 15.Panzer-Division
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (12 April 1941 and 11 May 1943)

Wehrmachtbericht references

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Saturday, 12 April 1941	Bei dem Vorstoß einer Panzerdivision auf Üsküp am 6. und 7. April haben sich Oberst Apell, Kommandeur einer Schützenbrigade, und Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, Kommandeur einer Panzerjägerabteilung, besonders ausgezeichent.	Oberst Apell, commander of a Schützenbrigade, and Oberstleutnant Borowiezt, commander of a Panzerjägerabteilung, distinguished themselves on 6 and 7 April during the advance of a Panzer-Division on Skopje.
11 May 1943	Auf dem afrikanischen Kriegsschauplatz haben sich die leichte Afrika-Division unter der Führung von Generalleutnant Graf Sponeck und die 15. Panzer-Division unter Führung von Generalmajor Borowietz besonders ausgezeichnet.	On the African theater of war, the light-Africa Division under the leadership of Lieutenant-General Graf Sponeck and the 15th Panzer Division under the command of Major General Borowietz, have particularly distinguished themselves.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945
• Willibald Borowietz @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 16, 2010)

Military offices
Preceded by Generalmajor Gustav von Vaerst	Commander of 15. Panzer-Division 11 November 1942 – 13 May 1943	Succeeded by Unit Surrendered