Karl Willig

Karl Willig
Born	31 August 1908 Niederneisen
Died	2 December 1977(1977-12-02) (aged 69) Eschwege
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1927–1945
Rank	Major
Commands held	II./Grenadier-Regiment 120 (mot.)
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Second Battle of Kharkov Battle of Stalingrad
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Karl Willig (31 August 1908 – 2 December 1977) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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 recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Karl Willig was captured during at Stalingrad in 1943 and was released in 1949.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 25 July 1942 as Hauptmann and commander of II./Infanterie-Regiment 120
  • 179th Oak Leaves on 18 January 1943 as Major and commander of II./Grenadier-Regiment 120 (mot.)

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht