Gustav Fehn

Gustav Fehn
Born	(1892-02-21)21 February 1892
Died	5 June 1945(1945-06-05) (aged 53) Ljubljana, Yugoslavia
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Heer
Rank	General der Panzertruppe
Commands	5th Panzer Division Afrika Korps
Battles / wars	---- World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gustav Fehn (21 February 1892 – 5 June 1945) was a German general during World War II and was the last commander of the Afrika Corps. He was appointed acting commander of the Afrikakorps in November 1942 and served as its last commander until 15 January 1943 when he was wounded. In this capacity he sent a final message to the High Command: “Ammunition exhausted. Equipment destroyed. In accordance with orders received, the Afrika Korps has fought to the last man”.

Afterwards, Fehn served in the LXXXVI Panzer Corps from July–August 1943, the XXI Army Corps from October 1943 - July 1944 and then the XV Mountain Corps in the Balkans until his surrender to Yugoslav partisans, who shot him without trial on 5 June 1945.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 5 August 1940 as Oberst and commander of Schützen-Regiment 33

References

Bibliography

• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die 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. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)