Willi Fey
Appearance
Willi Fey | |
---|---|
Born | 25 September 1918 |
Died | 29 April 2002 Freiburg, Germany | (aged 83)
Allegiance | Nazi Germany West Germany |
Service | Army Waffen-SS German Army |
Years of service | 1939–45 1956–72 |
Rank | Standartenjunker Hauptmann |
Unit | 52nd Infantry Division 102 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion |
Battles / wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Willi "Wilhelm" Fey (25 September 1918 – 29 April 2002) was a Standartenjunker in the Waffen-SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. He was regarded[by whom?] as a "Tiger Ace" for achieving 80+ tank kills during the war.[1]
Following the war, he served in the Bundeswehr and wrote books on armored warfare.
Awards
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 April 1945 as SS-Oberscharführer and Panzer commander in the schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 502[2][Note 1]
Notes
- ^ A lawful presentation via the chain of command to the chief of the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) Wilhelm Burgdorf in Berlin submitted nomination is possible. Also possible is a direct presentation by Adolf Hitler. However no evidence of the award can be found in the German Federal Archives. The author Veit Scherzer was denied access to files, which could help clarify the case, of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) on the grounds of the Bundesarchivgesetz (German Archive Law). Walther-Peer Fellgiebel wrote in a letter dated 31 August 1976: "...He (Willhelm Fey) after joining the Bundeswehr has request a court of honor against himself. Chairman was our companion recipient of the Oak Leaves former Oberst XXXX (name was made anonymous). This court of honor has accepted him without evidence". The order commission of the AKCR accepted this. Fellgiebel wrote: "...we don't want to claim that we are smarter than the Bundeswehr." Willhelm Fey was a member of the AKCR.[3]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- 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.
- 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
External links
- Willi Fey in the German National Library catalogue