Willifrank Ochsner

Wilhelm-Francis Ochsner
Nickname(s)	"Willifrank"
Born	31 March 1899 Munich
Died	5 December 1990(1990-12-05) (aged 91) Marquartstein
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1915–1945
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	31. Infanterie-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Operation Bagration
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Wilhelm-Francis "Willifrank" Ochsner (31 March 1899 – 5 December 1990) 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. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Wilhelm-Francis Ochsner was captured by Soviet troops on 6 June 1944 during Operation Bagration. In 1947 he was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for war crimes committed against the Soviet Union. He was released in 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Cross of Honor
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (30 May 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  • Knight's Cross on 18 January 1944 as Oberst and commander of 31. Infanterie-Division

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
• World War 2 Awards.com