Walter Botsch

Walter Botsch
Born	27 February 1897 Braunsbach
Died	7 January 1969(1969-01-07) (aged 71) Schwäbisch Gmünd
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1915–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Unit	XXX. Armeekorps 19. Armee
Commands held	18. Volksgrenadier-Division LIII. Armeekorps LVIII. Panzerkorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Battle of Greece Operation Barbarossa Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) Siege of Leningrad Operation Dragoon Ruhr Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Walter Hugo Botsch (27 February 1897 – 7 January 1969) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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.

Awards and decorations

Iron Cross (1914)
- 2nd Class (10 August 1916)^[1]
- 1st Class (6 July 1918)^[1]
Wound Badge (1914)
- in Black (8 August 1918)^[1]
Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 January 1935)^[1]
Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle Bar (2 October 1939)^[1]
Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (20 April 1940)^[1]
- 1st Class (19 June 1940)^[1]
Eastern Front Medal (30 July 1942)^[1]
Crimea Shield (9 September 1942)^[1]
Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd Class (8 May 1942)
German Cross in Gold on 22 June 1942 as Oberst im Generalstab in the XXX. Armeekorps^[2]
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 May 1945 as Generalleutnant and acting leader of the LVIII. Panzerkorps^[3]^{[Note 1]}^{[Note 2]}

Notes

↑ According to Scherzer as commanding general of the LIII. Armeekorps.^[4]
↑ Walter Botsch's nomination by the troop was already received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 27 October 1944, forwarded for approval on 3 November 1944 and apparently deferred. The file card notes in the field for the presentation: "see folder for further leadership reports". A second nomination by the troop, most likely related to a different act of bravery or leadership skills, according to the file card was received by the HPA on 5 April 1945. The book of "awarded Knight Crosses" states "deferred" because Botsch was considered missing in action on 16 April 1945. A nomination of the HPA with number 5082 was created. According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The presentation date was assigned by Walther-Peer Fellgiebel.^[4]

References

Citations

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Thomas & Wegmann 1992, p. 327.
↑ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 54.
↑ Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 141, 487.
1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 122.

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.
Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
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.
Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1992). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 2: Bi–Bo [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 2: Bi–Bo] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1734-3.

Military offices
Preceded by None	Chief of Staff of 19. Armee August 1943 – January 1945	Succeeded by Oberst i.G. Kurt Brandstädter
Preceded by Generalmajor Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn	Commander of 18. Volksgrenadier-Division 5 February 1945 – 6 March 1945	Succeeded by Unit absorbed into 26. Volksgrenadier-Division
Preceded by General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothirch und Trach	Commander of LIII. Armeekorps 6 March 1945 – 25 March 1945	Succeeded by Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein
Preceded by General der Panzertruppe Walter Krüger	Commander of LVIII. Panzerkorps 25 March 1945 – April 1945	Succeeded by None

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