Allegiance Nazi Germany Rank Major im Generalstab Name Waldemar Gazen Unit 13th Panzer Division | Years of service 1936–45 Commands held Pz.Gren.Rgt. 66 Service/branch German Army Other work Lawyer, Notary | |
 | ||
Born 6 December 1917
Hamburg, German Empire ( 1917-12-06 ) Battles/wars World War II
Invasion of Poland
Battle of Stalingrad Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords Died January 13, 2014, Gottingen, Germany Battles and wars Invasion of Poland, Battle of Stalingrad, World War II | ||
Waldemar von Gazen genannt von Gaza (6 December 1917 – 13 January 2014) was an Officer in the German Wehrmacht and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves and Swords was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Contents
Early life and career
Von Gazen was born on 6 December 1917 in Hamburg, a state of the German Empire. He was the son of the Oberst a.D. (Colonel retired; a.D.—auser Dienst) Oskar von Gazen. Following his graduation with the Abitur from the Gymnasium, a secondary school with a strong emphasis on academic learning, in Bergedorf, he completed his compulsory Reichsarbeitsdienst (Reich Labor Service).
He joined the military service in the Wehrmacht with Infanterie-Regiment 66 (66th Infantry Regiment) near Magdeburg as a Fahnenjunker (Cadet) in 1936. Infanterie-Regiment 66 was subordinated to the 13th Infantry Division which later reorganized into the 13th Panzer Division. He was promoted to Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant) on 1 September 1938.
World War II
In the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France, he served as a Zugfuhrer (platoon leader) (Zugfuhrer). He was promoted to Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant) on 1 September 1940. He was tasked with the leadership of the 2nd company of Schutzen-Regiment 66 on the Eastern Front.
Von Gazen was promoted to Hauptmann (Captain) and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 18 September 1942 for his achievements in summer of 1942 and the assault on Rostov. Shortly afterwards he was made leader of the I. Bataillon (1st Battalion) of the regiment. In early 1943 he distinguished himself again in combat as the leader of a Kampfgruppe (combat formation) in the Kuban bridgehead. For these actions he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub) on 18 January 1943.
Von Gazen was made leader of Schutzen-Regiment 66 in April 1943 and was officially commander of the regiment on 28 August 1943. His regiment succeeded in holding the German lines in the vicinity of Melitopol against numerous attacks by the Red Army at the end of September 1943. Von Gazen was severely wounded in these battles. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern) on 3 October 1943 for the achievements of his regiment.
After a period of convalescence he was transferred to the Generalstab des Heeres (General staff of the Army) on 1 July 1944. Here he received a general staff traineeship. He was appointed Ia (operations officer) of the 13. Panzer-Division stationed in Hungary in early September 1944. He was transferred again and appointed Ia of the 2. Panzer-Division in February 1945. Von Gazen was taken prisoner of war at the end of hostilities in Europe and released in 1946.