Johann Pflugbeil

Johann Pflugbeil
Born	24 August 1882 Hütten
Died	21 October 1951 (aged 69) Stuttgart
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1904–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	221. Infanterie-Division 221. Sicherungs-Division 388. Feldausbildungs-Division Infanterie-Division Kurland
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Bzura Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Siege of Leningrad Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Relations	Kurt Pflugbeil (brother)

Johann Pflugbeil (24 August 1882 – 21 October 1951) 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.

On June 27, 1941, the 221 Security division held the city of Bialystok (Poland). That day, the 309 Police battalion started a pogrom on the Jewish community: Jews were arrested, beaten, beards were cut, and people were shot. The Jewish community chiefs went to see general Pflugbeil, and asked him to stop that pogrom. They were in his office, on their knees to implore him. A policeman of the 309th Police Battalion urinated on them; the general offered his back, to see elsewhere. After that "meeting", the pogrom became slaughter and massacre : the Jews on the market place were shot in front on a wall, until the night; the synagogue, where 700 Jews were piled up, was set on fire with petrol and grenades. The Jews who tried to escape were shot. On June 28, general Pflugbeil asked Major Weis (309 Police battalion) the cause of the fire. Weis made a false report on the causes.^[1]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (11 April 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 August 1944 as Generalleutnant and Kommandant von Milau^[2]
• Ärmelband Kurland

References

Citations

1. Browning (Christopher R.), Des hommes ordinaires : le 101e bataillon de réserve de la police allemande et la solution finale en Pologne, pp.25-26
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 275.

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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Johann Pflugbeil @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived October 28, 2009)