Willy Jähde

Willy Jähde
Born	18 January 1908 Sorau
Died	25 April 2002 (aged 94) Munich
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1927–45
Rank	Major
Commands held	schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Willy Jähde (18 January 1908 – 25 April 2002) was an officer in the Wehrmacht during World War II and 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. Jähde was captured by American troops in May 1945. He was later transferred to Soviet custody, but escaped.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 September 1939)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• Eastern Front Medal
• Panzer Badge
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 March 1944 as Major and commander of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 ^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 199.

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.