Walter Weiß

Walter Weiß, also spelt Weiss (5 September 1890 – 21 December 1967), was a German general during World War II. In 1945 he became commander in chief of Army Group North on the Eastern Front. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Walter Weiß
Born	(1890-09-05)5 September 1890 Tilsit, Province of East Prussia, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died	21 December 1967(1967-12-21) (aged 77) Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, West Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Branch	German Army
Years of service	1908–1945
Rank	Generaloberst
Commands	26 Infantry Division XXVII Army Corps 2nd Army Army Group North
Battles / wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Career

Weiss was born in Tilsit, East Prussia^[1] and joined the Army on 19 March 1908.^{[citation needed]}

At the beginning of the Second World War, during the Polish Campaign, he was given command of I. Army Corps, holding the position chief of the general staff on 1 September.^{[citation needed]}

On 15 December 1940 he took command of the 97th Jäger Division, leading the division with the rank of major-general until 15 January 1941.^[2]

On 15 January 1941 command of the 26th Infantry Division. This Division was subordinated to Army Group Centre and participated in Operation Barbarossa.

Weiss took command of the XXVII Army Corps on 1 July 1942. Weiss led the 2nd Army on the Eastern Front from 3 February 1943 on. From 27 July to 5 August 1944, this involved leading the 2nd Army's defence and withdrawal battles during the Russian summer offensive Operation Bagration between the Pripyat and Bug River, including the evacuation of Brest-Litovsk on 28 July 1944.^[3]

In January 1945, he asked Adolf Hitler for permission to withdrawal his forces further west as a result of attacking forces under the leadership of Konstantin Rokossovsky having reached the Vistula Lagoon. Hitler denied the request.^[4] He also requested to withdrawal his forces from the town of Grudziądz but was denied permission by Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler, resulting in a significant battle that destroyed much of the town.^[5]

He received command of Army Group North on 12 March 1945 and was tasked with the defence of Gdańsk Bay which his forces were unable to achieve.^[6] He later surrendered the Army Group to the American forces.^{[citation needed]}

He died 21 December 1967.^{[citation needed]}

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (9 September 1914) & 1st Class (15 December 1915)^[7]
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (19 September 1939) & 1st Class (2 October 1939)^[7]
• German Cross in Gold on 19 February 1943 as General der Infanterie and commanding general of the XXVII. Armeekorps^[8]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 12 September 1941 as Generalmajor and commander of the 26.Infanterie-Division^[9]
  • Oak Leaves on 5 November 1944 as Generaloberst and Commander-in-Chief of the 2. Armee^[9]