Walther Wenck

Walther Wenck
Wenck in 1943
Nickname(s)Boy General
Born(1900-09-18)18 September 1900
Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Province of Saxony, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire
Died1 May 1982(1982-05-01) (aged 81)
near Ried im Innkreis, Bezirk Ried im Innkreis, Upper Austria, Austria
Allegiance Weimar Republic (1920–1933)
 Nazi Germany (1933–1945)
Service / branch Reichsheer
 German Army
Years of service1920–45
Rank General der Panzertruppe
Commands12th Army
Battles / warsWorld War I (noncombat)
World War II
AwardsKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other workArms Manufacturing

Walther Wenck (German: [ˈvaltɐ ˈvɛŋk]; 18 September 1900 – 1 May 1982) was a German officer and industrialist. He was the youngest General of the branch[1] (General der Truppengattung) in the German Army and a staff officer during World War II. At the end of the war, he commanded the German Twelfth Army that took part in the Battle of Berlin.[2] Wenck left the military after surrendering to the Allies. He was asked to become Inspector General of the Bundeswehr as West Germany was re-arming in 1957, but declined to take the post when conditions he set were not met, such as the Inspector General being the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, not just an administrative leader.

Historians consider Wenck a capable commander and a brilliant improviser, although incapable of the impossible task he was given of saving Berlin in 1945.[3][4][5] His efforts and achievements have been captured by the Swedish power metal band Sabaton in the song "Hearts of Iron".[6][7]

  1. ^ O'Reilly & Dugard 2014, p. 231.
  2. ^ O'Reilly & Dugard 2014.
  3. ^ Mitcham & Mueller 2012, p. 167.
  4. ^ Mcateer, Sean M. (2009). 500 Days: The War in Eastern Europe, 1944-1945. Dorrance Publishing. p. 338. ISBN 9781434961594.
  5. ^ O'Reilly & Dugard 2014, p. 248.
  6. ^ Sabaton (28 February 2022). SABATON - Hearts Of Iron (Official Lyric Video). Retrieved 6 September 2024 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ Sabaton History (30 May 2019). Hearts of Iron – The Battle of Berlin – Sabaton History 017 [Official]. Retrieved 6 September 2024 – via YouTube.