Günther Pape

Günther Pape (1942)

Günther Pape (born July 14, 1907 in Düsseldorf ; † January 21, 1986 there ) was a German officer , most recently major general of the Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr .

Life

Pape joined the Reichswehr on April 1, 1927 as a flag junior . He was promoted to lieutenant on February 1, 1932 with the 15th Cavalry Regiment . From January 1, 1938 to January 1941, he was the boss of the 2nd company of the 3rd motorbike battalion of the 3rd Panzer Division . During the Second World War he commanded various combat units. From September 1, 1941, he was in command of Panzer Reconnaissance Division 3 of the 3rd Panzer Division. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on September 1, 1942 and colonel on April 1, 1942 . On August 6, 1942, he was given command of the 394th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 3rd Panzer Division. He led the 394th Panzer Grenadier Regiment until October 1943. In October 1944 he attended a division leader course. From September 1, 1944 he was in command of the tank division "Feldherrnhalle" . At 37, he was one of the youngest generals in the Wehrmacht when he was promoted to major general on December 1, 1944. On December 20, 1944, Pape was mentioned by name in the Wehrmacht report.

He joined the Bundeswehr as a brigadier general in 1956 . In the Bundeswehr he commanded the Munster Armored Force School , later the 5th Armored Division and finally, as major general, Defense Division III . In 1966 he was dismissed at his own request as a result of the so-called union decree.

Awards

Pape (second from right) in 1943 when Hitler was awarded the medal in Wolfsschanze

Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st class
German cross in gold on January 23, 1942
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with oak leaves
- Knight's Cross on February 10, 1942
- Oak leaves on September 15, 1943 (301st award)
Mentioned in the Army Honorary Journal on December 5, 1944
1967: Great Cross of Merit of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

literature

Wolfgang Keilig : The Generals of the Army 1939–1945. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Friedberg 1983, ISBN 3-7909-0202-0 .
The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3 . Munich 1985, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2 .

Web links

Commons : Günther Pape - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Wolfgang Keilig: The Generals of the Army 1939–1945. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Friedberg 1983, p. 251.
^ The Wehrmacht reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, Munich 1985, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, p. 373.
↑ The long period of silence seems to have ended . In: bundeswehr-journal mediakompakt, February 21, 2013, accessed on February 18, 2018
↑ ^a ^b ^c Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearers 1939–1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 583.

personal data
SURNAME	Pape, Günther
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German officer, general of the Wehrmacht and Bundeswehr
DATE OF BIRTH	July 14, 1907
PLACE OF BIRTH	Dusseldorf
DATE OF DEATH	January 21, 1986
Place of death	Dusseldorf

[Keilig-1] Wolfgang Keilig: The Generals of the Army 1939–1945. Podzun-Pallas-Verlag, Friedberg 1983, p. 251.

[2] The Wehrmacht reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, Munich 1985, Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, p. 373.

[3] The long period of silence seems to have ended . In: bundeswehr-journal mediakompakt, February 21, 2013, accessed on February 18, 2018

[Scherzer-4] Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearers 1939–1945. The holders of the Iron Cross of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and armed forces allied with Germany according to the documents of the Federal Archives. 2nd Edition. Scherzers Militaer-Verlag, Ranis / Jena 2007, ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2 , p. 583.