Hans Boelsen

Grave of Hans Boelsen in the Frankfurt main cemetery

Hans Boelsen (born March 6, 1894 in Emden , † October 24, 1960 in Frankfurt am Main ) was a German lieutenant general in World War II .

Life

Boelsen joined the 2nd Baden Grenadier Regiment "Kaiser Wilhelm I." No. 110 as a volunteer during the First World War . Two months later, he was briefly transferred to the 4th Baden Infantry Regiment "Prinz Wilhelm" No. 112 , before Boelsen came to the 10th Württemberg Infantry Regiment No. 180 on December 5, 1914 as a flagjunker . In the course of the war he was with the regiment exclusively on the Western Front and acted there as platoon leader . In the meantime Boelsen had been promoted to lieutenant on June 21, 1915 with a patent from December 19, 1913 . As such, he was transferred to Infantry Regiment No. 476 on January 17, 1917. This regiment had been re-established at the Münsingen military training area by order of the Württemberg War Ministry . After the regiment was mobilized on March 1, 1917, it was moved to the Western Front. Boelsen acted here as a battalion adjutant and as an orderly officer at the regimental staff. In this function he was active from August 1, 1918 on the staff of the 242nd (Württemberg) Infantry Division . His achievements had been recognized by the award of both classes of the Iron Cross . In addition, on January 11, 1918, Boelsen received the Knight's Cross of the Württemberg Military Merit Order .

After the end of the war , Boelsen worked from December 17, 1918 to September 2, 1919 as a company and platoon leader in the State Rifle Corps and in the 7th Reichswehr Rifle Regiment. He was then transferred to the processing center of the 10th Württemberg Infantry Regiment No. 180 in Tübingen . Under awarding of the character as Lieutenant Boelsen received its approval from active military service on 19 December 1919th

From October 1, 1920 he began to study law and political science . Boelsen doctorate on Dr. rer. pole. as well as Dr. jur. and from 1926 worked in the higher administrative service and syndic of municipal companies.

On July 15, 1934, Boelsen joined the Reichswehr . With RDA from October 1, 1933, he was employed in the 1st Battalion of the 15th Infantry Regiment . He first completed a two-month course with the infantry training staff in Döberitz and was used as a company commander in various regiments until November 1938 . He then worked as a tactics teacher at the Potsdam War School.

During the Second World War, Boelsen u. a. Commander of the 160 motorcycle battalion and the 111th Panzer Grenadier Regiment. In addition to the German Cross in Gold, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on September 17, 1943 . From March 1944 he led the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division , then the 26th Panzer Division and the 114th Jäger Division, and from 10 September 1944 he was the commander of the 18th Panzer Grenadier Division . In June 1944 he was responsible for the massacres in Onna and Filetto di Camarda , but was never prosecuted for them in his life. On February 4, 1945 Boelsen was transferred to the Führerreserve and in March 1945 he was appointed commander of the z. b. V. 172 appointed. At the end of the month he was taken prisoner of war , from which Boelsen was released on June 30, 1947.

After the Bundeswehr was founded, Boelsen worked there as a civilian employee.

He is buried in the Frankfurt main cemetery (Gewann B).

Private life

His brother was the resistance fighter Ulrich Boelsen , his son Helmer Boelsen was a German sports journalist.

literature

Dermot Bradley (ed.), Karl-Friedrich Hildebrand, Markus Rövekamp: The Generals of the Army 1921–1945. The military careers of the generals, as well as the doctors, veterinarians, intendants, judges and ministerial officials with the rank of general. Volume 2: v.Blanckensee – v.Czettritz and Neuhauß. Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück 1993, ISBN 3-7648-2424-7 , pp. 85-87.

Individual evidence

^ Jürgen Kraus : Handbook of the units and troops of the German army 1914-1918. Part VI: Infantry. Volume 1: Infantry Regiments. Verlag Militaria, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902526-14-4 , p. 415.
^ Württembergisches Kriegsministerium (Ed.): Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt. Staff news. No. 3 of January 17, 1918, p. 11.
↑ ^a ^b Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearer 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. 230.

personal data
SURNAME	Boelsen, Hans
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	German Lieutenant General in World War II
DATE OF BIRTH	March 6, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH	Emden
DATE OF DEATH	October 24, 1960
Place of death	Frankfurt am Main

[1] Jürgen Kraus : Handbook of the units and troops of the German army 1914-1918. Part VI: Infantry. Volume 1: Infantry Regiments. Verlag Militaria, Vienna 2007, ISBN 978-3-902526-14-4 , p. 415.

[2] Württembergisches Kriegsministerium (Ed.): Königlich Württembergisches Militär-Verordnungsblatt. Staff news. No. 3 of January 17, 1918, p. 11.

[Scherzer-3] Veit Scherzer : Knight's Cross bearer 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. 230.