Wilhelm Schöning

Wilhelm Schöning (8 June 1908 – 2 November 1987) served as commander of the 66th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 13th Panzer Division during the Siege of Budapest.

Wilhelm Schöning
Born	8 June 1908 Gumbinnen, Prussia
Died	2 November 1987 Bochum, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Army
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Battles/wars	Battle of Budapest
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Order of Michael the Brave

Most of the division was encircled and destroyed in Budapest between December 1944 and February 1945. Those who escaped, consisting of 200-300 men, were reformed under Schöning. Wounded during the battle, Schöning broke through Soviet lines and reached the German 3rd Cavalry Brigade on the Buda side. Schöning remembered it thus:

Suddenly I had the feeling that my leg was being torn off. (...) As my pistol was empty I ordered my lieutenant to finish me off because I didn't want to be taken prisoner. He was himself wounded in the arm. He then called to me: “Only another 2,000 metres, Lieutenant Colonel. We have to make it!'” I crept through the snow up a hill with the major...Two wounded grenadiers from our battle group picked us up under the arms under the heaviest fire and stood us upright and I dragged myself with several wounds to the feet the two kilometres to the German position.[1]

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (11 July 1940) & 1st Class (12 August 1941)[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 February 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 10./Infanterie-Regiment 120 (motorized)[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 7 February 1944 as Major of the Reserves and commander of the I./Füsilier-Regiment "Feldherrnhalle"
  • Oak Leaves on 21 January 1945 as Major of the Reserves and leader of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 66
• Order of Michael the Brave

References

Citations

1. Krisztián Ungváry (December 10, 2007). "The battle for Hungary". Budapest Times. Retrieved January 16, 2017.
2. Thomas 1998, p. 279.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 422.

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.
• Moore, Perry (2008) [2007]. Panzerschlacht: Armoured Operations on the Hungarian Plains September-November 1944. Helion & Company. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-9060-3316-3.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.