Werner von Bercken

Werner Rudolf Alfred Fedor von Bercken
Born	8 February 1897 Oppeln
Died	29 February 1976 (aged 79) Röttgen
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	Infanterie-Regiment 84 102. Infanterie-Division 558. Volksgrenadier-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Annexation of Czechoslovakia Invasion of Poland Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Operation Bagration Lublin–Brest Offensive East Prussian Offensive Heiligenbeil Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Werner Rudolf Alfred Fedor von Bercken (8 February 1897 – 29 February 1976) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Von Bercken was taken prisoner of war by the Red Army on 28 April 1945 in the Vistula Spit and release from captivity 10 October 1955.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (12 March 1915)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 November 1916)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in White (29 December 1918)^[1]
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (1 January 1935)^[1]
• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 2nd Class (2 October 1936)^[1]
• Sudetenland Medal
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (24 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (25 June 1941)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (4 August 1942)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 1 June 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of 102. Infanterie-Division^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 October 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of 102. Infanterie-Division^[3]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (10 December 1943)

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 398.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 36.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 110.

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.
• 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.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945