Willibald Utz

Willibald Utz
Born	20 January 1893 Furth im Wald
Died	20 April 1954 (aged 61) Bad Reichenhall
Allegiance	German Empire  Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1913–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	100th Jäger Division 2nd Mountain Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Willibald Utz (20 January 1893 – 20 April 1954) was a German general (Generalleutnant) in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded several divisions. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.

In April 1943, Utz was appointed commander of the newly reconstituted 100th Jäger Division, which had been destroyed at the end of the Battle of Stalingrad. Promoted to major general (generalmajor) on 1 July 1943, he led his command in fighting on the Eastern Front from March to December 1944.^[1]

Now a lieutenant general (generalleutnant),^[1] he took over command of the 2nd Mountain Division on 9 February 1945 when its previous commander was wounded. After fighting on the Western Front in the Saar-Moselle Triangle, his new command, earlier in the war considered an elite unit, was well below strength and combat effectiveness. The division finished the war in Württemberg where Utz surrendered it to the Western Allies.^[2]

Awards and decorations

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 June 1941 as Oberst and commander of Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 100^[3]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (on 11 June 1941)

Notes

1. Mitcham 2007, pp. 247–248.
2. Mitcham 2007, pp. 263–264.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 348.

References

• 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.
• Mitcham, Jr., Samuel W. (2007). German Order of Battle, Volume Two: 291st–999th Infantry Divisions, Named Infantry Divisions, and Special Divisions in WWII. Mechanicsburg, PA, United States: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-3437-0.
• 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• 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.