Clemens Betzel

Clemens Betzel (9 June 1895 – 27 March 1945) was a German general in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany who commanded the 4. Panzer-Division during World War II. He was a recipient of the Kight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. He died of a shell splinter during the East Pomeranian Offensive.

Clemens Betzel
Born	9 June 1895
Died	27 March 1945(1945-03-27) (aged 49) east prussia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Army
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands	4th Panzer Division
Battles / wars	First World War Second World War Annexation of Austria Annexation of the Sudetenland German invasion of Poland Battle of France Eastern Front Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Eastern Allied invasion of Germany Lublin–Brest Offensive Battle of Radzymin (1944) Courland Pocket East Pomeranian Offensive  †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Awards and decorations

• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 September 1939) & 1st Class (10 October 1939)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 11 March 1943 as Oberst in Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 103^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 September 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of 4. Panzer-Division^[3]
  • Oak Leaves on 11 March 1945 as Generalleutnant and commander of 4. Panzer-Division^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 42.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 40.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 112.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 82.

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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

Military offices
Preceded by General der Panzertruppe Dietrich von Saucken	Commander of 4. Panzer-Division 1 May 1944 – 27 March 1945	Succeeded by Oberst Ernst-Wilhelm Hoffmann