Werner von Gilsa

Werner Freiherr von und zu Gilsa (4 March 1889 – 8 May 1945) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II, whose last assignment was as military commandant of Dresden.

Werner von Gilsa
Werner von Gilsa, June 1940
Born	(1889-03-04)4 March 1889 Berlin, German Empire
Died	8 May 1945(1945-05-08) (aged 56) Leitmeritz, Nazi Germany
Allegiance	German Empire Weimar Republic Nazi Germany
Service / branch	Army
Rank	General der Infanterie
Commands	LXXXIX Army Corps, Military commander of Dresden
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

In 1936 he was the commander of the olympic village for the 1936 Summer Olympics. From 1 April 1941 to 4 April 1943, Gilsa was commander of the 216th Infantry Division. In the winter of 1941/42 the division was sent to the Eastern Front. Gilsa was promoted to General of Infantry on 1 July 1943. From 11 June 1943 to 23 November 1944 he was Commanding General of the LXXXIX Army Corps, which took part in the Battle of the Scheldt, from 2 October to 8 November 1944. Gilsa was Military Commander of Dresden from 15 March to May 1945. At the end of the war, Gilsa committed suicide.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914) 1st Class (18 October 1914) & 1st Class (14 May 1915)
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (14 September 1939) & 1st Class (21 October 1939)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 June 1940 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 9
  • 68th Oak Leaves on 24 January 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 216. Infanterie-Division

References

Bibliography

• Dost, Susanne. Das Olympische Dorf 1936 im Wandel der Zeit, Neddermeyer, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-933254-12-4
• Lehrer, Steven (2002). Hitler Sites: A City-by-city Guidebook (Austria, Germany, France, United States). McFarland. p. 224. ISBN 0-7864-1045-0.
• Lehrer, Steven (2006). The Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker Complex: An Illustrated History of the Seat of the Nazi Regime. McFarland. p. 214. ISBN 0-7864-2393-5.
• 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 (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.