Wilhelm von Apell

Born in 1892, Apell joined the army of Imperial Germany as an Fahnen-junker (officer cadet) in 1910. He was commissioned in the light infantry and fought in World War I. In the interwar period, he served in the Reichsheer and then the Wehrmacht. He led the 11th Cavalry Rifle Regiment of the 4th Light Division from 1938 to 1940, fighting in the Invasion of Poland.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=166}}

The 4th Light Division converted to armour in early 1940 and then, designated the 9th Panzer Division, it served in the campaign in the Netherlands and the Battle of France. It was also involved in the Invasion of Yugoslavia and Battle of Greece the following year.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|pp=93–94}} By now, Apell, still with the division, was commander of the 9th Schützen (Rifle) Brigade.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=166}} During his period in command of the 9th Schützen Brigade, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.{{sfn|Scherzer|2007|p=193}}

In September 1941 and now a generalmajor,{{#tag:ref|In the Wehrmacht, the rank of generalmajor is equivalent to that of brigadier general in the United States Army.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=257}}|group=Note}} Apell was appointed commander of the newly raised 22nd Panzer Division.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=166}} Formed in France, much of the division's equipment was captured and foreign equipment with relatively few modern tanks. With its training completed, the division was transferred to the Eastern Front in February 1942. Apell led the division through the Battle of the Kerch Peninsula{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|pp=164–165}} until July 1942, when he became ill and was replaced.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=166}}

Not returned to his command upon recovering his health, Apell was placed in the Führerreserve (Leader's Reserve) until March 1943. He was made the Replacement Army Inspector in Vienna and, having received a promotion to generalleutnant,{{#tag:ref|The rank of generalleutnant is equivalent to that of major general in the United States Army.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=257}}|group=Note}} served in this role for the remainder of the war. He died in the village of Varnhalt, near Baden-Baden, on 7 March 1969.{{sfn|Mitcham|2007|p=166}}

Footnotes

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Citations

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• {{Cite book|last=Mitcham|first=Samuel W. Jr.|author-link=Samuel W. Mitcham|title=Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of WWII and Their Commanders|year=2007|location=Mechanicsburg, PA, United States|publisher=Stackpole Books|isbn=978-0-8117-3353-3}}
• {{Cite book|last=Scherzer|first=Veit |year=2007|title=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|trans-title=The Wearers of the Knight's Cross 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Forces Allied with Germany, According to the Documents of the Federal Archives|language=German|location=Jena, Germany|publisher=Scherzers Militaer-Verlag |isbn=978-3-938845-17-2}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Commander of 22nd Panzer Division|years=25 September 1941 – 7 October 1942}}

{{s-aft|after=Generalleutnant Hellmut von der Chevallerie}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Apell, Wilhelm Von}}

Category:1892 births

Category:1969 deaths

Category:People from Bückeburg

Category:People from Schaumburg-Lippe

Category:Lieutenant generals of the German Army (Wehrmacht)

Category:German Army personnel of World War I

Category:Recipients of the clasp to the Iron Cross, 1st class

Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Category:German prisoners of war in World War II held by the United States

Category:Military personnel from Lower Saxony