Description
WEHRPASS – WILHELM DETZNER – OBERGEFREITER – 4. PANZER-DIVISION – 1939 POLAND CAMPAIGN
DETAILS:
Wehrpass issued to Wilhelm Detzner, born 19 April 1899 in Frankfurt am Main. Protestant; civilian occupation Autovermieter (car rental agent). Includes a formal portrait photograph of Detzner in civilian clothes, typical for a veteran re-registered for service during mobilization.
Detzner’s service record documents involvement in both World Wars. Page 32 confirms his service during WWI, with deployments to both the Eastern and Western Fronts. The entry “einschließlich Gefangenschaft” (including captivity) confirms that his official record accounts for the time he spent as a Prisoner of War following the 1914–1918 conflict. His WWI decorations, transferred to this record, include the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd Class) and the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound Badge in Black).
In WWII, Detzner served as a Kraftfahrer (driver) within the 4. Panzer-Division. His service chronology specifically notes his participation in the Poland Campaign (1939), the opening operation of the war. Given his civilian professional background, he was utilized in a motorized capacity within the Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 (Armored Reconnaissance).
The document shows he reached the rank of Obergefreiter on 1 October 1942. While his unit was heavily engaged on the Eastern Front in the following years, this specific Wehrpass does not contain further WWII award entries in the visible sections.
AWARDS:
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Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse (WWI)
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Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz (Wound Badge in Black) (WWI)
PROMOTIONS:
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Schütze – 1 October 1940 (Re-entry rank)
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Gefreiter – 1 October 1941
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Obergefreiter – 1 October 1942
UNITS (WWII):
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2. / Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung 9
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4. / Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 (mot.)
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1. / Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 4 (4. Panzer-Division)
NOTE: COMBAT ACTIONS: POLAND CAMPAIGN (1939)
Serving with the 4. Panzer-Division (under XVI Army Corps, Army Group South), Detzner’s unit was involved in some of the most intense and rapid fighting of the invasion. As a Kraftfahrer in the armored reconnaissance battalion, his role was to scout ahead of the main tank columns to identify enemy positions and bridges.
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The Breakthrough at Mokra: On the first day of the war (September 1), the division was involved in the Battle of Mokra, where it faced fierce resistance from the Polish Volhynian Cavalry Brigade. This was one of the few instances where Polish cavalry successfully checked German armor.
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The Race to Warsaw: Following the breakthrough, Detzner’s unit participated in the rapid advance toward the Polish capital. The 4. Panzer-Division was famously the first German unit to reach the outskirts of Warsaw on September 8, 1939.
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The Assault on Warsaw: Detzner would have been present for the initial, costly armored probes into the city’s suburbs (specifically the Ochota and Wola districts). The division suffered heavy casualties against Polish anti-tank defenses, forcing a shift from a lightning assault to a formal siege.
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The Battle of the Bzura: His unit was also involved in the defensive maneuvers to block the Polish counter-offensive along the Bzura River, the largest battle of the campaign, which resulted in the encirclement and destruction of several Polish armies.
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