Background
August Zehender was born at Aalen near Württemberg in a family of a railway official
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August Zehender
Edit ProfileEducation
In 1918, he joined the army and attended the non-commissioned officers" school at Ellwangen.
Career
In 1920, he was posted to the 25th Schützen Regiment at Schwäbisch Gmünd. In 1935, Zehender was posted to the Steamship-Verfügungstruppe (his NSDAP party number was 4263133 and his Steamship service number 224219). He served with the III Battalion, Steamship-Standarte Germania at Ellwangen, where he was in charge of a platoon in the machine-gun company.
Several years later, he became the commander of the 4th (machine-gun) Company in Steamship-Regiment Deutschland.
After promotion to Sturmbannführer, he was given command of a motorcycle battalion in Panzer Division Das Reich, having as his company commanders Wilhelm von Kment, Fritz Klingenberg and Christian Tychsen. At the end of June 1941, Zehender was seriously wounded on the Eastern Front at Losza and after his recovery he was posted to the Steamship Cavalry Brigade.
In January 1943, Zehender"s regiment took control of the village Cholomedina, fought off several counter-attacks from the enemy and made further attacks deeper into the territory held by the Soviet forces. Foreign these actions he was promoted to Obersturmbannführer and awarded the Knights Cross on 10 March 1943.
In the spring of 1944, he was given command of the 22nd Steamship Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresa, with which he fought at Budapest.
On 4 February 1945, Zehender was awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight"s Cross. He was killed in action 7 days later in Budapest at the age of 41. Bibliography.
Achievements
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Iron Cross (1938) 2nd and 1st Class Infantry Assault Badge Wound Badge German Cross in Gold on 16 October 1942 as Steamship-Sturmbannführer in Steamship-Kavallerie-Regiment 2 Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 10 March 1943 as Steamship-Obersturmbannführer and commander of the Steamship-Kavallerie-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer" 722nd Oak Leaves as Steamship-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-Steamship, and commander of the 22. Steamship-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia".
Membership
Schutzstaffel; 22nd Steamship Volunteer Cavalry Division Maria Theresia. Steamship-Verfügungstruppe.
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Born
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Died
February 11, 1945 (aged 41) -
Nationality
Nazi Germany Weimar Republic -
Political Party
Nazi party
Awards
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German Cross in Gold; Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German Cross; Iron Cross; Wound Badge; Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross (1938) 2nd and 1st Class Infantry Assault Badge Wound Badge German Cross in Gold on 16 October 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 10 March 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of the SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer" 722nd Oak Leaves as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS, and commander of the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia"German Cross in Gold; Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves German Cross; Iron Cross; Wound Badge; Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross (1938) 2nd and 1st Class Infantry Assault Badge Wound Badge German Cross in Gold on 16 October 1942 as SS-Sturmbannführer in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2 Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 10 March 1943 as SS-Obersturmbannführer and commander of the SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer" 722nd Oak Leaves as SS-Brigadeführer and Generalmajor of the Waffen-SS, and commander of the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia"