Gustav-Adolf von Zangen

Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (7 November 1892 – 1 May 1964) was a German general and the commander of the German 15th Army in the Netherlands in 1944 during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Zangen was born in Darmstadt in the Grand Duchy of Hesse. He was a veteran of World War I, receiving the honour of the Iron Cross and reached the rank of first lieutenant by the end of the Great War. He had earlier in the war commanded 17th Infantry Division in Russia, a Corps in France in 1943 and an Army detachment in Italy before being appointed to command the 15th Army on the Western Front. Having occupied the Pas de Calais during the 1944 campaign in France, Zangen was forced to evacuate his army, together with remnants of other divisions, across the Scheldt to the island of Walcheren and South Beveland. There, they were attacked during the Battle of the Scheldt 2 October-8 November 1944.

He deployed his force against the Allied advance into the Netherlands. On 24 October 1944 his headquarters in Dordrecht were bombed by the RAF. During the Ardennes offensive starting 16 December 1944, his 15th Army was tasked with fixing the British and U.S. forces north of the Bulge. see also Operation Blackcock, Operation Grenade.

Zangen was taken prisoner of war in April 1945 in the Ruhr Pocket.


 * 1938 - 1941 : Commanding Officer 88th Regiment
 * 1941 - 1943 : General Officer Commanding 17th Division
 * 1943 : General Officer Commanding LXXXIV Corps
 * 1943 : General Officer Commanding LXXXVII Corps
 * 1943 : General Officer Commanding Army Detachment von Zangen, Italy
 * 1943 - 1944 :General Officer Commanding Lower Alps Zone, Italy
 * 1944 : General Officer Commanding 15th Army, the Netherlands

He died in 1964 in Hanau.

Awards and decorations

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (13 September 1914)
 * 1st Class (19 March 1915)
 * Wound Badge (1914)
 * in Black
 * Cross of Honor
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class
 * West Wall Medal
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (9 November 1939)
 * 1st Class (15 May 1940)
 * Eastern Front Medal
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 15 January 1942 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 88 and leader of the 17. Infanterie-Division
 * 647th Oak Leaves on 5 November 1944 as General der Infanterie and acting commander of the 15. Armee