Wolfgang Jörchel

Wolfgang Roman Christian Theodor Jörchel (9 August 1907 – 12 May 1945) was a Standartenführer (Colonel) in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, for extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Early life
Wolfgang Roman Christian Theodor Jörchel was born on 9 August 1907, in Zabrzein Silesia, his father was a Leutnant in the army who was killed in action near Tarnawka on the Eastern Front in 1914. After he completed his secondary school education he went onto study the Russian language at the university of Breslau.

In May 1934, he became a sports leader in the Hitler Youth and also joined the SA remaining an active member until June 1935, when he left only to later join the SS-VT in October 1935, with the rank of Obersturmführer (First Lieutenant). He was posted to the SS-Junkerschule at Bad Tölz in 1937, as an machine gun instructor and then joined the SS Standarte (Regiment) Deutschland and participated in the Anschluss of Austria and the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938.

World War II
In World War II he was in the SS Standarte Germania during the Polish Campaign where he was awarded the Iron Cross II class. His Iron Cross I class was awarded for his actions during the Battle of France.

In December 1940, he was given command of the II/Battalion, SS Germania. This was followed by command of the SS Panzergrenadier Regiment 23 Norge and the SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Regiment 48 General Seyffardt, 23rd SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Division Nederland.

He was awarded his Knight's Cross when in command of the General Seyffardt in April 1944. For his actions during the Battle for Narva Bridgehead; After a feint attack towards Nordland's positions, the Russian commander directed his forces at the General Seyffardt regiment, holding the centre of the line. The regiment was forced from its positions, but a counterattack led by Jörchel retook the defensive works and averted a Soviet breakthrough.

His final command was the SS-Junkerschule in Prague in May 1945, where he was captured by the Czechs and killed on 12 May 1945.

Awards and decorations

 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
 * Iron Cross of 1939, 1st and 2nd class
 * German Cross in Gold
 * Eastern Front Medal
 * Sudetenland Medal with Prague Castle bar
 * Anschluss Medal