{{Short description|German SS general}} {{refimprove|date=March 2016}} __NOTOC__ {{Infobox military person | name = August Zehender | image = Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1993-066-28A, August Zehender.jpg | image_size = | caption = Zehender in 1943 | birth_date = {{birth date|1903|04|28|df=y}} | death_date = {{death date and age|1945|02|11|1903|04|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Aalen, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire | death_place = Budapest, Hungary | nickname = | allegiance = Nazi Germany | branch = Waffen SS | service_years = 1935–1945 | rank = SS-''Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS'' | service_number = <!--- NSDAP #4,263,133<br/>SS #224,219----> | unit = SS Division Maria Theresia | commands = | battles = World War II | awards = Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves<br />German Cross in Gold | relations = | other_work = }} '''August Zehender''' (28 April 1903 – 11 February 1945) was a German SS commander during the Nazi era. He led the SS Division Maria Theresia during World War II and was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. He killed himself in Budapest in the closing months of the war.
==Life== Zehender was posted to the ''SS-Verfügungstruppe'' in 1935 (his NSDAP party number was 4,263,133 and his SS service number 224,219). He was given command of a motorcycle battalion in the SS Division Das Reich. At the end of June 1941, Zehender was wounded on the Eastern Front at Losza. After his recovery he was posted to the SS Cavalry Brigade. He subsequently served with the 8th SS Cavalry Division Florian Geyer.{{sfn|Webb|2025|p=357}} In the spring of 1944, he was given command of the newly formed 22nd SS Volunteer Cavalry Division "Maria Theresia", with which he fought at the Siege of Budapest later that year.
With his unit encircled by the Red Army, Zehender was severely wounded in action on 11 February 1945 in Budapest and killed himself.{{sfn|Webb|2025|pp=357, 404}}<ref>Anthony Tucker-Jones: [https://books.google.com/books?id=OIYTDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT135 ''rare photographs from wartime archives'', p.135] ("A grenade took off his right leg and he promptly committed suicide.")</ref>
==Awards== * German Cross in Gold on 16 October 1942 as SS-''Sturmbannführer'' in SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 2<ref>Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 528.</ref> * 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 2.<ref name="Scherzer p802">Scherzer 2007, p. 802.</ref> ** 722nd Oak Leaves on 1 February 1945 as SS-''Brigadeführer'' and commander of the 22. SS-Freiwilligen-Kavallerie-Division "Maria Theresia"<ref name="Scherzer p802"/>
==See also== *List SS-Brigadeführer
==References==
===Citations=== {{Reflist|25em}}
===Bibliography=== {{Refbegin}} * {{Cite book |last1=Patzwall |first1=Klaus D. |last2=Scherzer |first2=Veit |year=2001 |title=Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II |trans-title=The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2 |language=German |location=Norderstedt, Germany |publisher=Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall |isbn=978-3-931533-45-8 }} * {{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 Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces 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 }} *{{cite book |last1=Webb |first1=James Jack |title=Generals and Admirals of the Third Reich: For Country or Fuehrer |volume=3: P–Z |publisher=Casemate Publishers |location=Havertown, PA |year=2025 |isbn=978-1-952-71518-1}} {{Refend}}
{{Authority control}} {{Subject bar | portal1=Biography }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zehender, August}} Category:1903 births Category:1945 deaths Category:1945 suicides Category:Nazis who died by suicide Category:People from Aalen Category:People from the Kingdom of Württemberg Category:Recipients of the Gold German Cross Category:Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Category:SS-Brigadeführer Category:Waffen-SS personnel killed in action