Wilhelm Fritz von Roettig

Who was Wilhelm Fritz von Roettig?

Wilhelm Fritz von Roettig was a general in the Waffen-SS who participated in the invasion of Poland. He carries the dubious distinction of being the first general to have been killed in World War II. Von Roettig held the ranks of Generalmajor der Ordnungspolizei and SS Brigadeführer.

Von Roettig was killed on 10 September, 1939, near Opoczno, Poland. He was killed when his staff car was ambushed by Polish troops armed with heavy machine guns. Von Roettig was subsequently shot in the head. The next general to die was the Polish general Józef Kustroń, who died on 16 September. The next German general to die was Werner von Fritsch, on 22 September.

As a memorial to him, a street in occupied Prague was named after him during the Nazi occupation of the city.