Werner Pluskat
Encyclopedia
Werner Pluskat was a German
Major
, commander of the 352nd Artillery (Artillerie Abteilung) of the German 352nd Infantry Division
during Allied invasion in Normandy
1944.
He was the first German officer who saw the Allied invasion fleet on June 6, 1944, heading toward their landing zone at Omaha Beach
. His men fired their guns on Omaha Beach until they ran out of ammunition.
In the film The Longest Day
, about the D-day invasion, Pluskat was a military consultant. In the movie, he was portrayed by Hans Christian Blech
.
Pluskat was with Generalleutnant Kurt Dittmar
when they surrendered to soldiers of the U.S. 30th Infantry Division at Magdeburg
on 23 April 1945.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, commander of the 352nd Artillery (Artillerie Abteilung) of the German 352nd Infantry Division
German 352nd Infantry Division
The 352nd Infantry Division was a formation of the German Wehrmacht during World War II. A western front unit, the 352nd became notable for its tenacious defense of Omaha Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944.-Formation and strengths:...
during Allied invasion in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
1944.
He was the first German officer who saw the Allied invasion fleet on June 6, 1944, heading toward their landing zone at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
. His men fired their guns on Omaha Beach until they ran out of ammunition.
In the film The Longest Day
The Longest Day (film)
The Longest Day is a 1962 war film based on the 1959 history book The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan, about "D-Day", the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
, about the D-day invasion, Pluskat was a military consultant. In the movie, he was portrayed by Hans Christian Blech
Hans Christian Blech
Hans Christian Blech was a German film, stage and television character actor who found success both in his native land and in Hollywood....
.
Pluskat was with Generalleutnant Kurt Dittmar
Kurt Dittmar
Kurt Dittmar was a German general in World War II. He became a divisional commander in February 1941 and led the 169th Infantry Division, which was later stationed in Finland. In the summer of 1941, he participated in Operation Polarfuchs but was evacuated from Finland a few months later due to...
when they surrendered to soldiers of the U.S. 30th Infantry Division at Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
on 23 April 1945.