Ulrich Wegener

Early life Wegener was born in Jüterbog, Province of Brandenburg, Weimar Germany. During the Second World War, between the ages of 14 and 15, Wegener was briefly a compulsory member of the Hitler Youth and, living near Berlin, endured the relentless Allied air raids. In 1952, Wegener fled to West Berlin before taking entrance exams in West Germany (Federal Republic of Germany) for both an officer's career in the West German Readiness (Riot) Police (Bereitschaftspolizei) and the newly formed Federal Defence Forces (Bundeswehr). and later the 15th/GSG 2 (15th company of the Border Guard Group 2) in Coburg, Bavaria. In 1969, he attended staff officer training (Stabsoffiziersausbildung) and held the rank of Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant). To this end, Wegener cooperated with both groups, assimilating many of their methods into the doctrine he would establish for the GSG 9. Following the Munich Olympic massacre, the British SAS also developed its own specialized counter-terrorism unit (codenamed Pagoda Team).

Interview with Bayerischer Rundfunk In an interview in November 2000 with Holger Lösch from Bayerischer Rundfunk, Wegener was asked: "You are an intimate connoisseur of military history. Which role models inspired you when planning the GSG 9 unit? Was it Stirling, the forefather of the SAS, or the Brandenburgers?" Wegener replied: "Everyone played a certain role in it. I looked into the history of the German special forces in the army archives, I looked into the history of the Brandenburgers and the English with Stirling, the forerunners of the SAS. But none of it fit because the tasks were completely different. The Israelis were always my role model, and they were the ones who, despite this traumatic experience that they also went through, were immediately ready to help us." Two terrorists were killed, one was fatally wounded, and the fourth was captured alive but critically wounded. Having both planned and led the successful operation to liberate the hostages of the Lufthansa 181 hijacking, Wegener was promoted from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Oberstleutnant) to Colonel (Oberst). Along with his GSG 9 assault team members, he was awarded the German Commander's Cross of the Federal Cross of Merit (Großes Bundesverdienstkreuz).

Commander of the Federal Border Guard In 1979, whilst holding the rank of Oberst (Colonel), Wegener relinquished command of the GSG 9 unit he had established to his deputy, Klaus Blätte, and was appointed as the permanent representative of the Inspector of the Federal Border Guard in the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Wegener was widowed to Magda and is survived by his daughters, Simone and Susanne. His daughter, Simone Stewens, is a television journalist and was the director of the International Film School Cologne.

Publications "Esprit de Corps!". Die Grenzschutzgruppe 9 (GSG 9) ("Esprit de Corps!" The Border Guard Group 9 (GSG 9)), in German. In: Reinhard Günzel Et al.: Geheime Krieger: Drei deutsche Kommandoverbände im Bild: KSK, Brandenburger, GSG 9 (Secret Warriors: Three German commando units in pictures: KSK, Brandenburgers, GSG 9), in German. Publisher: Pour le Mérite Verlag, Selent, 2006, ISBN 9783932381294, p. 87–125. GSG 9 – Stärker als der Terror (GSG 9 – Stronger than Terror), in German. Edited by: Ulrike Zander, Harald Biermann, Publisher: Lit Verlag, Münster, 2017, ISBN 9783643137623.

Honours October 1977: Commander's Cross of the Federal Cross of Merit 1978: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement 2018: a street name dedication of Ulrich-Wegener-Weg in his former place of residence, Troisdorf. August 2020: A street in Windhagen was named after him.