Scarce Postwar Signature of Walther Wenck. Wenck (18 September 1900 – 1 May 1982) was the youngest General of the branch (General der Truppengattung) in the German Army and a staff officer during World War II. At the end of the war, he commanded the German Twelfth Army that took part in the Battle of Berlin. Historians consider Wenck a capable commander and a brilliant improviser, although incapable of the impossible task he was given of saving Berlin in 1945. He earned the Knight’s Cross during the war.