Hermann Ziegner

He earned recognition for bravery during two days of battle.

Hermann Ziegner was born at Apolda in Germany in 1864. He emigrated to the United States and enlisted in the Army at Baltimore in May 1886. A hostler before enlistment, he served in several troops of the 7th Cavalry and was a private in Troop E during the winter operations in South Dakota in 1890.

On 29 December, the regiment attempted to disarm a Lakota encampment at Wounded Knee. The firing that followed became a massacre in which many Lakota women and children as well as fighting men were killed. Ziegner’s Official citation recognizes conspicuous bravery on 29 and 30 December, covering the action at Wounded Knee and the subsequent fighting near White Clay Creek. The brief official wording does not describe a single detailed exploit.

He completed his first enlistment as a corporal in May 1891 and enlisted again. After discharge as a sergeant in August 1894, he settled in New York and married Margaret Kenard that December. He worked as a night watchman in the Equitable Building.

When war with Spain began in 1898, he volunteered for the 71st New York Infantry. His company landed in Cuba in June and fought in the Santiago campaign. Disease followed the fighting. Returning to the United States, he suffered severe malaria and was cared for by his wife and friends before entering St John’s Hospital. He died on 9 September 1898 and was buried at Calvary Cemetery. His widow was expecting their first child.

The Wounded Knee awards remained controversial long after his death. Indigenous communities and others sought their revocation because of the massacre. A modern federal review ended in 2025 with a decision to retain the awards, preserving the legal decoration while leaving the historical dispute unresolved.

Official citation

Conspicuous bravery.