Ofw. Kurt Knispel (the highest scoring Panzer ace)

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Peter
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Ofw. Kurt Knispel (the highest scoring Panzer ace)

#1

Post by Peter » 08 Aug 2006, 13:51

Having achieved 168 (or maybe 195) tank kills Ofw. Kurt Knispel was apparently Killed in Action in late April 1945.

I do not understand why he did not receive the RK as he was apparently recommended 4 times. Has anybody examined his service record please ?

Has anybody got a good formal portrait of him ? There must be one from when he got his DK/Gold.

Jan-Hendrik
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#2

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 08 Aug 2006, 13:55



Peter
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#3

Post by Peter » 08 Aug 2006, 14:14

Thanks Jan-Hendrik.

I am hoping to find a photo similar to the one of Heinz Gärtner

Jan-Hendrik
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#4

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 08 Aug 2006, 14:32

This one is from the Sennelagerparade :

Image

Jan-Hendrik

Epaminondas
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#5

Post by Epaminondas » 08 Aug 2006, 17:59

Just a guess; but Germany generally reserved its higher medals for officers. Kurt wasn't one.

Also, he might have not been a good little nazi poster boy like Witman; German propaganda loved military officers who supported the nazi line. thus the promotion of rommel while sacking Guderian et al for disagreeing with hitler over Russia

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#6

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 08 Aug 2006, 18:11

Be aware that Knispel lookd that way only for "public" purposes , like this Propaganda-Parade for the Wochenschau ...

Normally he looked more THIS way :


Picture provided by OTL a.D. Alfred Rubbel , who was Knispels 1st Kdt. and later had the fate to bury Knispel .

Jan-Hendrik
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Peter
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#7

Post by Peter » 08 Aug 2006, 19:24

Thanks Jan-Hendrik, excellent.

Why didnt he get the RK ?

Jan-Hendrik
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#8

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 08 Aug 2006, 19:31

Many reasons , first of all member of a "Heerestruppe" , hard enough for a Kdr. of such units to bring through a proposal for a higher decoration for one of his men ( look at the "amount" of RKs that were given to members of sPzAbt. of Heer during war ...) , for second he was not that what you would call in our days useable for "publicity purposes" , yes , no "Mustersoldat" , rather an old Unteroffizier who had seen more during the war than he ever wanted to see , Wolchow in Winter , Kaukasus in Summer , Kalmückensteppe in bitterst Winter , Kursk , Tscherkassy relief , Hube-Kessel , Normandy , Hungary , with all its bitterness ...


Jan-Hendrik

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