Knight's Cross Holders Identification

[Someone from Kharkov]

Unknown RKT. Photo and reverse side.
Source: http://www.militaria321.com/auktion/548 ... nd-Portait

[Bernd R]

I have installed an index section group photographs
Before adding to the index I would like to finally present a series of three for final calls of confirmation or objections.
Those have been more or less in discussion, but didn't belong to the difficult/unsolved ones and should have been identified correctly in the end. If things are clear in the meantime this is for reassurance only.

page 18
Führerhauptquartier "Felsennest" , Rodert near Bad Münstereifel , 13 May 1940 :
Award ceremony for Fsch.Jg.-Sturm.Abt. "Koch" / EBEN-EMAEL

The id is added to the pic with the best quality. I have slightly edited the original correct id by Fangio and have expanded those id with some more material.

Another confirmation for that is to find also here (with a close-up view also) :
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 1#p1120941
As clearly can be seen Zierach, Ringler and Jäger have been not decorated that day (all three with award date 15.05.).

Thanks for taking a look
Best regards
Bernd

[Bernd R]

page 40
Wagner-Festspielhaus Bayreuth , not before April 1944

#2, the second from left - is it Johann Sandner ?
the also suggested Karl Kurz is out IMO as he had no DKiG ; in addition he received the KC in March 1945, which appears too late for that Wagner concert.

Bernd

[Bernd R]

page 54
5. Panzer-Division Officers after the fightings at KOWEL in 1944 , possibly in preparation to the Oakleaves award ceremony for Major Wilhelm Drewes on 20 April 1944

Gerhard Friedrich to the right confirmed by Terry recently. The naming of Gerhard Fischer (Pz.Rgt. 23 ?) one time most probably was a typo I think.

In John's pic, the person on the extreme left looks like Mj Hans Georg Herzog, Kmdr, II/PzRGt14. He was RKT'ed on 06.04.44. Second from left was Karl Decker, Kmdr 5 Pz from 07.09.43 to 16.10.44.

Friedrich got his RK on 06.04.43 but DKiG on 10.01.44.

This would put the pic having been taken between April 44 to Oct 44. The background clearly was not summer so that would narrow down the number of possible RKTs as candidate for the yet unnamed man -- looks like he was just awarded the RK.

Cheers
Freiherr

Same direction here, Elwyn. Taking into consideration all the awards + dates - Oakleaves for Decker on 4 May 1944 especially ! - I would even put the pic between 6 Apr (Herzog) and 4 May (Decker) 1944.
The judgement of Drewes' bearing (the only in "Achtung") even allows the conclusion that it is just before his OL bestowal on 20 April (Führer's birthday). With Gerhard Friedrich as Fhr./Kdr of Pz.Gren.Rgt. 13 assisting Decker.
Von Platho's divisional history might clear this up 100% eventually.

Bernd

[FANGIO]

To FANGIO

You're right. It's Paul Lange.

Many thanks for the confirmation.

From http://www.militaria321.com = this man was identified as Fritz Kercher but Kercher was not a General. Who's he? Could it be Britzelmayr? (I'm not 100% sure).

[bake]

Hello Fangio

It's General der Infanterie Helmuth Thumm

[FANGIO]

Thanks a lot bake!
Yeah, Britzelmayr didn't get the Eich., I forgott that.
What about this one from Wydawnictwo Militaria Nr 123 "4 Panzer Division 1941-1945":

[Porsche]

Hi,
I've just picked up some photo's of PVA winners and they're all RKT's. There are 3 different photo's with names. The first one has been incorrectly named (Harald Nugiseks) and is actually Hans Hirning. The second one is Jakob Steckmeier and the third one is captioned as SS-Hstf Jakob Heidrich. I can't find any reference to Heidrich being a RKT, but he is listed as being a PVA recipient. The photo is listed in the PanzerKnacker thread here;
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 6#p1250176
Can anyone tell me if this is Heidrich and if not, who it is?

Cheers,

Neil

[robertmoore]

Hello, Neil,

For one thing, there is no identified KC-holder in Fellgiebel by that name who was in the Waffen-SS. Nor is there evidence in Fellgiebel to suggest that a KC-holder by the name of Heinrich, should that have been a typo, was ever awarded the KC. Your man is definitely in the SS, and all possiblities of which I am aware suggest that it must be someone else.

Another interesting facet of this photograph is that he is wearing an Iron Cross 2nd Class as substitute for the KC.

I wish I could be of more help to you, but I can find nothing on your man by that name. If, by chance, I do, I will certainly contact you.

Take care.

Terry

[Someone from Kharkov]

To FANGIO
It's Karl-Heinrich Gsell. RK as Leutnant d.Res. 2./Pz.Rgt. 35, 23. Februar 1944

[FANGIO]

To FANGIO
It's Karl-Heinrich Gsell. RK as Leutnant d.Res. 2./Pz.Rgt. 35, 23. Februar 1944

Great! Many thanks again for your help!
Best,

FANGIO

[Someone from Kharkov]

Selection of the unknown RKT from Kriegsmarine. Part 1
http://www.militaria321.com/browse/168_ ... raeger.cfm

[Someone from Kharkov]

Part 2

[Someone from Kharkov]

Part 3

[Someone from Kharkov]

Part 4