Among the most interesting Iron Cross award documents of World War II are examples that include specific details related to the acts in which a soldier won his award. Any information related to a soldier's grounds, or Begründung, of an award makes for fascinating history, above and beyond the usual study of combinations of units and award dates. Even the simplest explanation can make an award citation more historically significant and more attractive to collectors and historians.
Award documents can be found with accompanying pieces of paper detailing the actions of a soldier, or the actions can actually be detailed and signed off on the citation's reverse. The specific practice of adding such details was rather uncommon but can, nevertheless, be found on awards by a variety of Heer and Waffen-SS units from throughout the war. It does not appear, however, to have been done by units of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
Shown on this page are a number of such examples of awards of the Iron Cross with detailed explanations. Pictured above is San-Obersoldat Wilhelm Richter who served as a medic with 13. Kompanie, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 of 1. Gebirgs-Division during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. As a specialized alpine division, 1. Gebirgs-Division was attached to 14. Armee for the move into the Carpathian Mountains. While fighting near a small town in the vicinity of Lemberg (Lviv), Richter rescued wounded soldiers at the risk of his own life. As a result, he was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class on October 25, 1939, weeks after the Polish surrender. An explanation was included with his Iron Cross and award citation, and they were later framed by him or his family with the photo shown above.
Award documents can be found with accompanying pieces of paper detailing the actions of a soldier, or the actions can actually be detailed and signed off on the citation's reverse. The specific practice of adding such details was rather uncommon but can, nevertheless, be found on awards by a variety of Heer and Waffen-SS units from throughout the war. It does not appear, however, to have been done by units of the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine.
Shown on this page are a number of such examples of awards of the Iron Cross with detailed explanations. Pictured above is San-Obersoldat Wilhelm Richter who served as a medic with 13. Kompanie, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 of 1. Gebirgs-Division during the invasion of Poland in September 1939. As a specialized alpine division, 1. Gebirgs-Division was attached to 14. Armee for the move into the Carpathian Mountains. While fighting near a small town in the vicinity of Lemberg (Lviv), Richter rescued wounded soldiers at the risk of his own life. As a result, he was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class on October 25, 1939, weeks after the Polish surrender. An explanation was included with his Iron Cross and award citation, and they were later framed by him or his family with the photo shown above.
Gefreiter George Horneber
Gefreiter Georg Horneber served as a medic with 4. (MG)-Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 97 of 46. Infanterie-Division during the German invasion of the West in the spring of 1940. The division was formed in 1938 in the German city of Karlsbad and by 1940 was subordinate to 4. Armee, Army Group B during the initial drive through Belgium. The division went on to participate in the drive on Dunkirk in late May and was earmarked for the second phase of the conquest of France, Fall Rot, in June. The Wehrmacht lined a massive front stretching from the English Channel to the Maginot Line. Army Group B, which was primarily positioned opposite the River Somme, launched the first phase of the attack on June 5th. Despite heavy losses suffered in the preceding weeks, the French displayed surprisingly formidable resistance. 46. Infanterie-Division was attached to XXXVIII Armeekorps, commanded by the famous (and later Generalfeldmarschall) Erich von Manstein, and faced considerable resistance from the French in the woods and villages on the far bank of the Somme. Manstein's forces pushed across the river and 46. Infanterie-Division faced a stiff defense in the area of Fourdrinoy, a town located just south of the Somme and roughly ten miles west of the city of Amiens. It was here during the fighting at Fourdinroy, and possibly its surrounding woods, that Horneber distinguished himself in the face of battle.
San-Gefreiter Horneber has demonstrated great merit on the front line with respect to tending to the wounded. Above all, he showed great composure in the recovery of the wounded during the attack on Fourdrinoy, despite heavy fire from tree shooters. He was able to bring the mortally wounded Unteroffizier Müller of the company, along with other comrades, back to the aid-station under heavy fire from machine guns and mortars..
Horneber's award of the Iron Cross Second Class came on July 31, 1940 and has the signature of Generalmajor Karl Kriebel, division commander. As shown above, the grounds for his award were detailed on the reverse of his citation. His Iron Cross came in the weeks following the French capitulation when 46. Infanterie-Division was positioned on the Atlantic coast. Naturally, this was a time when awards were made to men for fighting during the previous weeks.
San-Gefreiter Horneber has demonstrated great merit on the front line with respect to tending to the wounded. Above all, he showed great composure in the recovery of the wounded during the attack on Fourdrinoy, despite heavy fire from tree shooters. He was able to bring the mortally wounded Unteroffizier Müller of the company, along with other comrades, back to the aid-station under heavy fire from machine guns and mortars..
Horneber's award of the Iron Cross Second Class came on July 31, 1940 and has the signature of Generalmajor Karl Kriebel, division commander. As shown above, the grounds for his award were detailed on the reverse of his citation. His Iron Cross came in the weeks following the French capitulation when 46. Infanterie-Division was positioned on the Atlantic coast. Naturally, this was a time when awards were made to men for fighting during the previous weeks.
Gefreiter Hans Reicher
Gefreiter Hans Reicher served as a machine gunner with 12. Kompanie, Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 of 1. Gebirgs-Division during the invasion of France in the spring of 1940. The division, which was formed by 1938 in Bavaria, saw very little action during the first phase of the German invasion of the west, Fall Gelb.
For the second phase of the French operation, scheduled for June 5th, 1. Gebirgs-Division was attached to 6. Armee and was to attack French positions across the Oisne-Aisne canal. It was here where Gefreiter Reicher distinguished himself during the early stages of the fighting.
Gefreiter Reicher was designated as MG gunner 1 within the Gruppe and deployed laterally on Hill 145 against Pont St. Mard, to reconnoiter the enemy on this farm. The assignment lead him into the flank of four enemy MG. He put all four of them out of action with his MG from the top of a straw heap. A short time later a French armored vehicle appeared. Gefreiter Reicher loaded his MG with s.M.K.H. (amour piercing) ammunition and waited until the vehicle approached to within about 100 m. He opened fire at the closest of distances, whereupon the armored vehicle turned away and raised a white flag to indicate that it was out of action.
He uncompromisingly followed and carried out the order of his Gruppenführer with fortitude and great courage, to only fire from the closest of distances. The French infantry following the armored vehicle, 1 officer and 16 men, as well as the crew of the armored vehicle, were captured by the Gruppe.
Reicher’s Begründung was signed by his battalion commander on August 1, 1940 and his award of the Iron Cross Second Class was processed, or made effective, on the same day. Specifically, his Iron Cross award documents was processed while the division was stationed near the French coast in anticipation of Operation Sea Lion. It has the signature of Generalleutnant Ludwig Kübler who was later executed for war crimes in Yugoslavia. Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 went on to form 5. Gebirgs Division later in 1940.
For the second phase of the French operation, scheduled for June 5th, 1. Gebirgs-Division was attached to 6. Armee and was to attack French positions across the Oisne-Aisne canal. It was here where Gefreiter Reicher distinguished himself during the early stages of the fighting.
Gefreiter Reicher was designated as MG gunner 1 within the Gruppe and deployed laterally on Hill 145 against Pont St. Mard, to reconnoiter the enemy on this farm. The assignment lead him into the flank of four enemy MG. He put all four of them out of action with his MG from the top of a straw heap. A short time later a French armored vehicle appeared. Gefreiter Reicher loaded his MG with s.M.K.H. (amour piercing) ammunition and waited until the vehicle approached to within about 100 m. He opened fire at the closest of distances, whereupon the armored vehicle turned away and raised a white flag to indicate that it was out of action.
He uncompromisingly followed and carried out the order of his Gruppenführer with fortitude and great courage, to only fire from the closest of distances. The French infantry following the armored vehicle, 1 officer and 16 men, as well as the crew of the armored vehicle, were captured by the Gruppe.
Reicher’s Begründung was signed by his battalion commander on August 1, 1940 and his award of the Iron Cross Second Class was processed, or made effective, on the same day. Specifically, his Iron Cross award documents was processed while the division was stationed near the French coast in anticipation of Operation Sea Lion. It has the signature of Generalleutnant Ludwig Kübler who was later executed for war crimes in Yugoslavia. Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 100 went on to form 5. Gebirgs Division later in 1940.
Unteroffizier Erhardt Englhardt
On June 22, 1941, the German Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union on a massive front with three Army Groups. Army Group Center, the strongest of the three, had the strategic objective of taking Moscow. Fighting raged throughout the summer months and a new offensive, with the goal of reaching Moscow before the onset of winter, was launched on October 2nd. Operation Typhoon, as it was called, was an attack by three panzer groups and three infantry armies. 4. Armee, one of infantry units, was positioned in the middle of the attacking force and pushed across the Desna River, ultimately participating in the massive encirclement of Soviet forces at Vyazma. Among the troops engaged in this fighting was Unteroffizier Erhardt Englhardt of 13. Kompanie, Infanterie-Regiment 351. His unit was attached to 183. Infanterie-Division and subordinate to XX. Armeekorps. 13. Kompanie was typically the machine gun company, or heavy company, of a regiment and it was here that Englhardt distinguished himself as range taker for one of the machine guns.
Unteroffizier Engelhardt especially distinguished himself during the deployment of the regiment in Russia on 5 October 1941 during an attack at Petrowo, by acting as the R.I., and directing the fire of the platoon, during the absence of the platoon leader, in spite of heavy machine gun and rifle fire, using prudence and dash, and thereby helped III. Bataillon penetrate the enemy.
Englhardt was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class for these actions on November 1, 1941. His award was authorized by Generalmajor Richard Stempel, commander of 183. Infanterie-Division, and his actions were included on the reverse of his citation; signed off by his regimental commander. Englhardt went on to win the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver in March 1942 and was decorated with the Iron Cross First Class in August of the following year.
Obergefreiter Bruno Lappe
Operation Typhoon's main attack was October 2, 1941, yet preliminary attacks began on September 30th, primarily on the right flank of Army Group Center. Guderian's 2. Panzerarmee, which had just switched directions following its diversionary operations against Kiev, began its push to the northeast in the direction of Tula. 2. Armee, on its immediate left, also began its push towards Moscow on the last day of September. Similar to 4. Armee (as mentioned above), it began its drive by pushing towards and across the River Dvna. Among the units in this area was 131. Infanterie-Divison, subordinate to General der Infanterie Gotthard Heinrici's XXXXIII Armeekorps. The division, which was initially formed in 1940 and had been fighting in the East since the first days of Barbarossa, was commanded by General der Artillerie Heinrich Meyer-Bürdorf. It saw immediate action during the first hours of operations as one of its NCOs, an Obergefreiter Lappe, went above and beyond the call of duty and was later decorated as a result.
Obergefreiter Lappe distinguished himself as a platoon messenger in delivering messages under enemy fire, especially in the defensive position at Dubnow on 30.09.1941
Lappe was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class on October 14, 1941. His award was processed at Division headquarters and signed by his division commander. His Begründung was authorized by his Kompanie-Chef, Oberleutnant Hanns Naskau, who later won the German Cross in Gold.
131. Infanterie-Division continued to fight through the fall and winter during the Wehrmacht's ill-fated effort to knock the Soviet Union out of the war. On January 15, 1942, while his division was fighting before Moscow following the great Red Army counteroffensive, Lappe was wounded in action (or even stricken with severe frostbite). He was later treated in a Berlin military hospital where he received the Black Wound Badge on June 1st. He likely never saw action again due to his wounds.
Obergefreiter Lappe distinguished himself as a platoon messenger in delivering messages under enemy fire, especially in the defensive position at Dubnow on 30.09.1941
Lappe was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class on October 14, 1941. His award was processed at Division headquarters and signed by his division commander. His Begründung was authorized by his Kompanie-Chef, Oberleutnant Hanns Naskau, who later won the German Cross in Gold.
131. Infanterie-Division continued to fight through the fall and winter during the Wehrmacht's ill-fated effort to knock the Soviet Union out of the war. On January 15, 1942, while his division was fighting before Moscow following the great Red Army counteroffensive, Lappe was wounded in action (or even stricken with severe frostbite). He was later treated in a Berlin military hospital where he received the Black Wound Badge on June 1st. He likely never saw action again due to his wounds.
Stabsgefreiter Erich Schiefer
Following the setbacks of the winter of 1941/42, primarily before Moscow, the German High Command planned for a new offensive for the summer of 1942. The general plan was called Fall Blau and comprised a massive conquest of the Caucasus region of southern Russia. The ultimate goal was to capture Soviet oil production in the region in order to starve the Soviet War effort while feeding the German one. Army Group South was split into two, with Army Group A to conquer the Caucasus and its vast quantities of oil, and Army Group B to cut Soviet supply lines on the Volga River in the vicinity of Stalingrad. Beginning in July, 1942 Generalfeldmarschall List, commander of Army Gruppe A, was ordered to cross the River Don and head south. He was to capture the Soviet oilfields north of the Caucasus Mountains; at Grozny and Maikop, and then move to the area around Baku where the vast majority of Soviet oil was produced.
Part of 17. Armee (the right flank of Army Group A) was XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps which, among a number of other units, was made up of 1. Gebirgs-Division and 4. Gebirgs-Division. These troops were specifically attached to 17. Armee with the intention of ascending the Caucuses Mountains as the Army Group rolled south. Among the troops who made up 4. Gebirgs- Division was a twenty-six year old Stabsobergefreiter by the name of Erich Shieferer who served with 13. Kompanie of Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13. At some point during the fighting in the region, 1.Gebirgs-Division was split into two groups. One of these was Division Lanz under the temporary command of Generalleutnant Hubert Lanz, commander of 1.Gebirgs-Division. This temporary division included major portions of the 4.Gebirgs-Division and it was this unit that Shieferer would serve throughout the fall season. By October, the German quest of the Caucasus slowed considerably due to stiffening Soviet resistance and an acute supply problem. It was in this environment in which Shieferer distinguished himself.
Stabsgefreiter Schieferer led the food supply squadron on 23 October 1942 with exemplary courage and foresight despite strong artillery and mortar fire across the supply route and during the crossing of the Pschischbaches (River) in Area 843, such that the squadron, without loss in life either human or animal, was able to supply food for the Company.
Shieferer's award of the Iron Cross came on December 15, 1942 and was approved by Generalleutnant Lanz by way of a Hauptmann and division adjutant. The details related to the awarding of his award were approved by his battalion commander. This is a great example of the type of actions one could be decorated with the Iron Cross, apart from traditional contact with the enemy. Sadly, Shieferer was killed in action about one year later as 17. Armee retreated from the Kuban bridgehead to the Kerch Peninsula.
Part of 17. Armee (the right flank of Army Group A) was XXXXIX. Gebirgs-Armeekorps which, among a number of other units, was made up of 1. Gebirgs-Division and 4. Gebirgs-Division. These troops were specifically attached to 17. Armee with the intention of ascending the Caucuses Mountains as the Army Group rolled south. Among the troops who made up 4. Gebirgs- Division was a twenty-six year old Stabsobergefreiter by the name of Erich Shieferer who served with 13. Kompanie of Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13. At some point during the fighting in the region, 1.Gebirgs-Division was split into two groups. One of these was Division Lanz under the temporary command of Generalleutnant Hubert Lanz, commander of 1.Gebirgs-Division. This temporary division included major portions of the 4.Gebirgs-Division and it was this unit that Shieferer would serve throughout the fall season. By October, the German quest of the Caucasus slowed considerably due to stiffening Soviet resistance and an acute supply problem. It was in this environment in which Shieferer distinguished himself.
Stabsgefreiter Schieferer led the food supply squadron on 23 October 1942 with exemplary courage and foresight despite strong artillery and mortar fire across the supply route and during the crossing of the Pschischbaches (River) in Area 843, such that the squadron, without loss in life either human or animal, was able to supply food for the Company.
Shieferer's award of the Iron Cross came on December 15, 1942 and was approved by Generalleutnant Lanz by way of a Hauptmann and division adjutant. The details related to the awarding of his award were approved by his battalion commander. This is a great example of the type of actions one could be decorated with the Iron Cross, apart from traditional contact with the enemy. Sadly, Shieferer was killed in action about one year later as 17. Armee retreated from the Kuban bridgehead to the Kerch Peninsula.
Gefreiter Gerhard Molfenter
The campaigns of 1942 turned out
to be a disaster for the Wehrmacht.
The Germans were chased out of the Caucasus, losing all the oil that went with it, and
6. Armee was destroyed at Stalingrad.
The Red Army in southern Russia was stopped at the third Battle of Kharkov, but
the Germans spent their last offensive reserves with the ill-planned offensive
at Kursk the following summer. With the German defeat in the Kursk salient,
came the great Soviet counteroffensive that pursued the Wehrmacht to the Dnieper River in the Ukraine. The Germans
retreated to the greatest natural barrier in the area with the hope of
establishing a lasting defense, one that would allow them to regroup and plan
for more positive actions at a later time. As the Germans retreated, elements engaged
in vicious rearguard actions and temporary defensive battles. Army Group South was unable to hold back the
Soviet onslaught, however, and the Dnieper line was breached in numerous
places.
Among the troops fighting in the area at the time was a Panzerjäger by the name of Gefreiter Gerhard Molfenter. Specifically, he served with 14. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 420, 125. Infanterie-Division. Molfenter was a veteran of the fighting in the Crimea and likely transferred to Infanterie-Regiment 420 in the summer or fall of 1942 (around the time Infantry Regiments were designated Grenadier Regiments by the German High Command). Molfenter fought with his unit in the Caucasus where we won the Infantry Assault in Silver for at least three engagements with the enemy. 125. Infantrie-Division later retreated to the Kuban Bridgehead and spent the majority of 1943 on the peninsula defending against repeated Soviet attacks. In the fall, Molfenter and his division transferred to the lower Dnieper by way of the Crimea to bolster the line opposite the Soviets in the area of Zaporozhye.
Zaporozhye was critical point on the Dnieper. It was the location of a large river dam and a massive electrical power station, one that powered the entire industrial region in the Western Ukraine (an area that was still in German hands and crucial to their war effort). It also represented a strategic point on the Dnieper in that a large German bridgehead in the area would limit the Red Army’s ability to push farther to the West – to the lower Dnieper - and a position to cut off the Crimea from the rest of the Wehrmacht.
The Soviet High Command knew the importance of eliminating the German presence in the area and employed a massive force of three whole armies, two tank corps and an entire air fleet. Facing it was a relatively strong German force of six divisions, but no match for the Soviets in that the numbers equated to a difference in strength of 10 to 1. In early October, the Red Army attacked with massive armored forces but was generally rebuffed by the Germans. While the Germans were able to repulse the Soviets, it was only temporary as casualties mounted and supplies ran dangerously low. On October 10th the Soviets attacked again – this time with all three armies simultaneously. It was during this fighting that Molfenter particularly distinguished himself. As ammunition ran low, or ran out, it was imperative that the German troops disengaged without leaving their weapons to the Soviets.
Gefreiten Molfenter and Willmann hurried on 10.10.43 forward several hundred meters, even after their own troops had already disengaged from the enemy, to their guns, which explosive charges had failed, and blew them up in the face of the enemy which laid several meters in front of the guns and who was completely dumbfounded by the boldness of their actions.
Molfenter was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class for his actions on October 29, 1943. His award citation was prepared at division headquarters and authorized by Generalleutnant Helmut Friebe, division commander since Christmas Eve, 1942. The reasoning for his award was recorded on the document’s reverse. His Iron Cross and award document were likely sent home for safe keeping as he continued to serve at the front. His ultimate fate, however, is unknown.
The fighting at Zaporozhye was, inevitably, a victory for the Red Army. The Germans could not contain the Soviet push and were forced to blow the hydro-power damn and electrical facilities on the night of October 14-15. Surviving troops were ferried across the Dnieper and the Soviets pushed farther into the Ukraine. The Germans in the Crimea were ultimately cut-off.
Among the troops fighting in the area at the time was a Panzerjäger by the name of Gefreiter Gerhard Molfenter. Specifically, he served with 14. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 420, 125. Infanterie-Division. Molfenter was a veteran of the fighting in the Crimea and likely transferred to Infanterie-Regiment 420 in the summer or fall of 1942 (around the time Infantry Regiments were designated Grenadier Regiments by the German High Command). Molfenter fought with his unit in the Caucasus where we won the Infantry Assault in Silver for at least three engagements with the enemy. 125. Infantrie-Division later retreated to the Kuban Bridgehead and spent the majority of 1943 on the peninsula defending against repeated Soviet attacks. In the fall, Molfenter and his division transferred to the lower Dnieper by way of the Crimea to bolster the line opposite the Soviets in the area of Zaporozhye.
Zaporozhye was critical point on the Dnieper. It was the location of a large river dam and a massive electrical power station, one that powered the entire industrial region in the Western Ukraine (an area that was still in German hands and crucial to their war effort). It also represented a strategic point on the Dnieper in that a large German bridgehead in the area would limit the Red Army’s ability to push farther to the West – to the lower Dnieper - and a position to cut off the Crimea from the rest of the Wehrmacht.
The Soviet High Command knew the importance of eliminating the German presence in the area and employed a massive force of three whole armies, two tank corps and an entire air fleet. Facing it was a relatively strong German force of six divisions, but no match for the Soviets in that the numbers equated to a difference in strength of 10 to 1. In early October, the Red Army attacked with massive armored forces but was generally rebuffed by the Germans. While the Germans were able to repulse the Soviets, it was only temporary as casualties mounted and supplies ran dangerously low. On October 10th the Soviets attacked again – this time with all three armies simultaneously. It was during this fighting that Molfenter particularly distinguished himself. As ammunition ran low, or ran out, it was imperative that the German troops disengaged without leaving their weapons to the Soviets.
Gefreiten Molfenter and Willmann hurried on 10.10.43 forward several hundred meters, even after their own troops had already disengaged from the enemy, to their guns, which explosive charges had failed, and blew them up in the face of the enemy which laid several meters in front of the guns and who was completely dumbfounded by the boldness of their actions.
Molfenter was decorated with the Iron Cross Second Class for his actions on October 29, 1943. His award citation was prepared at division headquarters and authorized by Generalleutnant Helmut Friebe, division commander since Christmas Eve, 1942. The reasoning for his award was recorded on the document’s reverse. His Iron Cross and award document were likely sent home for safe keeping as he continued to serve at the front. His ultimate fate, however, is unknown.
The fighting at Zaporozhye was, inevitably, a victory for the Red Army. The Germans could not contain the Soviet push and were forced to blow the hydro-power damn and electrical facilities on the night of October 14-15. Surviving troops were ferried across the Dnieper and the Soviets pushed farther into the Ukraine. The Germans in the Crimea were ultimately cut-off.
Unteroffizier Hermann Aumüller
By 1944, the Wehrmacht was on the defensive across the entire Eastern Front. The siege of Leningrad was finally lifted in the north and the Germans were being pushed beyond the Dnieper River in the south. The front before Army Group Center was relatively stable but all things changed with the great Soviet summer offensive of June 22nd. On the three-year anniversary of Barbarossa and the invasion of the Soviet Union, the Red Army attacked Army Group Center with a massive assault designed to coincide with the Allied invasion of Normandy and to drive the Germans out of Belorussia once and for all. The invasion was an extraordinary success for the Soviets. Army Group Center was essentially destroyed and the effects of the defeat forced the entire front to retreat. Army Group North Ukraine was forced back as Army Group Center retreated and the Soviets continued their campaign with phased attacks.
Attached to Army Group North Ukraine at the time was 253. Infanterie-Division, of LVI. Panzerkorps and 4. Panzerarmee. The division was originally formed in 1939 from Westphalian recruits and reserves and was employed on the Russian Front since the start of the campaign in June 1941. By August 1944, the division had been pushed back to eastern Poland and was engaged in defensive fighting in the vicinity of Łopiennik, roughly 20 miles east of the Vistula. Among the troops fighting in the area was Unteroffizier Hermann Aumüller of 2. Kompanie, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 253, the division's anti-tank outfit. 2. Kompanie was actually the Sturmgeschütz unit amongst the battalion's three main elements, however Aumüller was likely a light flak crewman. He was heavily involved in defending against intense Soviet attacks in the area; a report on his actions is as follows:
Unteroffizier Aumüller, gun commander of a 2 cm Fla in the East since 11.8.1943, no awards, had already stood out south of the Beresina. During the current withdrawal movements, the crew of Unteroffizier Becker, which was subordinated to Kampfgruppe Hauptmann Hüber and had taken up position near Lopjennik on Hill 225, was killed through a direct hit from a mortar. The gun mover as well. Aumüller, who took over the Fla with a quickly formed crew, was able to bring the Fla back using caught horses, and did this in spite of the heaviest of mortar fire and MP fire in the face of the enemy. The gun mover was brought back in the same manner. With the in the meantime repaired Fla, Aumüller soon took up the fight again and caused the enemy substantial losses.
Aumüller was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on August 27, 1944. His award was processed at division headquarters and approved by his division commander, and his exploits were recorded "in the field" on the reverse of his citation three days later. It is likely these details were recorded by his local command once the citation was received from division and just before he received his award document and medal; an interesting indication of the award process in this particular instance.
Attached to Army Group North Ukraine at the time was 253. Infanterie-Division, of LVI. Panzerkorps and 4. Panzerarmee. The division was originally formed in 1939 from Westphalian recruits and reserves and was employed on the Russian Front since the start of the campaign in June 1941. By August 1944, the division had been pushed back to eastern Poland and was engaged in defensive fighting in the vicinity of Łopiennik, roughly 20 miles east of the Vistula. Among the troops fighting in the area was Unteroffizier Hermann Aumüller of 2. Kompanie, Panzerjäger-Abteilung 253, the division's anti-tank outfit. 2. Kompanie was actually the Sturmgeschütz unit amongst the battalion's three main elements, however Aumüller was likely a light flak crewman. He was heavily involved in defending against intense Soviet attacks in the area; a report on his actions is as follows:
Unteroffizier Aumüller, gun commander of a 2 cm Fla in the East since 11.8.1943, no awards, had already stood out south of the Beresina. During the current withdrawal movements, the crew of Unteroffizier Becker, which was subordinated to Kampfgruppe Hauptmann Hüber and had taken up position near Lopjennik on Hill 225, was killed through a direct hit from a mortar. The gun mover as well. Aumüller, who took over the Fla with a quickly formed crew, was able to bring the Fla back using caught horses, and did this in spite of the heaviest of mortar fire and MP fire in the face of the enemy. The gun mover was brought back in the same manner. With the in the meantime repaired Fla, Aumüller soon took up the fight again and caused the enemy substantial losses.
Aumüller was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on August 27, 1944. His award was processed at division headquarters and approved by his division commander, and his exploits were recorded "in the field" on the reverse of his citation three days later. It is likely these details were recorded by his local command once the citation was received from division and just before he received his award document and medal; an interesting indication of the award process in this particular instance.
Obergefreiter Markus Stummer
By the end of 1944, the Wehrmacht was on the brink. The Soviets
and Western Allies were at the German border and were already penetrating at various
points. Pressure on the German Army in the East was especially relentless as
the Soviets pushed their way through the Baltics in the north, to Poland in the
Center and through Hungary, Romania and the Balkans in the South.
The mid-year destruction of Army Group Center and the mauling of Army Group North Ukraine were particularly devastating to the German war machine, yet the Red Army began to show signs of exhaustion by late summer. While the Soviets had been on the move since late June in the central sector of the front, they began to slow their progress in August. Their supply lines were wearing thin and, in some cases, German resistance began to stiffen.
One such area was the Sandomierz-Baranów bridgehead in Poland, on the Vistula River. The Soviets established a hold on the area in July but it was ultimately contained by 4. Panzerarmee. The Germans saw the area as strategically important given its close proximity to the industrial regions of Upper Silesia. These factory areas were especially vital to Germany’s ability to wage war due the relentless Allied bombing of the Ruhr in the West. The Germans held back the Soviets with massive counterattacks despite the strong Red Army presence of the left bank of the Vistula. By August, the Red Army essentially went on the defensive in the area. For the remainder of the year the two sides generally engaged in only local attacks and penetrations.
4. Panzerarmee was among the strongest armies in the east at the time but, despite its name, was primarily equipped with infantry divisions. Among them was 253. Infanterie-Division as shown above, as well as 88. Infanterie-Division. A member of 88. ID, Obergefreiter Markus Stummer of 6. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 246, markedly distinguished himself during one of the numerous local engagements with the Soviets during this period.
Obergefreiter Stummer distinguished himself on 17.12.44 south-east of Rudniki by special steadfastness during a Russian attack. After the Russians had broken into the neighboring Gruppen sector, he tenaciously maintained his position under the heaviest of mortar and artillery fire, and at the head of his comrades, through well aimed throwing of hand grenades prevented the enemy from entering the trench. In spite of being wounded he charged as one of the first in the shortly following counter-attack. It was through his dashing manner that he prevented the expansion of the enemy penetration and thereby contributed substantially to the defensive success.
Stummer was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on December 20, 1944, three days after he committed the act that won him the award. It was processed at division headquarters and signed by Generalleutnant Georg von Rittberg, division commander. His actions were recorded on the reverse of his award document and approved by his company commander.
The relative calm in the Sandomierz-Baranów bridgehead area through the latter half of 1944 came to a close in January. The Red Army, which had been massing troops and supplies in the region through the defensive period of the previous months, went on the offensive and destroyed the German presence in a matter of weeks. January was the start of the massive push through Poland and East Prussia that landed the Soviets on the Oder River, in position to ultimately capture Berlin. Stummer’s fate is unknown.
The mid-year destruction of Army Group Center and the mauling of Army Group North Ukraine were particularly devastating to the German war machine, yet the Red Army began to show signs of exhaustion by late summer. While the Soviets had been on the move since late June in the central sector of the front, they began to slow their progress in August. Their supply lines were wearing thin and, in some cases, German resistance began to stiffen.
One such area was the Sandomierz-Baranów bridgehead in Poland, on the Vistula River. The Soviets established a hold on the area in July but it was ultimately contained by 4. Panzerarmee. The Germans saw the area as strategically important given its close proximity to the industrial regions of Upper Silesia. These factory areas were especially vital to Germany’s ability to wage war due the relentless Allied bombing of the Ruhr in the West. The Germans held back the Soviets with massive counterattacks despite the strong Red Army presence of the left bank of the Vistula. By August, the Red Army essentially went on the defensive in the area. For the remainder of the year the two sides generally engaged in only local attacks and penetrations.
4. Panzerarmee was among the strongest armies in the east at the time but, despite its name, was primarily equipped with infantry divisions. Among them was 253. Infanterie-Division as shown above, as well as 88. Infanterie-Division. A member of 88. ID, Obergefreiter Markus Stummer of 6. Kompanie, Grenadier-Regiment 246, markedly distinguished himself during one of the numerous local engagements with the Soviets during this period.
Obergefreiter Stummer distinguished himself on 17.12.44 south-east of Rudniki by special steadfastness during a Russian attack. After the Russians had broken into the neighboring Gruppen sector, he tenaciously maintained his position under the heaviest of mortar and artillery fire, and at the head of his comrades, through well aimed throwing of hand grenades prevented the enemy from entering the trench. In spite of being wounded he charged as one of the first in the shortly following counter-attack. It was through his dashing manner that he prevented the expansion of the enemy penetration and thereby contributed substantially to the defensive success.
Stummer was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class on December 20, 1944, three days after he committed the act that won him the award. It was processed at division headquarters and signed by Generalleutnant Georg von Rittberg, division commander. His actions were recorded on the reverse of his award document and approved by his company commander.
The relative calm in the Sandomierz-Baranów bridgehead area through the latter half of 1944 came to a close in January. The Red Army, which had been massing troops and supplies in the region through the defensive period of the previous months, went on the offensive and destroyed the German presence in a matter of weeks. January was the start of the massive push through Poland and East Prussia that landed the Soviets on the Oder River, in position to ultimately capture Berlin. Stummer’s fate is unknown.