Fritz Backhauss

Fritz Gustav Backhauss
Born	9 February 1915 Halberstadt
Died	7 March 1971 (aged 56) Koblenz
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1934–45 1956–71
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of the Caucasus Kerch–Eltigen Operation Jassy–Kishinev Offensive (August 1944)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Fritz Gustav Backhauss (9 February 1915 – 7 March 1971) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberstleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Fritz Backhauss was captured by American troops in May 1945 and was released in June 1945. In 1956 he joined the postwar Bundeswehr serving until his death on 7 March 1971 in a military hospital in Koblenz.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (20 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (7 June 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (6 June 1940)^[1]
  • in Silver (19 April 1943)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge (25 August 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)^[1]
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (1 September 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 8 December 1943 as Hauptmann in the III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 February 1944 as Hauptmann and commander of III./Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1993, p. 18.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 21.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 102.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1993). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil VI: Die Gebirgstruppe Band 1: A–K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part VI: The Mountain Troops Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2430-3.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945