Gerhard Fischer (soldier)

Gerhard Fischer
Born	December 4, 1915 Görlitz
Died	August 9, 2014 (aged 98) Oldenburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer Bundeswehr
Years of service	1934–45 1959–72
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Panzer-Regiment 23 Panzerbatallion 84 (Bundeswehr)
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Second Battle of Kharkov Operation Winter Storm Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive First Jassy–Kishinev Offensive Operation Spring Awakening
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gerhard Fischer (4 December 1915 – 9 August 2014)^[1] was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. 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.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (23 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (23 June 1940)
• Panzer Badge
  • in Silver (?)
  • II Grade Numeral 25 (12 December 1943)
  • III Grade Numeral 50 (26 May 1944)
  • IV Grade Numeral 75 (1 September 1944)
  • IV Grade Numeral 100 (1 December 1944)
• German Cross in Gold (28 November 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 December 1943 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 8./Panzer-Regiment 23^[2]

References

Citations

1. Gerhard Fischer's obituary
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 152.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (2010). Panzer Aces III:German Tank Commanders in Combat in WWII. Mechanicsburg, PA USA: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0654-4
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com