Gerhard Türke

Gerhard Türke
Born	1 May 1914 Heinersdorf
Died	21 November 1991 (aged 77) Gelsenkirchen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–38 1939–45
Rank	Major of the Reserves
Commands held	I./Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 29
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Moscow Battle of Voronezh (1942) Battle of Stalingrad Allied invasion of Italy Operation Shingle Battle of the Bulge Ruhr Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	School Teacher Principal

Gerhard Türke (1 May 1914 – 21 November 1991) was a highly decorated Major of the Reserves 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. Gerhard Türke was captured by American troops in April 1945 in the Ruhr Pocket. After the war he returned to teaching and later became a principal.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
  • in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold (22 December 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 December 1942 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and Chef 3./Infanterie-Regiment 29 (motorisiert)^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 346.

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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945