Gustav Wilke

Gustav Wilke
Born	6 March 1898 Deutsch-Eylau, West Prussia
Died	14 March 1977 (aged 79) Oberstdorf
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Deutsches Heer (1916–18) Reichswehr (1918–20) (1925–35) Luftwaffe (1935–45)
Years of service	1916–20 1925–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Unit	Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 11
Commands held	1. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division 2. Fallschirmjäger-Division 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division 9. Fallschirmjäger-Division 10. Fallschirmjäger-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Eastern Front Siege of Leningrad Battle of Normandy Operation Cobra
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gustav Wilke (6 March 1898  – 14 March 1977) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Fallschirmjäger 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 (1914)
  • 2nd Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Aviator badge
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 May 1940 as Oberstleutnant and Gruppenkommandeur of Kampfgruppe z.b.V. 11^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 147.

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.
• 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

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Gustav Wilke @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived October 28, 2009)