Helmut Corts

Helmut Corts
Born	22 February 1920 Osnabrück
Died	10 March 2000 (aged 80) Koblenz
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) Bundesgrenzschutz (Bundeswehr) Luftwaffe (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1937-45 1951-79
Rank	Hauptmann (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Flak-Regiment 64 (mot.)
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Greece Defence of the Reich
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Corts (22 February 1920 – 10 March 2000) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe 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. Helmut Corts was captured by Soviet troops May 1945 and escaped from captivity later that month. In 1951 he joined the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards) and later the Bundeswehr. He retired in 1979 with the rank of Oberst.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Anti-Aircraft Flak Battle Badge
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 June 1940 as Oberleutnant and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./Flak-Regiment 64 (mot.)^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 131.

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.
• Obermaier, Ernst (1989). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe Jagdflieger 1939 – 1945 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force 1939 – 1945] (in German). Mainz, Germany: Verlag Dieter Hoffmann. ISBN 978-3-87341-065-7.
• 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