Helmut Kassner (military officer)

Helmut Kassner
Born	17 March 1897 Bumzlau, Lower Silesia (modern Poland)
Died	28 January 1960 (aged 62) Dortmund
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1914–45
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Grenadier-Regiment 121 Grenadier-Regiment 975
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Greece Operation Barbarossa Siege of Odessa (1941) Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) Battle of the Caucasus Crimean Offensive (1944) Operation Bagration East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Helmut Kassner (17 March 1897 – 28 January 1960) was a highly decorated Oberst 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. Helmut Kassner was captured by Soviet troops in 1945 and was held until 1954.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Eastern Front Medal
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (15 March 1945)
• German Cross in Gold (13 May 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 April 1945 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 975^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 206.

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