Horst Kerfin

Horst Kerfin
Horst Kerfin drawing by Wolfgang Willrich, 1943
Born	21 March 1913 Insterburg, East Prussia
Died	22 January 1943 (aged 29) Alexejewka near Orel, Russia
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Heer (1932–35) Luftwaffe (1935–43)
Years of service	1932–43
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	11./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Netherlands Battle of Crete Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Horst Kerfin (21 March 1913 – 22 January 1943) was a highly decorated Hauptmann 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

• Parachutist Badge
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (16 May 1940)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 May 1940 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 11./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 132.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 208.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). 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 (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.

External links

• Das-Ritterkreuz.de