Josef-Franz Eckinger

Dr. Josef-Franz Eckinger
Born	17 December 1904 Steyr, Austria
Died	17 October 1941 (aged 36) near Mednoye
Allegiance	First Austrian Republic (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1924–41
Rank	Oberstleutnant (posthumously promoted)
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Dr. Josef-Franz Eckinger (17 December 1904 – 17 October 1941) was a German officer during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Eckinger was killed on 17 October 1941 near Mednoye at the Volga River.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 June 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (20 September 1941)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 17 March 1941 as Hauptmann and leader of the II./Schützen-Regiment 1^[2]
  • 48th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 (posthumously) as Major and commander of the I./Schützen-Regiment 1^[2][3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 141.
2. Scherzer 2007, p. 287.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 56.

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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.