Karl-Heinz Becker (Fallschirmjäger)

Karl-Heinz Becker
Born	2 January 1914 Schwedt
Died	3 October 2000 (aged 86) Bargum
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1934–45
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 3. Fallschirmjäger Division
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of the Netherlands Battle of Crete Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden Battle of the Bulge Ruhr Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	Police Officer

Karl-Heinz Becker (2 January 1914 – 3 October 2000) was a highly decorated Oberst in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.

Career

Becker was born on 2 January 1914 in Schwedt at the time in the Province of Brandenburg, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. He joined the police force on 10 October 1934 with the Landespolizeigruppe "General Göring" (State Police Group "General Goering") and enrolled at the 2nd Fähnrich (cadet) training course in Potsdam-Eiche on 1 July 1935.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (31 May 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (7 February 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 29 June 1944 as Major in Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5^[2]
• Close Combat Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Silver (6 February 1945)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 9 July 1941 as Oberleutnant and chief of 11./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1^[3][4]
  • 780th Oak Leaves on 12 March 1945 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5^[3][5]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (29 July 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
29 July 1944 (Addendum)	In den schwere Kämpfen im Raum St. Lo – Lassay haben sich in den letzten Wochen in Abwehr und Gegenangriff besonders ausgezeichnet: Die 17. SS-Panzergrandier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" unter Führung ihres schwer verwundeten Kommandeurs Brigadeführer Ostendorff und seines Vertreters Standartenführer Baum, die 353. Infanterie-Division unter Führung ihres Divisionskommandeurs Generalleutnant Mahlmann, das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 5 unter seinem Kommandeur Major Heinz Becker, das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 9 unter seinem Kommandeur Major Kurt Stephani und das Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15 unter seinem Kommandeur Oberstleutnant Gröschke.[6]	In the heavy fighting of the recent weeks in the St. Lo - Lassay area have particularly distinguished themselves in defense and counter-attacks: The 17th SS-Panzer- Grandier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" led by their severely wounded commander Brigadeführer Ostendorff and his representative Standartenführer Baum, the 353rd Infantry Division, led by their divisional commander Lieutenant General Mahlmann, the Parachute Regiment 5 under his commander Major Heinz Becker, the Parachute Regiment 9 under his commander Major Kurt Stephani and the Parachute Regiment 15 under its commander Lieutenant Colonel Gröschke.

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 14.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 31.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 209.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 126.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 99.
6. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 181.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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.
• Stockert, Peter (2008). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 8 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 8] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. OCLC 76072662.
• 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.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945