Manfred Beutner

Manfred Beutner
Born	23 May 1914 Frauenhain
Died	8 November 2002 (aged 88) Oldenburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer Bundeswehr
Years of service	1935–45 1957–72
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr
Commands held	Kampfgruppe "Beutner"
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Invasion of Yugoslavia Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Riga Offensive (1944) Courland Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Manfred Beutner (23 May 1914 – 8 November 2002) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberst in the Bundeswehr. 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. Manfred Beutner was captured in 1945 by Soviet troops in the Courland Pocket and was released in 1955. He later joined the Bundeswehr, retiring in 1972 as an Oberst.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (8 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (25 May 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver (4 December 1944)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge (20 October 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (28 July 1942)^[1]
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (25 August 1944)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 4 February 1944 as Major in Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 329^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 September 1944 as Major and division adjutant of the 329. Infanterie-Division and commander of schnelle Abteilung 329^{[3][Note 1]}
• German Parachutist Badge (27 October 1959)^[1]
  • in Gold (8 March 1966)^[1]
• French Parachutist Badge (11 September 1964)^[1]
• Great Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2 August 1972)^[1]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as IIa (1st adjutant for the officer staff) 329. Infanterie-Division and leader of augmented Grenadier-Regiment 551.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1987, p. 462.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 41.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 131.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 219.

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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1987). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 1: A–Be [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 1: A–Be] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1153-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939–1945