Martin Hrustak

Martin Hrustak
Born	17 October 1913 Bohemia
Died	18 August 1944 (aged 30) Riga, Latvia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1939–44
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	Grenadier-Regiment 162
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Narva (1944)
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Martin Hrustak (17 October 1913 – 18 August 1944) was an Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients 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. Martin Hrustak was killed on 18 August 1944 near Riga, Latvia.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (30 September 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (8 January 1943)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 11 December 1943 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in 7./Grenadier-Regiment 162^[2]
  • 473rd Oak Leaves on 14 May 1944 as Oberfeldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in 7./Grenadier-Regiment 162^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 308.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 195.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 70.

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.
• Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham – Huppertz [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color I Abraham – Huppertz] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-20-1.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuzraeger 1939-1945