Walter Gericke

Walter Gericke
Walter Gericke
Born	23 December 1907 Bilderlahe, district of Gandersheim
Died	19 October 1991 (aged 83) Alsfeld
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Ordnungspolizei (to 1935) Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) German Army (Bundeswehr)
Years of service	1929–45, 1956–65
Rank	Oberst (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	4./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiments 6 Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division 1. Luftlandedivision
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Battle of Anzio Battle of Monte Cassino
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Gericke (23 December 1907 – 19 October 1991), was a German Fallschirmjäger during World War II and Generalmajor of the West German Bundeswehr. 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.

Gericke participated in the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of Crete as a Battalion commander of the Fallschirmjäger. He later commanded the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11 and fought in the defensive battles at Anzio. He joined the newly formed Bundeswehr after the rearmament of West Germany and as a Generalmajor led the 1. Luftlande-Division from 1962 to 1965.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 April 40)^[1][2]
  • 1st Class (12 May 1940)^[1][2]
• Cuffband "Crete"
• German Cross in Gold on 12 December 1943 as Major in the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 14 June 1941 as Hauptmann and commander of the IV./Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Regiment^[4]
  • 585th Oak Leaves on 17 September 1944 as Major and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 10 June 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
10 June 1944	In den schweren Abwehrkämpfen der letzten Tage haben sich eine Kampfgruppe der deutschen 4. Fallschirmjägerdivision unter Führung des Majors Gericke, wirksam unterstützt durch Sturmpanzer der Sturmpanzer-Abteilung 216 sowie Teile des italienisch-republikanisch-faschistischen Fallschirmjägerregiments Folgore und italienische Flakkanoniere in deutschen Flakbatterien, besonders ausgezeichnet.[5]	A combat group of the German 4th Airborne Division, led by Major Gericke, effectively supported by assault tanks of the assault tank battalion 216 and parts of the Italian fascist republican Folgore Parachute Regiment and Italian flak gunners in German flak batteries, have particularly distinguished themselves during the heavy defensive battles in recent days.

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 75.
2. Thomas 1997, p. 195.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 135.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 332.
5. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, p. 123.

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.
• MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
• 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 (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.
• 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.
• 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

• Walter Gericke in the German National Library catalogue
• "Walter Gericke". Lexicon der Wehrmacht. Retrieved 13 November 2010.