Wolfgang von Obstfelder

Wolfgang von Obstfelder
Born	10 September 1918 Stadthagen
Died	11 July 1981 (aged 62) Langscheid
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–45 ?–1974
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 346
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Demyansk Pocket Invasion of Normandy Operation Goodwood Operation Market Garden
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Wolfgang von Obstfelder (10 September 1918 – 11 July 1981) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a 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. Wolfgang von Obstfelder was captured by British troops in May 1945 and was released in December. He later joined the Bundeswehr, retiring in 1974 as an Oberstleutnant.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (29 June 1941)^[1]
• General Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• Demyansk Shield
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 10 September 1944 as Hauptmann and commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 346^[2]
  • (858th) Oak Leaves on 30 April 1945 as Major and commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 346^{[3][Note 1]}

Notes

1. The sequential numbers greater than 843 for the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves are unofficial and were assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) and are therefore denoted in parentheses.^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 128.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 268.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 85.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, pp. 102–111.

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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht