Karl Kloskowski
| Karl Kloskowski | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
9 February 1917 Lankow, Germany |
| Died |
23 April 1945 (aged 28) Harz, Germany |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Waffen SS |
| Years of service | 1936–1945 |
| Rank | Hauptsturmführer |
| Unit | 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Knight's Cross with Oakleaves Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Heer Honour Clasp |
Karl Kloskowski was a Hauptsturmführer (Captain) in the Waffen-SS who was awarded 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
Kloskowski joined the SS in 1936 and was posted to the Germania regiment. He was promoted to Hauptscharführer on January 10, 1943 and served as a platoon commander in the 4th Company, 2nd SS Panzer regiment.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross when he had observed the Russians preparing to destroy an important bridge and attacked them, preventing the destruction of the bridge. As the 7th Company Commander, he was severely wounded fighting off an attack by 15 T-34's in July 1943 for which he was awarded the Honour Clasp.
After July 1943 he became a company commander in the Kampfgruppe Das Reich. In 1945 he was reassigned to the SS Brigade Westfalen and was murdered after being captured by American troops near the Harz Mountains in April 1945. According to some sources the killing was in revenge of the death of U.S. 3rd Armored Division commander General Maurice Rose a few weeks earlier at the hands of 507th German heavy tank battalion.[1][2]
References
- Citations
- Bibliography
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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.
- Krätschmer, Ernst-Günther (1999). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Waffen-SS]. Coburg, Germany: Nation Europa Verlag. ISBN 978-3-920677-43-9.
- 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
- "Karl Kloskowski". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 10 April 2013.
