Hellmuth Schwing
| Hellmuth Schwing | |
|---|---|
| Born |
23 May 1908 Crossen an der Oder |
| Died |
21 April 1992 (aged 83) Bad Pyrmont |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | 3rd Panzer Division |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hellmuth Schwing (23 May 1908 – 21 April 1992) was a German infantry commander and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Career
Major Schwing received the Knight’s Cross for the actions of his Pioneer battalion on 3 December 1943. The battalion came under attack at 0600 in the morning but was able to hold its positions. Afterwards, as the Soviets reorganized, the battalion launched a counterattack of its own, taking the Russians by surprise and inflicting heavy losses. Following up on their success they proceeded to the fortified village of Kirolowka, which they captured despite stubborn Soviet resistance by 1530 that day. In doing so they eliminated a threat to the division’s flank.[1]
Awards & decorations
- Iron Cross
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 December 1943 as Kommandeur Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 39
References
Citations
- ↑ Veterans of the 3rd Panzer Division (2012). Armoured Bears: Volume Two. Stackpole Books. p. 199.
Bibliography
- 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.