Wolfgang Hartelt
| Wolfgang Hartelt | |
|---|---|
| Born |
28 November 1924 Breslau |
| Died |
28 January 2009 (aged 84) Timmendorfer Strand |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Luftwaffe |
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | Oberfähnrich |
| Unit | Fsch.Pz.Rgt. "HG" |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Wolfgang Hartelt (28 November 1924 – 28 January 2009) was a German tank 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
Oberfähnrich Hartelt was a platoon leader in the Panther battalion of the Fallschirm-Panzer-Division "HG" 1 during the division's fighting retreat in January 1945. When his company commander was badly wounded on 23 January Hartelt took command in his stead. The next day his company and its five remaining tanks were ordered to provide the rearguard for his regiment. In the evening Hartelt and fellow tank commander Amrein launched a probe from the village they were positioned in, finding and destroying four Soviet tanks. Hartelt now called up his remaining tanks and continued moving forward, attacking whatever Soviet forces they encountered to deter the Soviet pursuit. Following this he pulled back to regroup with his regiment. In the morning of the next day, while en-route to their parent unit, Hartelt's company encountered a village held by strong Russian forces. Despite being heavily outnumbered they were able to break through and destroyed 25 Soviet tanks in the process. Of these, Hartelt was personally responsible for 7, bringing his personal total of destroyed tanks to 17. Because of this, and for successfully thwarting Russian attempts at pursuit, Hartelt was awarded the Knight's Cross.[1]
Awards & decorations
- Iron Cross
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 February 1945 as Zugführer 2./Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment "Hermann Göring"
References
Citations
- ↑ The History of the Fallschirm Panzerkorps Hermann Göring. J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc. p. 382-385.
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.