Walter Gericke
Walter Gericke | |
|---|---|
 Walter Gericke | |
| Born | 23 December 1907 |
| Died | 19 October 1991 (aged 83) |
| Allegiance |  Weimar Republic Nazi Germany  West Germany |
| Service/ | Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht) German Army (Bundeswehr) |
| Years of service | 1929–45, 1956–65 |
| Rank | Oberst (Wehrmacht) Generalmajor (Bundeswehr) |
| Commands held | 11th Parachute Division 1. Luftlandedivision |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Walter Gericke (23 December 1907 – 19 October 1991), was a German paratroop officer in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II and a general in the Bundeswehr of West Germany. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.
Gericke took part in the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of Crete as a Fallschirmjäger battalion commander. He later commanded the Fallschirjäger-Regiment 11 (part of the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division)) and fought in the Battle of Anzio.
In July 1941 Walter Gericke and his men destroyed the village of Kandanos in Western Crete and killed 180 of its inhabitants.
Gericke 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) & 1st Class (12 May 1940)[1]
- German Cross in Gold on 12 December 1943 as Major in the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6[2]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Thomas 1997, p. 195.
- ^ Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 135.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Scherzer 2007, p. 332.
Bibliography[]
- 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 Militaer-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.
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| General |
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| National libraries | |
- 1907 births
- 1991 deaths
- Fallschirmjäger of World War II
- Bundeswehr generals
- Recipients of the Gold German Cross
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Major generals of the German Army