Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Max Wandrey

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") which was held in Lamia, Greece, January 1944. Flanking Wandrey (center) were Major Wilhelm Walther (Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") who wore the same tropical colored stahlhelm as Wandrey, and General der Flieger Hellmuth Felmy (Kommandierender General LXVIII. Armeekorps) wearing a tropical Luftwaffe uniform complete with his "Hermann Meyer" cap. Wandrey was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 9 January 1944 for his performance in the attack on the island of Leros during Operation Leopard. Later he would also receive the Eichenlaub #787 posthumously on 16 March 1945 as Major der Reserve and Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg".

Max Wandrey (8 April 1910 - 21 February 1945) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 9 January 1944 as Oberleutnant der Reserve and Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg". The medal was awarded for his contribution to the German conquest of Leros Island in November 1943. Landing on the island on the 16th of that month, Wandrey's Kompanie commander was quickly wounded and so Wandrey stepped in to fill this role. At around 15:00 that day Wandrey stormed the dominant Hill 204 with about 50 men, and located the British HQ there. With 20 soldiers, Wandrey stormed the command post and took the British commanding officer (Brigadier Robert Tilney) as a prisoner. Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" itself was a part of Division "Brandenburg", but subordinated temporarily to Kampfgruppe "Müller" (22. Infanterie-Division) for the invasion of Leros.

Wandrey received the Eichenlaub #787 on 16 March 1945 as Major der Reserve and Kommandeur II.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Panzergrenadier-Division “Brandenburg”. The medal was awarded posthumously for the major role he played in the breakout of Gruppe von Saucken in early 1945. Around mid-February, as commander of an inexperienced Bataillon of the Panzergrenadier-Division "Brandenburg", Wandrey led a stubborn defense east of Sprottisch-Waldau. The leadership of Saucken's moving pocket thus oriented their breakout efforts towards this point, pushing north from the Primkenauer forest and linking up with Wandrey's forces on the 11-12 February 1945. Only nine days later Wandrey was succumbed to his wound near Kruschwitz, Rothenburg/Oberlausitz.

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") which was held in Lamia, Greece, January 1944. General der Flieger Hellmuth Felmy (back to the camera, Kommandierender General LXVIII. Armeekorps) lead the ceremony, while Major Wilhelm Walther (Kommandeur Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") put the medal behind Wandrey.



Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") which was held in Lamia, Greece, January 1944. General der Flieger Hellmuth Felmy (back to the camera, Kommandierender General LXVIII. Armeekorps) shakes hands with Wandrey after awarded the medal. After the war, Felmy would be accused of war crimes and tried at Nuremberg. He was sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment, but freed in 1951. He died in Darmstadt, Germany, on 14 December 1965.

Oberleutnant der Reserve Max Wandrey (Chef 11.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Jäger-Regiment 1 "Brandenburg" / Division "Brandenburg") smiles for the camera after being awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in a ceremony which were held in Lamia, Greece, January 1944. In February 1945 Wandrey, by this time a Major, was fatally wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Eichenlaub to his Ritterkreuz.

Source :
"Brandenburger: Wartime Photographs of Wilhelm Walther" by Anthony Rogers
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2014/03/album-foto-brandenburgers-sonderverband.html
https://www.andreas-thies.de/auctions/67-750747
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/20271/Wandrey-Max-Brandenburg.htm

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Otto Ude

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberwachtmeister Otto Ude (Zugführer in 1.Schwadron / Radfahr-Abteilung 30 / 30.Infanterie-Division). The medal was awarded by Generalleutnant Thomas-Emil von Wickede (Kommandeur 30. Infanterie-Division). Ude formally received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 15 January 1943. The following newspaper excerpt (dated 29 January 1943) describes why Ude was awarded the medal: “Oberwachtmeister Ude successfully defended a strongpoint near Lake Ilmen with a handful of soldiers.”

Source :
https://www.andreas-thies.de/auctions/78-752749
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/40781/Ude-Otto.htm

Paul Hausser with Das Reich Officers during Kursk

The combat briefing of SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich" during the Battle of Kursk, summer 1943. Wearing stahlhelm at left is SS-Standartenführer Heinz Harmel (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Deutschland"), while in front of him with the eye-patch is SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS Paul Hausser (Kommandierender General II. SS-Panzerkorps), followed by SS-Obersturmbannführer Sylvester Stadler (Kommandeur SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment "Der Führer"). Between Harmel and Hausser is SS-Sturmbannführer Rudolf Enseling (Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 2 "Das Reich"), while with the back to the camera at right is possibly SS-Obersturmführer Ortwin Pohl (O4 SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Das Reich"). In this picture we can see that Korpskommandeur Hausser is wearing the Goldenes Parteiabzeichen der NSDAP. He just got the honor pin recently, on 30 January 1943, and only became the member of the Nazi Party in 1937. Hausser only wore the badge when he knew official photographers were around!

Source :
"Die 10. SS-Panzer-Division Frundsberg" by Rolf Michaelis

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Albert Biecker

Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer) awards his friend Hauptmann Dipl.-Ing. Albert Biecker (Chef 9.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division) with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in recognition of his tremendous leadership in combat inside the Cholm Pocket, March 20, 1942. Only five weeks later Hauptmann Biecker would be killed in action inside the still-besieged Cholm. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Richard Muck of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 501.

Albert Biecker received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 18 March 1942 as Hauptmann and Chef 9.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division. The medal was awarded for his actions during the siege of Cholm, as described in the following wartime excerpt: “Hauptmann Biecker has ruthlessly fended off countless attacks while serving as the commander of the main strongpoint on the eastern road for over 6 weeks. Yesterday morning he and his men used hand grenades to defeat a tank-supported Russian demolition group that was striking against the GPU building, and on this morning he eliminated a Soviet company that had entered into the GPU building while being covered by tanks. These deeds have been decisive for the holding of Cholm.”

Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer) awards his friend Hauptmann Dipl.-Ing. Albert Biecker (Chef 9.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division) with the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes inside the Cholm Pocket, 20 March 1942. Now Hauptmann Biecker is wearing his white stahlhelm. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Richard Muck of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 501.

Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer) hugging his friend Hauptmann Dipl.-Ing. Albert Biecker (Chef 9.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division) who just received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes inside the Cholm Pocket, 20 March 1942. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Richard Muck of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 501.

Hauptmann Dipl.-Ing. Albert Biecker (Chef 9.Kompanie / III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division) smiling to the camera after receiving the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes from Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer) inside the Cholm Pocket, 20 March 1942. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Richard Muck of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 501.

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo collection
"Besieged: The Epic Battle For Cholm" by Jason D. Mark
"Kampfgruppe Scherer: 105 Tage im Kessel von Cholm. Zeitgeschichte im Bild" by Richard Muck
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=96560&start=15
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/28436/Biecker-Albert.htm
https://www.ww2incolor.com/gallery/german-forces/19864/knight%27s-cross-award-in-cholm-pocket

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Johannes Manitius

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberst Johannes Manitius (Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division and, at the same time, Ia Kampfgruppe Scherer) which were held at the besieged Cholm in the northern sector of the Eastern Front. The location of the ceremony was in front of a bunker, and at that time Kampfgruppe Scherer were still surrounded by Russian troops and isolated from other Wehrmacht units. As the result, the four officers of Kampfgruppe Scherer who won the Ritterkreuz got their medals from air shipments dropped by friendly aircraft! Awarding the medal is Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer). Manitius himself formally received the Ritterkreuz on 3 April 1942. On the same day he was promoted from Oberstleutnant to Oberst.

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberst Johannes Manitius (Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division and, at the same time, Ia Kampfgruppe Scherer) which were held at the besieged Cholm in the northern sector of the Eastern Front. The location of the ceremony was in front of a bunker, and at that time Kampfgruppe Scherer were still surrounded by Russian troops and isolated from other Wehrmacht units. As the result, the four officers of Kampfgruppe Scherer who won the Ritterkreuz got their medals from air shipments dropped by friendly aircraft! Awarding the medal is Generalmajor Theodor Scherer (Kommandeur Kampfgruppe Scherer). Manitius himself formally received the Ritterkreuz on 3 April 1942. On the same day he was promoted from Oberstleutnant to Oberst.

Oberst Johannes Manitius (Kommandeur Infanterie-Regiment 386 / 218.Infanterie-Division and, at the same time, Ia Kampfgruppe Scherer) posing for the camera after receiving the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, April 1942. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Richard Muck of PK (Propaganda-Kompanie) 501.

Source :
Bundesarchiv photo collection
"Kampfgruppe Scherer: 105 Tage im Kessel von Cholm. Zeitgeschichte im Bild" by Richard Muck
http://alifrafikkhan.blogspot.com/2015/01/foto-281-sicherungs-division-281.html
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=96560&start=15