Bio of Oberst Max Hecht (1898-1980)

Full nama: Max Karl Friedrich Hecht
Nickname: Max
Date of Birth: 27 January 1898 at Bautzen, Sachsen (German Empire)
Date of Death: 13 June 1980 at Hof, Bayern (West Germany)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: unknown
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
31.03.1935 Hauptmann
01.06.1939 Major
01.02.1942 Oberstleutnant
20.04.1943 Oberst

Karriere (Career):
00.00 1916 Kriegsfreiwilliger in Königlich Sächsischen 2. Feld-Artillerie-Regiment Nr. 28
00.00.1919 Member of the Freikorps in Baltic
00.00.1920 Re-entry into the Reichswehr with the rank of Oberleutnant
21.10.1934 Transferred to the Luftwaffe
01.10.1935 Batteriechef 5.Batterie / Scheinwerfer-Abteilung "Döberitz"
00.00.1936 Batteriechef in Flak-Regiment 22
05.04.1938 Referent Stab Luftgau-Kommando III
00.00.1940 Kommandeur des Stabes des Generalkommando Flakkorps I
01.02.1942 Served in Flak-Regiment 25
00.00.1942 Kommandeur Flak-Regiment 135
09.06.1942 Kommandeur Flak-Regiment 26
00.06.1942 Kommandeur Flak-Regiment 25
01.09.1943 Kommandeur Flak-Regiment 49
11.02.1944 Flak-Einsatz-Führer 1. Jagd-Division
15.11.1944 Führer 4. Flak-Division
00.00.1945 - 00.00.1946 POW

Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
00.00.1918 1914 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
00.00.1918 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.19__ Baltenkreuz II. und I.Klasse
00.00.193_ Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
00.00.193_ Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938
00.00.19__ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. Klasse
00.00.19__ 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
22.11.1940 1939 spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
29.05.1941 Mentioned in Wehrmachtbericht
06.02.1942 Flakkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
00.00.19__ Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
00.00.194_ Ärmelband “Afrika”
00.00.194_ Medaglia al Valor Militare (Italy)
07.03.1942 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Major and Kommandeur Flak-Regiment 135 (motorisiert). His unit single-handedly stopped the 7th British Tank Division in North Africa. Hecht stood in front of his soldiers as commander and personally led the battle..The following press article (dated 11 March 1942) describes his Ritterkreuz action: “Major Max Hecht has already participated in the First World War, and was decorated with the Iron Cross First & Second Class during this time. As commander of a Flak-Regiment, he has participated in all the decisive combat actions of Panzergruppe Afrika and led the missions of his Flak forces from the frontlines. His prudence, ruthlessness and bravery (which showed even in critical situations) were the catalysts for the heroic deeds of his subordinated Flak-Regiment. In the space of just a few weeks the unit destroyed 192 tanks, 31 armored reconnaissance vehicles and 18 aircraft.”

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Source :
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Hecht,_Max
https://www.facebook.com/Militaergeschichte18131945/photos/a.112018861221276/122695970153565/
http://www.historic.de/Militar/Personen/Hecht.htm
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/H/HechtM.htm
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/66166/Hecht-Max-Karl-Friedrich.htm

Bio of Hauptwachtmeister Otto Bösel (1913-1975)

Full nama: Otto Bösel
Nickname: Otto
Date of Birth: 12 July 1913 at Eisleben, Sachsen Anhalt (German Empire)
Date of Death: 5 November 1975 at Wittenberg, Sachsen-Anhalt (West Germany)
NSDAP Number: unknown
SS Number: unknown
Academic Title: unknown
Family Member: unknown
Physical Feature: unknown

Beförderungen (Promotion):
02.09.1939 Gefreiter
02.07.1942 Unteroffizier
00.00.1943 Wachtmeister
01.06.1944 Oberwachtmeister
19.09.1944 Hauptwachtmeister

Karriere (Career):
00.00.1937 - 00.00.1938 Lehrgang in I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 43 at Wittenberg
02.09.1939 Served in 2.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 43
29.07.1944 Transferred to Flak-Kampftruppe 11700
19.09.1944 Served in 1.Batterie / Feld-Flakartillerie-Schule (Mitte) 16 at München-Freimann

Orden und Ehrenzeichen (Medals and Decorations):
17.06.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
19.09.1940 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
00.00.194_ Flakkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
00.00.194_ Erdkampfabzeichen der Luftwaffe
00.00.194_ Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber
29.04.1943 Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
00.00.1943 Ärmelband "Afrika"
11.06.1944 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Wachtmeister and Geschützführer in 1.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 43 / 6.Flak-Division. The medal was awarded for distinguishing himself in the North Africa campaign, as detailed by the following excerpt from the ‘Wittenberger Tageblatt’ (dated 3 August 1944): “Wachtmeister Bösel has distinguished himself on all fronts in an exemplary way. During all his battles he demonstrated great readiness for duty, bravery and outstanding leadership abilities. He proved to be particularly successful in engaging enemy tanks and often brought about achievements of battle-deciding importance.”

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Considered "one of the best gunners in the battalion", he participated in Wolz's Flak Front, 27th May 1942. Said to have knocked out 20 of the 24 enemy tanks destroyed in that engagement! Evacuated from Africa due to wounds, he becoming gunnery instructor. Not awarded the Ritterkreuz until 11th June 1944 "after further enquires" on his actions under Wolz.

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-497-3505-25
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Personenregister/B/BoeselO.htm
https://ar.pinterest.com/pin/280278776786081479/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/22154/B%C3%B6sel-Otto.htm

Ritterkreuz Action of Otto Bösel

Otto Bösel (12 July 1913 - 5 November 1975) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 11 June 1944 as Wachtmeister and Geschützführer in 1.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 43 / 6.Flak-Division. The medal was awarded for distinguishing himself in the North Africa campaign, as detailed by the following excerpt from the ‘Wittenberger Tageblatt’ (dated 3 August 1944): “Wachtmeister Bösel has distinguished himself on all fronts in an exemplary way. During all his battles he demonstrated great readiness for duty, bravery and outstanding leadership abilities. He proved to be particularly successful in engaging enemy tanks and often brought about achievements of battle-deciding importance.”

Source :
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-497-3505-25
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/22154/B%C3%B6sel-Otto.htm

Georg Tyroller and Luftwaffe Oberst

ECPAD archives (LFT3 F2837 L16)

Oberstleutnant Georg Tyroller (right, Kommandeur gemischte Flak Abteilung 193 / Flak-Regiment 15 / 13.Flak-Division) in the summer of 1943, with unknown Oberst of the Luftwaffe. Tyroller received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 23 December 1942 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur of.Flak-Abteilung 84 / Führer Kampfgruppe Tyroller (Flugplatz Kantemirovka-Süd).

ECPAD archives (LFT3 F2837 L14)

Source :
ECPAD Archives

Ritterkreuz Award Ceremony for Johann Engelhardt

 

ECPAD Archives (FALL AOK F1891 L17)

Ritterkreuz award ceremony for Oberleutnant Johann Engelhardt (Chef 8.Kompanie / II.Bataillon / Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11 / 4.Fallschirmjäger-Division) which were held on 29 February 1944 at the Anzio-Nettuno front, Italy. He is congratulated by his regimental commander Major Walter Gericke (Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11).

 

ECPAD Archives (FALL AOK F1891 L19)

Source :
ECPAD Archives

Walter Gericke with His Troops in the Anzio-Nettuno Front

 

ECPAD Archives (FALL AOK F2100 L06)

Major Walter Gericke (with Ritterkreuz on his neck, Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11 / 4.Fallschirmjäger-Division) in Anzio-Nettuno front, February 1944. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 June 1941 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur IV.Bataillon / Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment 1 / 7.Flieger-Division. For his leadership as Regimentskommandeur during the battles in the Italian Front, Gericke would received the Eichenlaub for his Ritterkreuz on 17 September 1944.

 

ECPAD Archives (FALL AOK F2100 L07)

Source :
ECPAD Archives

Ritterkreuz Action of Adolf Wolf

 

Adolf Wolf (23 May 1899 – 11 March 1973) received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 20 June 1940 as Oberstleutnant and Kommandeur I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 64 (motorisiert). The following press release concerns the action that led to the reception of the Ritterkreuz by Oberstleutnant Wolf: "Oberstleutnant Wolf has with his battalion of Flak troops accompanied the armored troops into the forward battle areas and provided excellent protection for their continued advance across the Somme. His battalion has in the first part of the western campaign shot down a large number of enemy aircraft. It has also participated in the defense against the Anglo-French attack on Abbeville and resisted against heavy ground and air assaults. The battalion's glorious exploits and the contributions of its Commander, who through prudent leadership and personal bravery managed to get the most out of his batteries even in dangerous situations, played a large role in the successful conclusion of this battle." During the defense of the Abbeville bridgehead (as described in the press), 56 allied tanks were destroyed. Wolf's Flak guns played a critical role in knocking out the larger allied tanks such as the Char B1 bis that the majority of German AT guns were powerless against.

Source :
http://www.geocities.ws/orion47.geo/WEHRMACHT/LUFTWAFFE/Generalmajor/WOLF_ADOLF.html
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/27846/Wolf-Adolf-LW-Flak.htm
https://www.weitze.com/militaria/19/Foto_Ritterkreuztraeger_Generalmajor_Adolf_Wolf__213719.html?t=x

Bio of Rudolf Cleve

 Rudolf Cleve (22 July 1919 - 30 October 1997) joined the I. Abteilung of Flak-Regiment 7 in Wolfenbüttel as a Fahnenjunker after finishing his compulsory service in RAD-Abteilung 4/181. After participated in the Fähnrich-Lehrgang, he was transferred to the 5. Batterie of Flak-Abteilung 301 as a Leutnant. On August 1, 1940, he was transferred to the 5. Batterie of Flak-Regiment 4. Promoted to Oberleutnant on October 1, 1941, on October 17, 1941 he became Führer of the 3. Batterie in Flak-Regiment 4. On May 4, 1944, Cleve was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as a Hauptmann and Chef 3.Batterie / I.Abteilung / Flak-Regiment 4 (motorisiert) for the performance of his battery. He received this after a convalescence in the hospital. After his recovery, on July 17, 1944, he became a tactical teacher at the Luftkriegsschule VIII in Göppingen. After further training positions on April 15, 1945 he became Ia in the Flak-Brigade Rerik and, at the same time, battalion leader. On May 10, 1945, he was captured by the British, from which he was released in August 1945.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/groups/152986901863424/