Eduard Skrzipek

Eduard Skrzipek
Friedrich Lang, Erich Hartmann and Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer receive the Oak Leaves with Swords, Horst Kaubisch, Eduard Skrzipek and Adolf Glunz the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross from Adolf Hitler
Born	26 June 1917 Beuthen, Upper Silesia
Died	25 February 1945 (aged 27) Pilsen
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	KG 27
Commands held	14./KG 27
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain Eastern Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Eduard Skrzipek (26 June 1917 – 25 February 1945) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Skrzipek was killed in a flying accident in Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 on 25 February 1945.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 September 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (30 September 1940)^[1]
• Honour Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe) on 17 November 1941 as Leutnant and pilot^[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 27 May 1942 as Leutnant in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 27^[3]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and pilot in the 5./Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke"^[4][5]
  • 509th Oak Leaves on 24 June 1944 as Hauptmann and Staffelkapitän of the 14.(Eis)/Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke"^[4][6]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 330.
2. Patzwall 2008, p. 195.
3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 447.
4. Scherzer 2007, p. 708.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 402.
6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 84.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Kaiser, Jochen (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kampfflieger—Band 1 [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Bomber Fliers—Volume 1] (in German and English). Bad Zwischenahn, Germany: Luftfahrtverlag-Start. ISBN 978-3-941437-07-4.
• 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.
• Patzwall, Klaus D. (2008). Der Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg [The Honor Goblet for Outstanding Achievement in the Air War] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-08-3.
• 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 (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.