Erich Pietzonka

Erich Pietzonka
Born	4 October 1906 Plümkenau district of Oppeln / Upper Silesia
Died	18 December 1989 (aged 83) Bad Sassendorf
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer (to 1935)  Luftwaffe
Years of service	1924–45
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	9./Fallschirmjäger-Regiments 1 II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2 Fallschirmjäger-Regiments 7
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Battle for Brest
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Erich Pietzonka (4 October 1906 – 18 December 1989), was a German Fallschirmjäger during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award
  • 4th Class (2 October 1936)^[1]
  • 3rd Class (17 December 1936)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (28 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (28 May 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black (21 July 1941)^[1]
• Italian Bronze Medal of Military Valor (9 February 1942)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 4 August 1942 as Major in the II./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 2^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 5 September 1944 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7^[3]
  • 584th Oak Leaves on 16 September 1944 as Oberst and commander of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 209.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 352.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 339.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 88.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.
• 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.