Günther Konopacki

Günther Konopacki
Born	10 October 1921 Groß Bösitz
Died	23 June 1987 (aged 65) Baden-Baden
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1939–45
Rank	Rittmeister
Commands held	Aufklärungs-Lehr-Abteilung
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1943) East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Günther Konopacki (10 October 1921 – 23 June 1987) was a highly decorated Rittmeister in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient 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. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 June 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (27 October 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (25 October 1943)
  • in Silver (21 December 1943)
  • in Gold (17 March 1945)
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (17 September 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 21 April 1943 as Leutnant in the 3./Radfahr-Abteilung 168^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 December 1944 as Oberleutnant and commander of Aufklärungs-Abteilung 168^[3]
  • 797th Oak Leaves on 23 March 1945 as Rittmeister and commander of the I./Radfahr-Jäger-Brigade 10^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 396.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 245.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 220.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 83.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
• 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.
• 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 Miltaer-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.