Georg le Coutre

Georg le Coutre
Born	13 September 1921 Memel
Died	8 January 2009 (aged 87) Bonn
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1940–45 1956–78
Rank	Leutnant (Wehrmacht) Oberstleutnant (Bundeswehr)
Unit	Fallschirmjägerregiment 4 Fallschirmjägerregiment 6
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Crete Italian Campaign Operation Overlord Battle of the Bulge
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Georg le Coutre (13 September 1921 – 8 January 2009) was a highly decorated Leutnant in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and an Oberstleutnant in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was captured by American troops in February 1945, and held until 1946. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and served until his retirement in 1978.

Awards and decorations

• Fallschirmschützenabzeichen (12 December 1940)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (4 May 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (26 June 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (17 April 1944)^[1]
  • in Silver (28 May 1944)^[1]
  • in Gold (5 November 1944)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 14 June 1944 as Feldwebel in the 4./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 7 February 1945 as Leutnant and leader of 10./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6^[3]
• Cuffband "Crete" (20 May 1943)^[1]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 38.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 76.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 131.

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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945