Hans-Gotthard Pestke

Hans-Gotthard Pestke
Born	17 June 1914 Preußisch-Stargard
Died	30 April 2001 (aged 86) Celle
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935–45 1956–72
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	I./Grenadier-Regiment 176
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Belgium Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Courland Pocket East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hans-Gotthard Pestke (17 June 1914 – 30 April 2001) was a highly decorated Oberst 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. Hans-Gotthard Pestke was captured by British troops in May 1945 and was released in 1947. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and served until 1972.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (14 October 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (11 July 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 15 November 1941 as Oberleutnant and chief of 3./Infanterie-Regiment 176^[2]
  • 311th Oak Leaves on 14 October 1943 as Hauptmann and commander of I./Grenadier-Regiment 176^[3]
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 146.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 273.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 63.

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 (2010). Panzergrenadier Aces: German Mechanized Infantryment in World War II. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0656-8.
• 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.
• Stockert, Peter (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 4 [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 4] (in German). Bad Friedrichshall, Germany: Friedrichshaller Rundblick. ISBN 978-3-932915-03-1.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945