Josef Kult

Josef Kult
Born	20 January 1912 Deilingen, Germany
Died	22 February 1943 (aged 31) Ausheds, Russia
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–38 1939–43
Rank	Hauptmann of the Reserves (Posthumously)
Unit	Jäger-Regiment 228
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Uman Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Battle of the Caucasus
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Josef Kult (20 January 1912 – 22 February 1943) was a highly decorated Hauptmann of the Reserves 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. Josef Kult was killed on 22 February 1943 in Ausheds, Russia during the defense of the Kuban bridgehead. He was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann der Reserve and on 15 March 1943 was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (11 August 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (15 October 1941)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Eastern Front Medal (16 August 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 7 October 1942 as Leutnant of the Reserves and leader of the 3./Jäger-Regiment 228^[2]
  • 212th Oak Leaves on 15 March 1943 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and chief of the 3./Jäger-Regiment 228^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 427.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 229.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 59.

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.
• 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.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht