Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz

Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz
Born	15 March 1914 Innsbruck
Died	13 June 1999 (aged 85) Pulheim
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1935–38 1939–45
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Commands held	Jäger-Regiments 2 "Brandenburg"
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Karl-Heinz Oesterwitz (15 March 1914 – 13 June 1999) was an officer in the Brandenburgers in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was 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.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 January 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 December 1942)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 13 December 1942 as Oberleutnant in the 7./Lehr-Regiment "Brandenburg" z.b.V. 800^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 April 1943 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 7./Bau-Lehr-Regiment z.b.V. 800 "Brandenburg"^[3]
  • 734th Oak Leaves on 10 February 1945 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Jäger-Regiments 2 "Brandenburg"^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 131.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 337.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p.268.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 80.

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.
• 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 (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.