Erwin Bohlken

Erwin Bohlken
Born	(1919-07-09)9 July 1919 Osternburg
Died	6 November 1954(1954-11-06) (aged 35) Prisser
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Heer Bundesgrenzschutz
Years of service	1938–45
Rank	Oberfeldwebel (Wehrmacht) Oberfeldwebel (Bundesgrenzschutz)
Unit	Panzer-Regiment 1
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of Moscow Battles of Rzhev Cherkassy Pocket Hube's Pocket Operation Konrad Operation Frühlingserwachen Prague Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Erwin Bohlken (9 July 1919 – 6 November 1954) was a highly decorated Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. After the war Erwin Bohlken joined the Bundesgrenzschutz (Federal Border Guards).

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (21 July 1941)
  • 1st Class (6 September 1942)
• Wound Badge
  • in Black (6 May 1942)
  • in Silver (9 May 1944)
  • in Gold (16 February 1945)
• Panzer Badge
  • in Silver (26 June 1940)
  • II Class (8 January 1944)
  • III Class (12 January 1945)
• Anti-Partisan Guerrilla Warfare Badge
  • in Bronze (30 March 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal (1 August 1942)
• German Cross in Gold (1 June 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 March 1945 as Feldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 1./Panzer-Regiment 1

References

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 (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• 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 (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
• Wegmann, Günter (2004). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil VIIIa: Panzertruppe Band 1: A–E (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2322-1. CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939–1945