Kurt Deichen

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Kurt Deichen
Born (1914-04-20)20 April 1914
Berlin
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Lüneburg
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch Army
Years of service 1939–45
Rank Hauptmann
Unit 3rd Panzer Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Kurt Deichen (20 April 1914 – 27 February 1969) was a German mechanized infantry commander and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

In the late stages of the battle of Kursk the 3rd Panzer Division was threatened by a large open flank to the west, and its commanders feared a Russian attack from this direction. However their concerns were not taken seriously by the higher commands and only minimal forces were permitted to cover an attack from this direction. When the Russian armoured attack did eventually materialize there was a very real danger it would threaten the rear areas of the entire 4th Panzer Army, were it not for the actions of Hauptmann Deichen. On his own initiative he took charge of a company of light APCs and one of SP anti-tank guns and drove into the Soviet flank, causing casualties in both tanks and men but more importantly buying time for the division to establish a new defensive line facing west. For his decisiveness at a critical moment Deichen was awarded the Knight’s Cross.[1]

Awards & decorations

References

Citations

  1. Veterans of the 3rd Panzer Division (2012). Armoured Bears: Volume Two. Stackpole Books. p. 168.

Bibliography

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External links