Josef Holte

Josef Holte
Born	28 March 1912 Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Died	Livarot, France
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Waffen SS
Years of service	1939–44
Rank	Oberscharführer
Unit	SS-VT 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class Eastern Front Medal 1941/42

Josef Holte (28 March 1912 – 20 August 1944) was an Oberscharführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Josef Holte was born on the 28 March 1912, in Gelsenkirchen. During World War II he volunteered for the SS-VT He took part in Operation Barbarossa the invasion of the Soviet Union where he was awarded his first combat decoration the Iron Cross 2nd class in July 1941 and the Iron Cross 1st class in November 1941.

He was posted to the 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen as a platoon commander in the 2nd Company, 9th SS Panzer Regiment. He was killed in action of the 20 August 1944, near Livarot in France and awarded a posthumous Knight's Cross.

Awards

• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 August 1944 as SS-Oberscharführer of the Reserves and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 2./SS-Panzer-Regiment 9 "Hohenstaufen"