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Lehrkinder, Alois

Date of birth:
April 11th, 1916 (Baden bei Wien/Lower Austria, Austria)
Date of death:
January 11th, 1990 (Baden bei Wien/Lower Austria, Austria)
Nationality:
Austrian (1938-1945, Reichsgau)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Unit:
Infanterie-Regiment 447
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Unteroffizier (Junior Sergeant)
Unit:
Gruppenführer 7./Infanterie-Regiment 447 / 137. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
September 1942
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Feldwebel (Staff Sergeant)
Unit:
Zugführer 7./Grenadier-Regiment 447 / 137. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
April 3rd, 1943
The following press excerpt describes why Lehrkinder was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The First Badener with the Knight’s Cross:

The Führer has awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross to Feldwebel Alois Lehrkinder, Zugführer in a Grenadier-Regiment.

Feldwebel Alois Lehrkinder was born on the 11.04.1916 in Baden (near Vienna) as the son of winegrower and Gefreiter Franz Lehrkinder, who fell in battle on the Russian front. As a Zugführer in a Grenadier-Regiment from the German Danube Gau, he has contributed significantly to the defensive battles southwest of Orel. After the enemy had penetrated the lines of the left neighbour, Feldwebel Lehrkinder and his Zug went on to fend off all attacks of the overwhelming Soviet forces, partially via counterthrusts. In the process he personally destroyed a tank in close combat. A short while later he was wounded.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Unit:
Infanterie-Regiment 447
Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen

Sources

  • Photo 1: Norbert Beyerlein
  • Photo: Beyerlein sammlung
  • - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
    - Berger, F., Ritterkreuzträger aus Österreich und den k.u.k. Kronländern, Selbstverlag Florian Berger, Wien, Österreich, 2006
    - Meyer-Detring, W., Die 137. Infanterie-Division im Mittelabschnitt der Ostfront, Nebel Verlag GmbH, Eggolsheim, Deutschland, 2006
    - das-ritterkreuz.de
    - Badener Zeitung, Edition 30, Page 2.

Photo