Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

January 18th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kommandeur, 4. Schwadron, SS-Reiter-Regiment 1 "Florian Geyer", SS-Kavallerie-Division, 8. Armee, Heeresgruppe Süd

Awarded on:

September 17th, 1943

Göhler’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“SS-Obersturmführer Göhler, who has already proven himself as one of our best in both winter campaigns against Russia, particularly distinguished himself on the 29.08.1943 through exceptional decisiveness and audacity. The Regiment had been fighting a tough defensive battle for days along the Nowo Berezkij—Taranowka railway line against an enemy far superior in men and weapons. The remnants of 4. Schwadron under the command of Obersturmführer Göhler stood on the open northern flank, and had already held their ground for 2 days against repeated enemy attacks and heavy drumfire. By the 29.08.1943 the last reserve of the Regiment had been used up, and Göhler continued to fight a tactically hopeless battle. This risk was only taken so as to enable the 293. Infanterie-Division (arriving on the next day) to successfully close the large, several kilometre wide gap between the northern wing of the SS-Kavallerie-Division and elements of the 6. Panzer-Division.

At 16:00 the Russians attacked the positions of Göhler’s Schwadron simultaneously from the east and north following a 2 hour drumfire. While the enemy battalion attacking from the north (in strength of far over 500 men) was successfully halted at medium range through the defending fire tactics, at 17:20 the Russians nonetheless penetrated into the position of the Schwadron (down to 43 men) with a tenfold superiority in numbers. After a desperate close-quarter battle lasting about 90 minutes the Russians were forced to retreat while leaving behind over 100 dead. However due to their superiority, and of course the total exhaustion of the Schwadron, this retreat could no longer be turned into a disordered rout. Göhler perceived the tremendous danger, however he was also aware of the decisive importance of his position for the entire SS-Kavallerie-Division. When the Russians sent in a further battalion from Passiki through the cornfield so as to reinforce the retreating Russian battalion, Göhler realized that it would be impossible to successfully repel a renewed enemy attack with his last troops. He sent the following report to the Regiment, which was currently involved in a heavy defensive battle all around:

‘I’m gambling everything on one card; look after the heavy weapons behind me!’

He then cried out to his men: ‘The Russians are already running, Hurra! Hurra!’ He then attacked with fewer than 40 men against a force of 600 Russians that were assembling about 200 metres away in the cornfield before him. A bloodbath ensued among the Russians, whose newly brought up battalion was swept away by the retreat of the first battalion. In this moment 2 Sturmgeschütze arrived from the Regiment, and Göhler mounted up on these with 16 men. This combined force was then able to pursue the enemy just a few hundred metres behind them. The second enemy battalion also sustained hundreds of casualties. The enemy was so badly impacted by this defeat that they did not launch any further attacks against this keystone position beyond armed reconnaissance. As a result the 293. Infanterie-Division was able to close this frontline gap on the evening of the next day without enemy interference.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Chef, 4. Schwadron, SS-Reiter-Regiment 1

Awarded on:

September 26th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)