Date of birth:

February 4th, 1919 (Langenau-Ulm/Württemberg, Germany)

Date of death:

February 25th, 2013 (Stuttgart - Degerloch, Germany)

Nationality:

German

Promotions:
1st December 1940: Gefreiter;
1st December 1941: Unteroffizier;
1st October 1943: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
1st February 1944: Feldwebel;
1st March 1944: Oberfähnrich;
1st April 1944: Leutnant der Reserve;
1st January 1945: Oberleutnant der Reserve.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Gefreiter

Awarded on:

October 20th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier

Awarded on:

February 10th, 1942

Silver version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier

Awarded on:

April 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier

Awarded on:

July 12th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Unteroffizier

Awarded on:

October 17th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

August 1st, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Awarded on:

October 15th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

I. / Grenadier-Regiment 358

Awarded on:

March 9th, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Adjutant Stab 1. / Grenadier-Regiment 358 / 205.SS-Panzer-Division

Awarded on:

May 6th, 1945

The following telex (dated 08.05.1945) describes why Bleher was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“On the 18.03.1945 the Soviet 10th Guards Army opened up the Sixth Battle of Courland. At a point south of Schrunden the Soviet 8th Guards Division broke through the left sector of the 290. Infanterie-Division along its boundary with the 11. Infanterie-Division. Elements of the 205. Infanterie-Division were rushed to the site. The Kampfgruppe commanded by Hauptmann Stapelfeld (commander of the I./Grenadier-Regiment 358), reinforced by Sturmgeschütze, commenced a counterthrust against the breach. Hauptmann Stapelfeld fell. His adjutant, Oberleutnant Bleher, immediately took over leadership of the Kampfgruppe. A hellish forest battle ensued. Bleher reached his ordered objective and was wounded on the same day (the 23.03.1945). He was one of the ones responsible for encircling the 8th Guards Division, and this unit was subsequently almost totally destroyed between Lapuki and Ziemeli in fighting that lasted until the 31.03.1945. The only exception was a group of 400 men which escaped through a gap created by the Soviet 20th Guards Division.”

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1992.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Möbius I., Über Moskau ins Kurland: Ritterkreuzträger Georg Bleher erzählt, Möbius, Ingo; Auflage: 1 (April 2008), ISBN 978-3000241208
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945