- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur, Flak-Regiment 99, Luftwaffe
- Awarded on:
- January 24th, 1943
Obergethmann’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…
“Oberstleutnant Obergethmann was tasked with the defense of Oblivskaya, a cornerstone of the German positions along the Chir front. By his great personal effort, he was able to transform this place into a solid strongpoint with his hastily-assembled together troops in the shortest time, and thereafter supervised its defense in an outstanding manner.
With his ruthless and heroic devotion to duty, he was able to repel the strongest enemy attacks carried out with all manner of weapons. Thanks to his outstanding leadership and tenacious fighting spirit the attacks of the overwhelming enemy were brought to naught. As such the strongpoint Oblivskaya was the only one on the whole Chir front to remain fully in German hands, meaning that the enemy were unable to collapse the Chir front. Many Russian tanks could be destroyed through the skillful deployment of the few available anti-tank weapons.
On the basis of his exemplary personal attitude, exceptional bravery and the resulting notable successes, I would like to recommend him for the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”