Date of birth:

October 5th, 1918 (Eulau/Tetschen-Bodenbach, Germany)

Date of death:

May 28th, 1987 (Essen, Germany)

Nationality:

German

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer 3. / schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653 / schwere Panzerjäger-Regiment 656

Awarded on:

December 17th, 1943

On the 25.11.1943 Kretschmer attacked a group of Soviet tanks that had broken through the German frontline at the Nikopol bridgehead. On this day alone he destroyed 21 enemy tanks with his SPG. For this deed he would be named in the Wehrmachtbericht the next day and be awarded the Knight’s Cross.

• Photo 1: Igor Poul
• - BARTL, ANTON W. & VERSTRAETEN, BART, Die Ritterkreuzträger des Sudetenlandes: 1939-1945, Wolfgang Historica, 2015.
  - 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
  - Münch K. , Combat history of Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653, formerly the Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 197, 1940-1943, Winnipeg, J J Fedorowicz, 1997, ISBN: 0-921991-37-1
  - Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum