Dittmer, Joachim

Date of birth:: November 26th, 1915 (Klotzow/Pommerania, Germany)
Date of death:: November 3rd, 1943 (Jekaterinowka, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Joachim Dittmer was born on November 26th as the son of Kurt and Irene Dittmer. During the Battle for France in June 1940 he was seriously injured. After recovering he was released from active service but later volunteered for service on the Eastern Front. He was killed on November 3rd, 1943. At that moment he served as Regimentsführer with the rank of Major.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Kommandeur I. / Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 / 3. Panzer-Division
Awarded on:: April 3rd, 1943

The following press excerpt (dated 12.04.1943) describes why Dittmer was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Hauptmann Dieter… broke through strong enemy positions at the head of a Kampfgruppe consisting of Panzergrenadiers, Panzers, Pioneren and a Batterie. He and his men thrust through to the Donez river at a point north of Slawjansk. Then, on his own initiative, he pivoted south of entered into the northeastern part of Slawjansk. By doing this he created a situation that would later lead to the capture of the city as well as the destruction of the 3rd Soviet Tank Army (this latter success was reported in the Wehrmachtbericht of the 07.03.1943).”

Hauptmann Dittmer’s thrust into Slawjansk took place on the 09.02.1943. Having determined that the Soviets had failed to post combat outposts in the vicinity, Hauptmann Dittmer decided to take advantage of their negligence and he ordered his battalion of SPWs to rush into the city at high speed in order to capture it from the march. The Soviets were taken completely by surprise and had no opportunity to put up an effective defense, and the city was soon back in German hands.