Dowerk, Paul

Date of birth:: February 9th, 1910 (Ahrweiler/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:: June 23rd, 1944 (near Orscha/Belarus, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Paul Dowerk was killed in action on June 23rd, 1944 as Bataillonskommandeur. He was posthumously promoted to Major.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:: Chef 5. / Infanterie-Regiment 215 / 78. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: January 15th, 1942

The following wartime excerpt describes why Dowerk would be awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberleutnant Dowerk proved himself to be a model of personal bravery in the critical days 14.-16.12.1941, a time in which the Division was trying to escape encirclement with particular desperation and had to fight its way through to the Rusa Line with its regiments. His recapture of Lokotnja delivered a hostile bulwark in the deep flank of the Division back into our hands, and it prevented the enemy from using the place as a springboard to make a very threatening advance to block the retreat road of the Division. The intervention of Oberleutnant Dowerk at Ogarkowo and Sagorje was likewise decisive for the Division, as both times it freed open the road for the supply troops and valuable materiel that needed to pass through to pull back behind the rallying position of the Division.”