Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Kommandeur, SS-Flak-Abteilung 2, 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"

Awarded on:

May 6th, 1945

The following firsthand account by Dreike himself describes why he was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“On the 04.04.1945 I received the mission of securing the retreat road of the Division (from Laxenburg to Vienna) with the reinforced Flak-Abteilung ‘Das Reich’. The most endangered section of road was at Oberlaa, which was threatened from the town of Schwechat.

The Abteilung consisted of the remnants of three heavy Batterien, an incorporated Batterie of the RAD, a subordinated 2-cm Batterie of the Luftwaffe as well as the Abteilung’s own 4. Batterie. This last unit had lost all of its self-propelled 3.7 cm AA guns, and was by now equipped with 5-cm Pak guns that had been drawn from the stocks of Hungarian units. Infantry security was provided by survey detachments, stragglers and the last batch of students from the Heeres-Offiziers-Schule Vienna.

We took up positions on the slopes of the Laaer mountain and on the embankments of the highway in front of the Vienna Mountain. The edges of the roads were secured by strongpoints consisting of Pak and MGs. We repulsed the incessant attacks of the Soviets for a day and a night. In the process about 20 tanks were destroyed or knocked out.

Thanks to our successes here it was possible for the Division to assemble in the southern sector of Fortress Vienna in a timely fashion. On the next morning the Russian offensive movements increased to the level of a major attack. At the same time enemy assault operations from the inner city of Vienna were reported. The Flak-Abteilung was swiftly moved into position against this new threat. We were split up into small combat detachments and used as alarm units against advancing Russian groups. At this stage I was wounded by a headshot through the right eye.

I was unable to report on the successful employment of the Abteilung in writing. But during the fighting both the divisional and commanding generals were in our positions several times.”

Awarding done by SS-Obergruppenführer Dietrich through 6.SS-Panzerarmee. No evidence in Bundesarchiv.