Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 21st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 5th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur I. / Panzer-Regiment 8 / Heeresgruppe Afrika

Awarded on:

December 31st, 1941

Fenski’s award of the Knight’s Cross was justified according to the following wartime excerpt…

“Major Fenski decisively facilitated the complete destruction of the 4th English Armoured Brigade on the 22.11.1941 through his initiative and particularly skillful leadership. During the subsequent fighting Major Fenski fell in battle. Additional recognition through the Knight’s Cross is supported with no reservations.”

His adjutant wrote an account that supplements this brief description as follows…

“From the 19.11.1941 our Abteilung was constantly employed as the spearhead against the enemy, and had already brought heavy losses and defeats upon the foe on the 20.-21.11.1941. During the late afternoon of the 22.11.1941 we again attacked an English Armoured Brigade, which immediately pulled back and moved away under cover of the gathering darkness. Despite the very black night conditions we thrusted further forwards even so, and suddenly found ourselves just a few metres away from this Brigade. Acting swiftly, Major Fenski drove through the enemy along with me, surrounded them with the Abteilung and then took the astounded Brigade prisoner. It was an enormous success: 35 tanks fell into our hands, and among the prisoners were the Brigade commander and 13 officers with valuable, operationally relevant papers. Major Fenski was congratulated on this unearthly success on the same night by the divisional commander and the commanding General.”

Submitted on 28th December 1941.
Awarded posthumously.