Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer 2. / Infanterie-Regiment 351

Awarded on:

January 27th, 1942

The following wartime excerpt describes why Feurer was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“During the midday hours the Russians succeeding in penetrating through the sector of the left neighbour with 2 companies. At the same time the Russians also penetrated the lines of Feurer’s Kompanie from the front. In view of the danger that this penetration represented, the Kompanie-Führer decided to commence a counterthrust with his remaining troops in this critical situation. He stormed against the enemy with 8 men of his Kompanie HQ squad. He succeeded in ejecting the ~200 man strong enemy force and restoring the situation. 40-50 Russians lay dead within the position, and even more lay in front of it. Through this outstanding act of bravery and initiative Oberleutnant Feurer decisively mastered a crisis situation that would have led to disastrous consequences for both Divisions.”

The following press article, dated 08.02.1942, supplements this description with the following details…

“During the Christmas days of 1941 Oberleutnant Alois Feurer and his Kompanie were deployed at the boundary between two German divisions in order to defend a sector that was over a kilometre long. Already since the 18.12.1941 the Kompanie had heroically defended against daily attacks by the Soviets, which were always smashed with heavy losses for the foe. On the first day of Christmas the Soviets crashed against the German positions a total of 5 times. However Oberleutnant Feurer and his mere 37 infantrymen were able to successfully repulse these attacks, wherein the commander himself personally fought bravely at the frontline. The Soviets did however managed to break into the left neighbouring sector, meaning that Feurer’s Kompanie now had to defend from both the front and the left flank. In this desperate situation Oberleutnant Feuerer plunged into the enemy at the head of his Kompanie HQ squad, and threw the ~200 man strong enemy force back. By this action Oberleutnant Feurer mastered a temporary crisis through his exceptional bravery and impetuous bravado, while also decisively influencing the flow of the combat.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)