Awarded on:

February 1934

Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, 4.(MG) Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Reigment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"

Awarded on:

June 19th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, 4.(MG) Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Reigment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"

Awarded on:

July 1st, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Silver version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer, 8. Kompanie, SS-infanterie-Regiment "Deutschland", SS-Division "Reich"

Awarded on:

August 4th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Untersturmführer der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Adjutant, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 2, SS-Division "Reich"

Awarded on:

October 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

3. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"

Awarded on:

August 1942

Silver version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"

Awarded on:

December 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

2. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 5, SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking"

Awarded on:

March 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Chef, 1. Kompanie, schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 103

Awarded on:

November 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", IV. SS-Panzerkorps, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

October 16th, 1944

Flügel’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“The Russians penetrated into the village of Stanislawow in the early morning hours of the 18.08.1944 following a drumfire-like artillery preparation. They constantly funnelled in additional infantry, tanks, anti-tank guns and AA guns and continued their advance towards the Stanislawow farm and a general northward direction. They occupied the Stanislawow sector with 2 strong regiments.

The 3 weak Kompanien available to the II./SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 received the order to retake Stanislawow along with an SPW group following a friendly artillery preparation.

At 14:30 SS-Hauptsturmführer Flügel commenced the attack with his Abteilung. 7. Kompanie would launch a wide strike to the west while the 5. and 6. Kompanien would tie down the enemy from the front with coordinated fire. The first attack objective, the Stanislawow farm, was secured by strong enemy anti-tank, anti-air and tank forces similar to the northern and eastern edges of Stanislawow itself. This caused the attack to stall at close range.

In this critical situation Flügel personally set himself at the head of 7. Kompanie after he had positioned all the Abteilung’s remaining vehicles for a renewed firefight against the north and northwestern edges of Stanislawow. In an exceptionally daring drive Flügel and 6 Panzers broke into the commanding Stanislawow farm and destroyed 19 heavy enemy anti-tank guns. Flügel thrust further towards the western edge of the heavily defended village and perceived that it could only be captured from the west. Flügel thus drove to the rest of the Abteilung in his command Panzer, reorganized the Kompanien and drove to the northern edge of Stanislawow (once again at the head of his vehicles), penetrating into the city and linking up with the western group. In hard urban combat the Panzers thrust through Stanislawow and attacked the strong enemy anti-tank/Flak line on its eastern side, which was simultaneously suppressed by a few Panzers firing from the northeast.

Through this flexibly led attack, during which he applied himself to the utmost, Flügel succeeded in occupying Stanislawow. The enemy did not expect the attack. It led to the destruction of strong enemy assembly areas.

The following enemy materiel was eliminated over a very small area at the cost of no friendly losses:

41 heavy anti-tank guns
5 Flak guns
6 tanks
1 assault gun
Over 900 enemy dead and prisoners
A large number of infantry weapons.

Flügel has proven himself as a fighter in all campaigns of this war. As a Panzer Zugführer, Kompanie-Führer and Abteilungs-Führer he has distinguished himself through his exceptional tactical acumen and daring. He has achieved all his assigned missions with minimal friendly losses.

Flügel has received a total of 6 wounds, some of which were severe.

I hold him as particularly worthy of the award of the Knight’s Cross to the Iron Cross.”

Although the document lists the day of this action as the 18.08.1944, other primary sources indicate that this action could not have taken place near Stanislawow on this day. The available evidence suggests that the true date of this action was the 09.08.1944.

Submitted on September 8th 1944.
Preliminary document and decoration on October 25th 1944 to Heeresgruppe Mitte.
According to the recommendation the action took place on August 18th, 1944. Looking at the course of the war in the area the date must actually have been around August 9th-10th, 1944.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking", IV. SS-Panzerkorps, Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

1944