Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst im Generalstab (Colonel to the General Staff)

Unit:

Führer Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 7

Awarded on:

May 8th, 1945

Gerd Riedel was a staff officer and given command of Fallschirmjäger Regt. 7 after the paratroopers were pressed into infantry duties. Riedel won his Knight’s Cross during the fighting in the Ruhr Pocket after the retreat from the Ardennes Offensive. He was captured before he could be awarded his Knight’s Cross and as a result, there are no photos of him actually wearing the award.


Riedel's Knight's Cross nomination was submitted by the troop via teleprinter message on 6-3-1945. A stamp indicated an entry date of 8-3-1945. The written nomination was sent on 24 March and was received by the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) on 28 April. A day later Major Joachim Domaschk processed this request and noted: "By no means sufficient for the Knight's Cross!" General Ernst Maisel disapproved the nomination on 30 April—he had been authorized to do so at this time. The troop was probably not informed of this decision. The IIa (Adjutant) of commander-in-chief North had entered Riedel's "pending" nomination on a list for approval by Großadmiral Karl Dönitz shortly before the German surrender. In parallel the HPA was informed and Oberst Goecke created an Heerespersonalamt-Außenstelle-Verleihungsvorschlag (HPA/A-VV—Branch of the Army Staff Office Nomination Recommendation). He had approved the nomination and backdated the nomination to 28 April. Neither the list nor the recommendation was signed. A presentation was never made and a legally binding disapproval was made by General Maisel. The presentation date was assigned by the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (OdR). Riedel was a member of the OdR.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

August 11th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 20th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 2nd, 1939