TracesOfWar needs your help! Every euro, pound or dollar you contribute greatly supports the continuation of this website. Go to stiwot.nl and donate!

Grote, Freiherr, Horst

Date of birth:
May 12th, 1912 (Gleiwitz/Silesia, Germany)
Date of death:
June 5th, 2008 (Hannover/Lower Saxony, Germany)
Nationality:
German

Biography

Horst Freiherr Grote finally reached the rank of Major im Generalstab. After the Seconr World War he served with the Bundeswehr until 30th September 1970 and finally there reached the rank of Oberst (RDA May 1st, 1966).

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (Flying Officer)
Unit:
Staffelkapitän, 4. Staffel, II. Gruppe, Lehrgeschwader 2, Luftwaffe
Awarded on:
July 21st, 1940
The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Grote received the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberleutnant Freiherr von Grote has distinguished himself as a Staffelkapitän in a Schlachtgruppe because of the outstanding bravery and excellent leadership he has demonstrated while commanding his Staffel. His bold devotion to duty enabled his Staffel to accomplish decisive feats-of-arms on the battlefield. Our ground troops had a much easier time of pushing back the enemy thanks to the intervention of the ground attack flyers. This fact is attributable to the singular bravery of this Staffelkapitän, as he was always the first one to brave the enemy’s combined defensive firepower.”
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Flight Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
February 15th, 1943
Luftwaffe Ehrenpokale für besondere Leistungen im Luftkrieg

Sources

Photo