Kittel, Kurt

Date of birth:: December 8th, 1922 (Meuselwitz/Thuringia, Germany)
Date of death:: December 29th, 1980 (Bielefeld/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Obergefreiter (Corporal)
Unit:: Granatwerfertruppführer 5. / Grenadier-Regiment 88
Awarded on:: November 29th, 1944

During a counterattack of the 5./Grenadier-Regiment 88 in the middle of February 1944 Obergefreiter Kittel especially distinguished himself. The Kompanie had become bogged down before a strong Soviet position. Before the Kompanie commander could issue any appropriate orders, Kittel had already made a plan to render the strong opposing position harmless.

Acting on his own initiative, he was able to make his way close to the hostile position alone and unnoticed before knocking it out with hand grenades. The surviving Soviet soldiers, some 19 in all, subsequently surrendered to Kittel. His independent actions enabled the German attack to get moving again, and it was able to reach its objective as planned.

For his decisive actions as a lone fighter, which brought with them remarkable results, Obergefreiter Kittel would be decorated with the Knight’s Cross.