Date of birth:

November 9th, 1889 (Stollberg-Chemnitz/Saxony, Germany)

Date of death:

June 17th, 1976 (Opladen/Northrhine-Westernphalia, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 21st, 1940

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 18th September 1914.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 6th, 1942

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 15th August 1915.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant der Reserve (Lieutenant-colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 317 / 211.Infanterie-Division / Korps Scheele / 2.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

April 6th, 1943

During the fighting for the Orel salient in early 1943 Oberstleutnant Flinzer and his troops fought around Wydrowka, Pustynka, Buda-Monastyrskaja and Kommuna-Bolschewik. Here they distinguished themselves greatly in the defense. In particular, on the 22.02.1943, they withstood a major Soviet offensive in the so-called “Hell of Liwadija”. Flinzer would receive the Knight’s Cross for his outstanding leadership during this time.

1669th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst der Reserve

Unit:

Grenadier-Regiment 317

Awarded on:

January 27th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst der Reserve (Colonel of Reserves)

Unit:

Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 317 / 211.Infanterie-Division / VIll.Armee-Korps/ 2.Armee / Heeresgruppe Mitte

Awarded on:

September 5th, 1944

During the first defensive battle of Vitebsk (10.-16.11.1943) Oberst Flinzer and his men carried out 10 of their own attacks, repelled 62 major enemy attacks and destroyed 29 tanks. Oberst Flinzer would continue to distinguish himself in the Regiment’s battles in the Pripet marshes, the retreat to the Bug and during the fighting in Eastern Poland (which began on the 22.07.1944). During this latter stage of fighting a new defensive line near Sycyna and Styrzyniec (south of the Miedzyrzec-Biala Podlaska road) was held by the Regiment for three days against all hostile attacks, even though the enemy had managed to bypass it to the north and south. Flinzer would receive the Oakleaves for the sum of his achievements.

575th Award.

• Photo 1: Wehrkundearchiv
• Photo: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
  
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945