Hallauer, Helmuth

Date of birth:: February 4th, 1904 (Saarbrücken/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:: June 24th, 1941 (Rela Tilsit, Soviet Union)
Buried on:: German War Cemetery Tilsit / Sovetsk
Nationality:: German

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:: Chef 1. / Pionier-Bataillon 59 (motorisiert)
Awarded on:: June 24th, 1941

On the morning of the 22.06.1941 Hauptmann Hallauer and his Kompanie were employed as part of Kampfgruppe A of the 8. Panzer-Division. His objective was to capture the border bridge at Schmalleningken-Paschwentis in an undamaged state. Hallauer led an assault troop against the bridge in a surprise attack that overwhelmed the bridge guards, captured the bridge in an undamaged state and destroyed the rearward enemy communication links before the attack could be reported.

During further combat about a kilometre behind the bridge Hallauer and six of his Pioniere became casualties. Hallauer himself was wounded in the head and by a shot through his lung, and died two days later. However his actions here had decisively set the stage for his Division to achieve a rapid advance on the first day, and in recognition of this outstanding achievement bought at great cost Hallauer would be awarded the Knight’s Cross.