Tesch, Karl-Heinz

Date of birth:: October 13th, 1916 (Brahlstorf/Mecklenburg, Germany)
Date of death:: May 12th, 1963 (Heiligenhaus/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Karl-Heinz Tesch reached the rank of Unteroffizier.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Stabsgefreiter (Staff Lance Corporal)
Unit:: stellvertretender Gruppenführer, 7. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26, 24. Panzer-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: July 27th, 1944

Awarded following his Division's assaults against Soviet positions in Romania during the late spring of 1944. On the 02.06.1944, following friendly artillery preparation, the panzergrenadiers of the 24. Panzer-Division were able to break into the opposing defensive works. During this fighting Tesch and his handful of men were able to seize control of a heavily fortified Soviet strongpoint (containing 53 flamethrowers), located between the villages of Horlesti and Zahorna, in a lightning attack. The swift capture of this strongpoint was of great importance for the continuation of the Division's attack, and it was as a result of this achievement (during which he was wounded twice) that Tesch was decorated with the Knight's Cross.