Nowak, Alfred (Waffen SS)

Date of birth:: August 1st, 1920 (Dinklage/Vechta, Germany)
Date of death:: September 13th, 1943 (Klimenkowke, USSR)
Service number:: SS-Nr.: // NSDAP-Nr.:
Nationality:: German

Biography

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

Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

(Allgemeines) Sturmabzeichen (ohne zahlen), I.Stufe

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)

Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: SS-Oberscharführer der Reserve (Staff Sergeant of Reserves)
Unit:: Zugführer, 3. Schwadron, SS-Kavallerie-Regiment 1
Awarded on:: November 1st, 1943

Alfred Nowak was serving in the SS-Kavallerie division as Oberscharführer during the late summer of 1943. On the 13.09.1943 his Schwadron was defending positions near Klimenkowe, and were being put under intense pressure. Nowak’s Schwadron commander was badly wounded, and during a break in the fighting it looked like the Soviets were assembling for another attack that the Germans probably wouldn’t stop. Nowak decided to lead the survivors forward to attack the Soviet assembly areas and force them to call off their assault. In this they succeeded, though Nowak himself was killed in the attack. He was posthumously awarded the Knight’s Cross.

Awarded posthumously.

Sources

- MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012.