Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 3rd, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 19th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

March 21st, 1942

Bronze version.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 18th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 18th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 15th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 18th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

January 6th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

5. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156, 116. Panzer-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

April 14th, 1945

The following report by Oberstleutnant Grollmann describes how Herbert Käseberg would receive his Knight’s Cross…
“As the defensive battle in the Reichswald continued to rage, and after a counterattack faltered under strong enemy fire, the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 was deployed to the northern and western edges of the Clever State Forest on the 14.02.1945. The II./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 156 set up on the western edge in such a way that the 5. Kompanie was positioned on the northwestern corner, with one Zug having a front to the north.
Under strong enemy harassing fire this position was occupied on the night of the 13/14.02.1945. This harassing fire intensified during the night until by the morning hours it had grown to the intensity of a drumfire, primarily landing on the positions of the II. Bataillon. This fire was reinforced by flanking fire from the opposite forest edge. After this fire preparation was over, at 09:00, the enemy began advancing from the north along the railway line towards the northwestern edge of the forest. The men of the 5. Kompanie kept down and allowed the enemy to approach their position, before beginning a hailstorm of fire with their infantry weapons from very close range. Only parts of the enemy force had the chance to escape, and these remnants fled along the railway line towards the north.
Barely daunted, the enemy renewed their assault against the NW corner from a 400 metre distant homestead. Once again the Grenadiers of the 5. Kompanie responded with strong defensive fire under the inspirational direction of their commander, Leutnant Käseberg. Once again what enemy forces survived fell back to their starting position.
Leutnant Käseberg clearly recognized that this homestead would surely continue to be the jump-off point for further enemy attacks. He made the decision to take advantage of the enemy’s moment of weakness and captured the homestead in a counterassault of his own. At the head of his men he began this daring sally, which was only supported by the Kompanie’s organic infantry weapons. Strong enemy defensive fire struck the small attacking party and yet they were able to penetrate into the homestead. In a man to man fight the Zug of the 5. Kompanie under the command of Leutnant Käseberg captured the homestead, thus taking the jump-off point for the enemy attacks into possession.
The last enemy defender had barely been ejected when the enemy launched a counterthrust with 150 men from the village of Niederdam. Strong enemy fire from all weapons landed on the homestead. Leutnant Käseberg realized that at the moment this place had become the key point of his defensive setup, and thus he defended this newly captured ground with great determination along with his Zug. Once again the enemy attack was almost completely smashed by the fire of the German infantry weapons.
The enemy once again tried to unlock this key position 2 more times in attacks at company strength. Both times they were thrown back by the furious defensive fire of the determined Grenadiers, who did not yield an inch of ground.
Perceiving that the current approach was not working, the enemy now tried to break through the positions of the 5. Kompanie with small assault teams attacking from the west, following a massive artillery preparation. Leutnant Käseberg immediately rushed to the new focal point of the fighting, and from here held out with his Grenadiers to the last. The enemy were also repelled here with heavy losses under the German defensive fire, with the flanking fire from the homestead being especially deadly.
Once again, at around 15:30, the enemy tried to crack the German positions with 2 assault parties (each with 30 men) under cover of a smokescreen. Despite the new tactics this attack, like all the others, broke down under the fire of the German heavy MGs at a distance of about 50 metres in front of the German defenses.
This hard day of battle concluded with Käseberg and his Kompanie remaining in control of their positions, having inflicted massive casualties on the enemy. Through the brave defense of this position the enemy was unable to roll up the German frontline towards the south, let alone breakthrough in the direction of Goch.
Leutnant Käseberg, the young leader of the 5. Kompanie, once again had a massive role in the success of his Kompanie just as he had had many times during the hard battles in Russia. Always personally striking at the enemy breaches, with ruthless disregard for his own person, he consistently was able to inspire his men to give the utmost that they had. He demanded the utmost of both himself and his Grenadiers.”