Schumacher, Gerd (Grenadier-Regiment 337)

Date of birth:: November 5th, 1920 (Neukirchen-Ostholstein/Holstein, Germany)
Date of death:: December 10th, 1943 (Zhytomyr/Ukrain, Soviet Union)
Nationality:: German

Biography

10.12.1943: KIA near Jolewka, south west of Malin

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)
Unit:: Führer, 5. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 337, 208. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:: January 15th, 1944

Schumacher’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“Leutnant Schumacher carried out a patrol on his own initiative on the 09.12.1943. As he was in the process of doing so, at around 10:00, he spotted 7 enemy T-34 tanks in a patch of forest opposite him. Leutnant Schumacher decided to attack these tanks with close combat weapons. Aided by a thick mist, he and his covering troop were able to bypass the enemy infantry security. Leutnant Schumacher ordered his troops to stay back while he while he placed magnetic AT grenades on 6 different enemy tanks, one after another. However a large number of them failed to explode, and only 1 enemy tank was destroyed.

On the same day, at around 12:00, 2 T-34 tanks drove in front of the sector of Schumacher’s Kompanie. These bogged down in the swampy terrain before the main battle line. Although these tanks were issuing strong fire, Leutnant Schumacher worked his way up to them with his Kompanie HQ squad leader (Unteroffizier Alfred Schulze) and a messenger (Grenadier Schulz). Leutnant Schumacher and Unteroffizier Schulze each destroyed one of the tanks with magnetic AT grenades.

On the night of the same day, at around 23:00, 2 T-34s attacked a group of Pioniere just behind the frontline that had been tasked with the repair of a bridge. Leutnant Schumacher again made an immediate decision to take up the fight in close combat. Kompanie HQ squad leader Unteroffizier Schulze and messenger Grenadier Schulze (both of whom later became casualties) pinned down the enemy tank crews (which were defending themselves with hand grenades and pistols) and killed all of them down to the driver, who was taken prisoner. Totally alone, Leutnant Schumacher placed magnetic AT mines on both enemy tanks and thereby destroyed his 3rd and 4th enemy tanks on this day. Leutnant Schumacher was lightly wounded by a hand grenade splinter."

Awarded posthumously.