Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 17th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Captain)

Unit:

Kommandeur, I. Abteilung, Flak-Regiment 29, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

April 1st, 1945

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

“On the 14.01.1945 Hauptmann Zimmermann and his I./Flak-Rgt. 29 (mot) were deployed for ground and air defense in the area Zawady-Dworskie. At 08:00 on this day the enemy attacked the 129. Infanterie-Division with 4 divisions of their own following a 2 hour artillery preparation. They achieved a penetration through Zalesie and in the direction of Dworskie. The goal of this attack was to reach the bridge positions at Leg. Podosstary and Krasnosielce.

Hauptmann Zimmermann recognized the gravity of the situation, and so he decided to change position on his own initiative. Under the protection of the 4./Flak-Rgt. 29, his Flak-Abteilung assumed new defensive positions and succeeded in intercepting all enemy attacks southeast of Dworskie with the help of fleeing friendly infantry that had been incorporated into the defense.

In this time Hauptmann Zimmermann personally fought in the foremost line with outstanding courage, and so it was possible to repeatedly defeat the attacks by far superior hostile forces. Thanks to his initiative and bravery here it was possible for the crucially important bridge positions to remain in friendly hands. This in turn enabled the implementation of a deliberate counterattack by the Panzer-Division ‘Großdeutschland’, which was launched on the following morning.”