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Kirchner, Friedrich

Date of birth:
March 26th, 1885 (Zöbigker/Saxony, Germany)
Date of death:
April 6th, 1960 (Fulda/Hesse, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur 1.Schützen-Brigade /1.Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
September 22nd, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 1st October 1914.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur 1.Schützen-Brigade / 1.Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
October 4th, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on 26th September 1917.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 1. Panzer-Division / XIX.Armee-Korps / Heeresgruppe A
Awarded on:
May 20th, 1940
The following wartime excerpt (dated 30.08.1940) describes why Kirchner received the Knight’s Cross…

“Generalleutnant Friedrich Kirchner and his Panzer-Division broke through the heavily fortified Maas position. In this operation the General led from the foremost line, and he continued to exhibit particular merit during the subsequent pursuit of the enemy. Success here was above all attributable to his inspiring devotion to duty in the foremost line.”

29th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 1.Panzer-Division
Awarded on:
April 22nd, 1942
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Award 111/2.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Panzertruppe (Lieutenant-general)
Unit:
Kommandierender General LVII.Panzerkorps
Awarded on:
February 4th, 1943
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Panzertruppe (Lieutenant-general)
Unit:
Kommandierender General LVII.Panzerkorps / 1.Panzer-Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd
Awarded on:
February 12th, 1944
Awarded for his significant contributions to the orderly withdrawal of German forces from the area east of Krivoi Rog in October 1943.

391st Award.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Panzertruppe (Lieutenant-general)
Unit:
Kommandierender General LVII.Panzerkorps
Awarded on:
November 27th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
General der Panzertruppe (Lieutenant-general)
Unit:
Kommandierender General LVII.Panzerkorps
Awarded on:
January 26th, 1945
Awarded for once again distinguishing himself by preventing all Soviet breakthrough attempts in his sector and maintaining the stability of his frontline.

127th Award.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern

Sources

  • Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
    - Kursietis, Andris J., The Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945, Aspekt, The Netherlands, 1999
    - Berger, F., Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern – Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges, Selbstverlag Florian Berger, Wien, Österreich, 2002/03
    - Axis Biographical Research
    - Lexikon-der-Wehrmacht.de
    - Die Tapfersten

Photo