Walter Gericke

Walter Gericke

Walter Gericke
Born (1907-12-23)23 December 1907
Bilderlahe, district of Gandersheim
Died 19 October 1991(1991-10-19) (aged 83)
Alsfeld
Allegiance  Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch Ordnungspolizei (to 1935)
 Luftwaffe (Wehrmacht)
German Army (Bundeswehr)
Years of service 1929–45, 1956–65
Rank Oberst (Wehrmacht)
Generalmajor (Bundeswehr)
Commands held 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division
1. Luftlandedivision
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Walter Gericke (23 December 1907 – 19 October 1991), was a German Fallschirmjäger during World War II and Generalmajor of the West German Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, awarded by Nazi Germany to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Gericke participated in the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of Crete as a Battalion commander of the Fallschirmjäger. He later commanded the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 11 and fought in the defensive battles at Anzio. He joined the newly formed Bundeswehr after the rearmament of West Germany and as a Generalmajor led the 1. Luftlande-Division from 1962 to 1965.

Awards

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 195.
  2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 135.
  3. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 332.

Bibliography

  • MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Commander of the 11. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Wehrmacht)
March 1945 – April 1945
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Commander of the 21. Fallschirmjäger-Division (Wehrmacht)
5 April 1945 – 8 May 1945
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Generalmajor Hans Kroh
Commander of the 1. Luftlande-Division (Bundeswehr)
1 October 1962 – 31 March 1965
Succeeded by
Generalmajor Hubert Sonneck
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