75 Years ago, late in December 1943, Obergefreiter Max Friedrich earned the knights cross.
What makes this Soldbuch extra special is that of the +/- 7.300 KC awarded in WW2 only 252 were awarded to enlisted men and Max Friedrich was one of them, this is his story.
Max Friedrich (°1921 +2007) from Leipzig joined the Wehrmacht in February 1941, after his basic training he was assigned to the third company of IR558 of the newly created 331ID.
In March 1942 this division was sent to the Eastern front, in May 1943 the 331ID was part of the 16th Army and held a piece of frontline on the Newel in Northern Russia.
In the winter 1943 the Red Army went in to the offensive again in their sector, this Red Army winter offensive was expected and in the case the 331ID was attacked they would retreat westwards to the so called Panther Line, a well prepared defensive line.
Late December 1943 the pressure was on the piece of frontline of IR558 and as planned the regiment would start his retreat westwards.
Max Friedrich's MG platoon had the task to cover the retreat of his battalion, but after a heavy artillery barrage, they were confronted with an open flank; Max Friedrich saw the danger for his battalion, he volunteered to operate the MG on his own so that his platoon members could retreat.
His MG fire was so effective it halted four company strength attack waves.
Only after his entire battalion had retreated in safety he left his position, the last one of his unit.
Under the cover of darkness and closely pursued by Soviet soldiers, he eventually made it back to friendly lines.
In January 1944 he was WIA, a serious bullet wound which kept him hospitalized until September 1944.
His brave action didn't go unnoticed and he was promoted to sergeant and awarded the VWA, IAB, EKII, I and the KC for it.
The KC was awarded on March 15 1944 by the 16th Army, he got his actual award in May 1944 in the hospital in Friedrichrode.
It seems he celebrated his KC with a wild party, because while he was hospitalized for his bullet wound he was also treated for gonorrhoea.
After he was recuperated he didn't return to his old unit but was thrown in to the armies replacement system like any ordinary soldier and he finally ended up in the first company of GR476 of the 256VGD.
The 256VGD was one of the divisions that would participate in operation Nordwind, the winter offensive that started on new years eve 1944 in the Vosges mountains.
Early in the offensive, on January 4 1945, in the sector Ludwigswinkel, Max Friedrich was WIA again, this time by an American bullet.
The wound was again rather serious and it kept him in hospital until the end of the war.
What makes this Soldbuch extra special is that of the +/- 7.300 KC awarded in WW2 only 252 were awarded to enlisted men and Max Friedrich was one of them, this is his story.
Max Friedrich (°1921 +2007) from Leipzig joined the Wehrmacht in February 1941, after his basic training he was assigned to the third company of IR558 of the newly created 331ID.
In March 1942 this division was sent to the Eastern front, in May 1943 the 331ID was part of the 16th Army and held a piece of frontline on the Newel in Northern Russia.
In the winter 1943 the Red Army went in to the offensive again in their sector, this Red Army winter offensive was expected and in the case the 331ID was attacked they would retreat westwards to the so called Panther Line, a well prepared defensive line.
Late December 1943 the pressure was on the piece of frontline of IR558 and as planned the regiment would start his retreat westwards.
Max Friedrich's MG platoon had the task to cover the retreat of his battalion, but after a heavy artillery barrage, they were confronted with an open flank; Max Friedrich saw the danger for his battalion, he volunteered to operate the MG on his own so that his platoon members could retreat.
His MG fire was so effective it halted four company strength attack waves.
Only after his entire battalion had retreated in safety he left his position, the last one of his unit.
Under the cover of darkness and closely pursued by Soviet soldiers, he eventually made it back to friendly lines.
In January 1944 he was WIA, a serious bullet wound which kept him hospitalized until September 1944.
His brave action didn't go unnoticed and he was promoted to sergeant and awarded the VWA, IAB, EKII, I and the KC for it.
The KC was awarded on March 15 1944 by the 16th Army, he got his actual award in May 1944 in the hospital in Friedrichrode.
It seems he celebrated his KC with a wild party, because while he was hospitalized for his bullet wound he was also treated for gonorrhoea.
After he was recuperated he didn't return to his old unit but was thrown in to the armies replacement system like any ordinary soldier and he finally ended up in the first company of GR476 of the 256VGD.
The 256VGD was one of the divisions that would participate in operation Nordwind, the winter offensive that started on new years eve 1944 in the Vosges mountains.
Early in the offensive, on January 4 1945, in the sector Ludwigswinkel, Max Friedrich was WIA again, this time by an American bullet.
The wound was again rather serious and it kept him in hospital until the end of the war.
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What a character he was. Far cooler to me than a by the book officer award. I would really like to know how he won it, and his circumstances, to include what happened after to the way. Thanks for sharing this Peter. Always a great read.
