Fritz Amling
| Fritz Amling | |
|---|---|
| Born |
16 January 1916 Preußisch Holland |
| Died |
6 March 1994 (aged 78) Mainz |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch | Heer |
| Years of service | 1937–45 |
| Rank | Oberwachtmeister |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Fritz Amling (16 January 1916 – 6 March 1994) was a highly decorated soldier (Oberwachtmeister) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany.
Career
Fritz Amling was born on 16 January 1916 in the county of Preußisch Holland in the province of East Prussia.[1] On 1 October 1937 Amling was enlisted into the Wehrmacht in the 24th Artillery Regiment.[2] He was promoted to sergeant on 10 May 1939, in which rank he took part with the 24th Infantry Division in the Invasion of Poland and the Battle of France as a member of the 3rd Battery in 168th Artillery Regiment.[2]
After the start of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, in October 1941 Amling was transferred to the Eastern Front with the 202nd Self-Propelled Artillery German: Sturmgeschütz) Battalion[2] operating under Army Group Centre. In autumn 1942, the unit was assigned to the 78th Infantry Division of the XXXIX Panzer Corps took part in the German response to the Soviet offensive, Operation Mars.
For destroying numerous tanks in the engagement and exemplary courage, Amling was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 11 December 1942.[2] In 1943, Fritz Amling transferred to the 300th Reinforcement and Training (Self-Propelled) Artillery Battalion on the Lusatian Neisse, where he trained gunners until the end of the war.[2]
Fritz Amling died on 6 March 1994 in Mainz aged 78.[3]
Awards and decorations
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (26 January 1942) & 1st Class (7 December 1942)[1]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross[3] on 11 December 1942 as Wachtmeister and Zugführer (platoon leader) in 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 202[1]
- General Assault Badge (3 September 1943)[1]
- Wound Badge in Black (27 September 1943) / III degree [1]
- Crimea Shield (28 October 1942)[1]
References
Bibliography
- 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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1985). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil I: Sturmartillerie [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part I: Assault Artillery] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1447-2.