Gerhard Czernik

Gerhard Czernik
Born	12 January 1913 Breslau
Died	20 October 1941 (aged 28) Sloterdijk, Netherlands
Buried at	Ysselsteyn German war cemetery, Netherlands (Block C-row 6-grave 143)
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1935–41
Rank	Major
Unit	Condor Legion KG 2
Battles/wars	Spanish Civil War World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Britain Balkans Campaign Channel Front
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Other work	Police officer

Gerhard Czernik (12 January 1913 – 20 October 1941) was a highly decorated Major in the Luftwaffe during World War II, and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Aviator badge
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe in Gold
• Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords
• Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (26 February 1941)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 16 May 1941 as Oberleutnant and Staffelkapitän of the 6./Kampfgeschwader 2^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 132.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• 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.