Hans-Jürgen Burmester

Hans-Jürgen Burmester
Born	11 June 1916 Lamstedt
Died	22 September 1998 (aged 82) Witzeeze
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (to 1945)  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer Bundeswehr
Years of service	1935–45 1956–74
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr)
Unit	503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion
Commands held	509th Heavy Panzer Battalion
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans-Jürgen Burmester (11 June 1916 – 22 September 1998) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberst in the Bundeswehr. He was also 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. Hans-Jürgen Burmester was captured by American troops in 1945. He joined the Bundeswehr in 1956, retiring in 1974.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (15 June 1940)
  • 1st Class (15 May 1942)
• Panzer Badge
  • in Silver (10 June 1942)
  • II Class
  • III Class (15 August 1944)
• German Cross in Gold (7 August 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 September 1944 as Hauptmann and commander of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 509 ^[1]

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 128.

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.
• 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.