Hilmar Zahn

Hilmar Zahn
Born	6 September 1919 Wiesbaden
Died	8 March 2008 (aged 88) Wiesbaden
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer  Luftwaffe
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Battles/wars	World War II Eastern Front Allied Invasion of Sicily Battle of Ortona Battle of Monte Cassino Gothic Line Offensive Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hilmar Karl Adolf Zahn (6 September 1919 – 8 March 2008) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Fallschirmjäger during World War II. 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.

Awards and decorations

• Sudetenland Medal (6 February 1940)^[1]
• Fallschirmschützenabzeichen (22 July 1942)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (3 March 1943)^[1]
  • 1st Class (18 February 1944)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (3 March 1943)^[1]
  • in Silver (10 April 1944)^[1]
  • in Gold (3 June 1944)^[1]
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (5 March 1944)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 9 June 1944 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 5./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1^[2]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 373.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 368.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.