Klaus Hilgemann

Dr. med. vet. Klaus Hilgemann
Born	18 February 1918 Stettin
Died	6 July 1973 (aged 55) Micheldorf in Oberösterreich
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1936–45
Rank	Major
Commands held	II./Grenadier-Regiment 426
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Demyansk Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Klaus Hilgemann^{[Notes 1]} (18 February 1918 – 6 July 1973) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (2 August 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 February 1942)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• Eastern Front Medal (22 August 1942)
• Demyansk Shield
• German Cross in Gold on 28 April 1944 as Hauptmann in the II./Grenadier-Regiment426^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 8 October 1942 as Oberleutnant and Chief of the 13.(IG)/Grenadier-Regiment 422^[3]
  • 641st Oak Leaves on 29 October 1944 as Major and commander of II./Grenadier-Regiment 426^[4]

Notes

1. In German a Doctorate in Veterinary medicine is abbreviated as Dr. med. vet. (Doctor medicinae veterinariae).

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 279.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 186.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 188.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 77.

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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht