Max Friedrich

Max Friedrich
Born	30 March 1918 Michalkowitz, Germany (now Siemianowice Śląskie, Poland)
Died	6 December 1975 (aged 57) Albstadt, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Hauptmann
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Smolensk (1941) Battle of Moscow Demyansk Pocket Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive Upper Silesian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Max Friedrich (30 March 1918 – 6 December 1975) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht 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 and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold, one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (3 November 1939)
  • 1st Class (16 December 1939)
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• General Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• 7 Tank Destruction Badges for Individual Combatants
  • 1 Gold
  • 2 Silver
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (18 September 1944)^[1]
  • in Silver (23 December 1944)^[1]
  • in Gold (30 March 1945)^[1]
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (27 February 1944)
• German Cross in Gold (19 May 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 March 1945 as Oberleutnant and chief of the pioneer company of Division Nr. 408 in Kampfgruppe Jollasse ^[2]

References

Citations

1. Berger 2004, p. 127.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 157.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
• 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.