Richard Metzger (officer)

Richard Metzger
Richard Metzger
Born	6 February 1912 Mainz
Died	8 December 1982 (aged 70) Wiesbaden
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1929–45 1956–69
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Oberst (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	Infanterie-Battalion z.b.V. 561
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive Operation Bagration Bobruysk Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Richard Metzger (6 February 1912 – 8 December 1982)^[1] was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II and an Oberstleutnant 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. Richard Metzger was captured by Soviet troops in June 1944 during the Bobruysk Offensive and was released in 1955. In 1956 he joined the Bundeswehr and served until 1969.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver
  • in Gold
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze
• German Cross in Gold (9 October 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 October 1943 as Major and commander of Infanterie-Battalion z.b.V. 561^[2]

References

Citations

1. Richard Metzger at Das-Ritterkreuz.de
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 253.

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.