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Spanish Cross
The Spanish Cross (german: Spanien-Kreuz) was an award of Nazi Germany given to German troops who participated in the Spanish Civil War, fighting for nationalist general, later Spanish caudillo, Francisco Franco. History With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, Germany sent the Condor Legion, drawn from the German air force and army, to aid Franco's Nationalist forces. On 14 April 1939, Germany instituted the Spanish Cross as a decoration for the German airmen and soldiers who fought in the Condor Legion during the war. A number of German Navy ships served in Spanish waters, their crew also qualifying for the cross. The Spanish Cross was to be worn on the right breast below the pocket flap or, if awarded, below the Blood Order. After the death of the recipient, the award remains with the next-of-kin. The wear of Nazi era awards was banned in 1945. The Spanish Cross was not among those awards reauthorised for official wear by the Federal Republic of Germany i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a dictatorship. Under Hitler's rule, Germany quickly became a totalitarian state where nearly all aspects of life were controlled by the government. The Third Reich, meaning "Third Realm" or "Third Empire", alluded to the Nazi claim that Nazi Germany was the successor to the earlier Holy Roman Empire (800–1806) and German Empire (1871–1918). The Third Reich, which Hitler and the Nazis referred to as the Thousand-Year Reich, ended in May 1945 after just 12 years when the Allies defeated Germany, ending World War II in Europe. On 30 January 1933, Hitler was appointed chancellor of Germany, the head of gove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adolf Galland
Adolf Josef Ferdinand Galland (19 March 1912 – 9 February 1996) was a German Luftwaffe general and flying ace who served throughout the Second World War in Europe. He flew 705 combat missions, and fought on the Western Front and in the Defence of the Reich. On four occasions, he survived being shot down, and he was credited with 104 aerial victories, all of them against the Western Allies. Galland, who was born in Westerholt, Westphalia became a glider pilot in 1929 before he joined the Luft Hansa. In 1932, he graduated as a pilot at the ''Deutsche Verkehrsfliegerschule'' (German Commercial Flyers' School) in Braunschweig before applying to join the Reichswehr of the Weimar Republic later in the year. Galland's application was accepted, but he never took up the offer. In February 1934, he was transferred to the Luftwaffe. In 1937, during the Spanish Civil War, he volunteered for the Condor Legion and flew ground attack missions in support of the Nationalists under Francisco ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rolf Carls
Rolf Hans Wilhelm Karl Carls (29 May 1885 – 24 April 1945) was a high-ranking German admiral during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Carls served as ''Flottenchef'' (Fleet Commander), the highest ranking administrative officer of the ''Kriegsmarine'' and member of the ''Oberkommando der Marine'' (High Command of the Navy). Carls was instrumental in planning German naval operations during Operation Weserübung, the invasion of Denmark and Norway. When Grand Admiral Erich Raeder resigned as commander-in-chief of the ''Kriegsmarine'' in early 1943, he suggested Carls as a potential candidate to succeed him. After Admiral Karl Donitz succeeded Raeder instead, Carls was discharged from the navy. Carls was killed in a British air raid on the town of Bad Oldesloe on 24 April 1945. Early life and career Rolf Carls was the son of Lieutenant Friedrich Wilhelm Anton Carls and his wife Martha Victoria Wilhelmine Anna Sophie, née P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leopold Bürkner
Leopold Bürkner (29 January 1894 - 15 July 1975) was a German naval officer who served on torpedo boats in World War I. In the post-war period he served on a pocket battleship that patrolled the Spanish coast during the Spanish Civil War and then commanded a light cruiser. In 1938 he became head of the foreign liaison section of the Abwehr, the General Staff intelligence department. During World War II he rose to the rank of Vice Admiral. Naval career Leopold Bürkner was born on 29 January 1894 in Zerbst, Anhalt. He joined the Imperial navy on 1 April 1912. He undertook basic training on the heavy cruiser ''Hansa''. From 1 April 1913 to 31 July 1914, he attended the Naval Academy, where he was appointed a midshipman. From 1 August 1914 to 28 September 1915 Bürkner served in various capacities on the battleships SMS ''Wettin'' and SMS ''Schwaben'' and the battlecruisers SMS ''Seydlitz'' and SMS ''Moltke''. On 22 March 1915 he became a lieutenant. From 29 September 1915 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eberhard Bopst
Eberhard Bopst (25 December 1913 – 12 October 1942) was a German U-boat commander in World War II. Naval career Eberhard Bopst joined the ''Reichsmarine'' in April 1933 and prior to transferring to the U-boat section served on the destroyers '' Georg Thiele'' (as 3rd Watch Officer, 1936–1937), '' Leberecht Maass'' (1937–1938) and '' Bernd von Arnim'' (December 1938 – 1940). On ''Bernd von Arnim'' he saw action in the Spanish Civil War, receiving the Spanish Cross in Silver without Swords, and at the Battles of Narvik, receiving the Narvik Shield. After the Norwegian Campaign he returned to Germany, joining the U-boat arm in July 1940. His first command was , a Type IIA coastal boat, but he commissioned the Type VIIC in November 1941. He went down with her when she was sunk with all hands in position , by depth charges from an RAF Liberator on 12 October 1942. Bopst was posthumously promoted to ''Korvettenkapitän''. Awards * Four Year Wehrmacht Long Service Award - ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hubertus Von Bonin
Hubertus von Bonin (3 August 1911 – 15 December 1943) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, a fighter ace listed with 77 enemy aircraft shot down. He claimed four victories in the Spanish Civil War, and during World War II, 64 on the Eastern Front and nine on the Western Front. Born in Potsdam, von Bonin volunteered for service with the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War where he commanded the 3. '' Staffel'' (3rd squadron) of ''Jagdgruppe'' 88 (J/88—88th Fighter Group). Following service in Spain, von Bonin was posted to ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26—26th Fighter Wing). In January 1940, he was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of I. '' Gruppe'' (1st group) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 54 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing). He then served as a flight instructor before taking command of III. ''Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 52 (JG 52—52nd Fighter Wing) on the Eastern Front. Von Bon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kurt Böhmer
__NOTOC__ Kurt Böhmer (31 December 1892 – 1 October 1944) was an officer in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany who commanded the 9th Security Division from 17 June 1944. He was shot and killed on a hunting trip together with three foresters at Ventspils in Latvia by partisans on 1 October 1944. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Awards * Iron Cross (1914) 2nd Class (6 January 1916)Dörr 1995, p. 64. * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 2nd Class (2 October 1936) *''Komturkreuz des Spanisch-Marokkanischen Mehdauia-Ordens'' (13 May 1938) * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 1st Class (1 April 1939) * Spanish Cross in Silver (6 June 1939) * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (17 April 1940) * Iron Cross (1939), 1st Class (21 April 1940) * Minesweeper War Badge (17 January 1941) * Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class with Swords (12 October 1942) * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 October 1940 as ''Kapitän zur See Captain is the name most ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hermann Boehm (admiral)
Hermann Boehm (18 January 1884, Rybnik – 11 April 1972, Kiel) was a German naval officer who rose to the rank of General Admiral during the Second World War. Military service Boehm joined the Kaiserliche Marine on 1 April 1903 as a cadet and did his basic training on SMS ''Stein''. He was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on 19 September 1914 and during the First World War commanded various torpedo boats (such as SMS G41 during the Battle of Jutland and later SMS V 69). In 1919 he was dismissed from the service, but when the navy was reactivated as the Reichsmarine in 1920 he was recalled to it, mainly serving in staff posts until 1933. On 3 October 1933 Boehm was made the commander of the ''Hessen'' for a year, until he was promoted to Konteradmiral in autumn 1934 and appointed commander in chief of the navy's reconnaissance forces. From 25 August 1936 to 3 August 1937, during the opening stages of the Spanish Civil War, he commanded the German naval forces off the Spanish coas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gerhard Bigalk
Gerhard Bigalk (26 November 1908 – 17 July 1942) was a captain with the ''Kriegsmarine'' during World War II and commander of . He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Career Bigalk spent some years in the merchant marine before joining the ''Kriegsmarine'' in April 1934. He initially trained as an observer in the naval air force, and saw service during the Spanish Civil War, making 21 combat flights in 1937. He joined the U-boat force in November 1939. He trained into 1940, taking command of the school boat between June and August 1940. He then took command of the newly built submarine when it commissioned in January 1941. Between June 1941 and July 1942 Bigalk commanded ''U-751'' on seven combat patrols, sinking six ships totalling 32,412 tons, and damaged one ship of 8,096 tons. This included the 11,000 ton British escort carrier from convoy HG 76, sunk on 21 December 1941 during his fourth patrol, for which Bigalk was awarded the Kni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans-Henning Freiherr Von Beust
Hans-Henning Freiherr von Beust (17 April 1913 – 27 March 1991) was an officer in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II who commanded the 27th Bomber Wing. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. Beust joined the Bundeswehr in 1957 and retired in 1971. Awards and decorations * Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (16 September 1939) & 1st Class (23 June 1940) * German Cross in Gold on 10 May 1943 as '' Major'' in Kampfgeschwader 27 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves ** Knight's Cross on 17 September 1941 as ''Hauptmann'' and '' Gruppenkommandeur'' of the III./Kampfgeschwader 27 "Boelcke" ** 336th Oak Leaves on 25 November 1943 as ''Oberstleutnant () is a senior field officer rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Lieutenant colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway. The Swedi ...'' and '' Geschwaderko ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wilhelm Balthasar
Wilhelm Balthasar (2 February 1914 – 3 July 1941) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator and wing commander during World War II. As a fighter ace, he is credited with seven aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War and further 40 aerial victories on the Western Front of World War II. He flew about 300 combat missions during World War II in addition to 465 in Spain. Born in Fulda, Balthasar grew up in the Weimar Republic. Following graduation from school, he volunteered for military service in the ''Reichswehr'' in 1933. Initially serving with the Army, he transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. During the Spanish Civil War, he volunteered for service in the Condor Legion. In Spain, he claimed his first aerial victory on 20 January 1937. For his service in Spain, he was decorated with the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords and Diamonds. During World War II, Balthasar claimed his first victory on 11 May 1940 during the Battle of France. Balthasar emerged as Germany's leading ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Adolph
Walter Adolph (11 June 1913 – 18 September 1941) was a German Luftwaffe military aviator in the Spanish Civil War and a fighter ace during World War II. He is credited with 25 aerial victories, including one in Spain, achieved in 79 combat missions. All his World War II victories were claimed over the Western Front. Born in Fântânele, Romania, Adolph served in the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War where he claimed his first aerial victory on 30 December 1937. He was made ''Staffelkapitän'' (squadron leader) of 2. '' Staffel'' (2nd squadron) of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 1 (JG 1–1st Fighter Wing), a squadron which was later redesignated 8. ''Staffel'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 27 (JG 27–27th Fighter Wing). In October 1940, he was appointed ''Gruppenkommandeur'' (group commander) of II. '' Gruppe'' of ''Jagdgeschwader'' 26 "Schlageter" (JG 26–26th Fighter Wing) and received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 13 November 1940. On 16 September 1941, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
