EK 1939 Knights Cross Winner Oberleutnant Germer

[MLW]

Hello All:

I recently recently received a copy of Oberleutnant Alfred Germer's personnel file from the US National Archives. I turned into into a .pdf and posted it to my web page (www.maginotlineatwar.com). It is located at the bottom of the site's front page. The file is large - about 6 MB - hence my posting it on my page and not directly to this forum.

Oberleutnant Germer is famous among the Maginot Line community for having led the engineer assault on Ouvrage La Ferte (known to the Germans as Panzerwerk 505). His assault detachment, from the pioniere battalion of the 71. ID, disabled the ouvrage's armored cupolas and its armored turret.) After unseating the turret with a 40 kg charge, Germer's detachment threw explosive charges into the weapon embrasures of the turret which started a fire inside the ouvrage, causing the turret's ammunition to explode. Smoke and fumes from the fire subsequently killed the entire French crew - 106 soldiers. Germer was awarded the Knight's Cross for his part in the action - the first (but not last) Maginot Line fort to fall to German attack. Germer was reported MIA at Breslau in March 45.

As far as I know, several other Knight Crosses were awarded for combat action along the Maginot Line. In time, I hope to get the personnel records of these soldiers too and post them to my webpage.

All the best,

Marc

www.maginotlineatwar.com

[Laurens Q]

Hello Marc,

I admit you completely made my weekend with this thread and the information provided

I collect postcards entitled "Ritterkreuztr?ger des Heeres" from the German artist Prof. Oskar Graf. On one of the cards, Alfred Germer is depicted. Yet, I was unable to find much information regarding his actions (and this goes for so many holders of the Knights Cross on the cards). I know of a magazine from "Der Landser" with Oblt. Germer, but I don't have it in my possession yet. But the personal file you shared is truly a gem!

I look forward to see more from another winner of the Knights Cross, also for actions on the Maginot Line. It was Oblt. Ernst-Friedrich Langenstrass from 2./Pi-Btl.28. Only recently did I start my research on the postcards and the reason they were given the Knights Cross. Besides Germer and Langenstrass, I have to verify if there are any others.

Laurens

[MLW]

Hallo Laurens:

Thank you for your kind comments. I am by no means an expert on Knights Cross winners. I do know that there are picture postcards of Oberleutnant Scheunemann, Oberstleutnant L?wrick, and Major Sch?ler. They all won Knight's Crosses for action on the Maginot Line. I am working on redesigning part of my webpage. I will adding information about other Knights Cross holders over the next few months.

All the Best, Marc

www.maginotlineatwar.com