Gustav Altmann

Gustav Altmann
Born	13 April 1912 Britz, district of Eberswalde, Germany
Died	20 February 1981 (aged 68) Reinhardshagen, Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Rank	Major
Unit	Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of Fort Eben-Emael Battle of Crete
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gustav Altmann (13 April 1912 – 20 February 1981) was a member of the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) for his actions during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Altmann was taken prisoner of war on 22 May 1941 during the battle of the Akrotiri peninsula.

Gustav Altmann was leader of Assault Group Steel (Sturmgruppe Stahl) of the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" during the opening phase of the Battle of France and the attack on Fort Eben-Emael. Assault Group Steel was tasked with taking the Belgian bridge at Veldwezelt and holding out until reinforcements arrived. Altmann led a group of 91 men crammed into 9 DFS 230 gliders in the assault. The attack succeeded at the cost of 8 dead, 16 heavily and 16 lightly wounded. Gustav Altmann and eleven other German officers of the Fallschirmjäger received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for this feat.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (12 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (13 May 1940)^[1]
• Cuffband "Crete"
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 12 May 1940 as Oberleutnant and leader of the Sturmgruppe "Stahl" in the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"^[2][3]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 9 June 1941

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 7.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 115.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 190.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• 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.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 1, 1. September 1939 bis 31. Dezember 1941 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 1, 1 September 1939 to 31 December 1941] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• "Ritterkreuzträger Gustav Altmann". Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45 (in German). Retrieved 28 February 2011.
• "Gustav Altmann". Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German). Retrieved 28 February 2011.