Martin Strahammer

Martin Strahammer
Born	13 November 1890 Gösting, Austria
Died	2 May 1945 (aged 54) near Parma, Italy
Allegiance	Austria–Hungary (to 1918) First Austrian Republic (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1912–38 (Austria) 1938–45 (Germany)
Rank	Oberstleutnant (Austria) Generalmajor (Germany)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) Siege of Leningrad Battle of Anzio Operation Diadem Gothic Line Offensive Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Martin Strahammer (13 November 1890 – 2 May 1945) was a highly decorated Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Following his capture as prisoner of war, he was shot by American forces on 2 May 1945 at Parma under unclear circumstances.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (8 September 1917)^[1]
• Wound Medal with 2 stripes
• Order of the Iron Crown 3rd Class with Swords
• Military Merit Cross 3rd Class with War Decoration
• Karl Troop Cross
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (4 July 1941)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 1st Class (5 August 1941)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 11 March 1943 as Oberst in Grenadier-Regiment 266^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 30 January 1942 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung 240^[3]
  • 545th Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Oberst and commander of Grenadier-Regiment 146^[4]

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1998, p. 358.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 463.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 336.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 73.

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 Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1998). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 2: L–Z [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 2: L–Z] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2300-9.