Kurt Gröschke – Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 & 15 (Oakleaves)

Original Postwar Signature on a Postwar Photo of Kurt Gröschke. Oberst Kurt Gröschke (17.07.1907 † 26.03.1996) earned the Ritterkreuz on June 9, 1944 as Oberstleutnant und Kommandeur of the II. Bataillon/ Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 of the 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division and the Eichenlaub on January 9, 1945 as Oberst und Kommandeur of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15 of the 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division. Good condition.

Knight’s Cross: “Awarded for his actions northwest of Cassino on the 08.02.1944. Here Major Gröschke managed to prevent a potentially disastrous Allied breakthrough to the Cassino—Rome road and by extension the fall of Cassino itself.”

Oakleaves: “Awarded for his outstanding command abilities during the Ardennes offensive. By the evening of the first day of the offensive, the 16.12.1944, the Vorausabteilung of his Regiment had already reached the Diekirch—Hosingen road. Two days later the Regiment captured a river crossing near Bourscheid in an undamaged state, with the neighbouring divisions by now trailing far behind the Regiment. Later it fought in a defensive capacity against the US 3rd Army. Positioned in the Harlange/Villers-la-Bonne-Eau area, it defended this region up until the 10.01.1945 even as the US 26th Infantry Division took up positions in its rear, distinguishing itself as it did so.”