Gerhard Simons

Gerhard Simons (born 5 February 1921) is an officer who served in the German army during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (medals recognising extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership). His grandfather, Walter Simons, was a German lawyer and politician who served as Foreign Minister of the Weimar Republic in 1920–21. His father, Hans Simons, a lawyer and later professor of political science at The New School, emigrated to the United States following the Machtergreifung, the Nazi seizure of power in 1933.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (17 May 1942)
 * 1st Class (20 March 1943)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 29 February 1944 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves in the Regiments-Nachrichten-Zug/Artillerie-Regiment 240
 * 547th Oak Leaves on 11 August 1944 as Oberleutnant of the Reserves and leader of Stabs-Batterie/Artillerie-Regiment 240 and Regiments-Nachrichtenoffizier