Theodor Burchardi

Friedrich Wilhelm Theodor Burchardi (14 May 1892 – 12 August 1983) was an Admiral with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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. He is noted for his organisational achievement in the evacuation of 2 million people from Courland and Eastern Prussia at the end of World War II in Operation Hannibal and the Evacuation of East Prussia.

Awards

 * Iron Cross (1914)
 * 2nd Class (24 January 1915)
 * 1st Class (27 September 1919)
 * Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
 * Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th to 1st Class (2 October 1936)
 * Sudetenland Medal (20 December 1939)
 * Memel Medal (3 June 1940)
 * Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (10 October 1939)
 * 1st Class (18 January 1940)
 * Order of the Cross of Liberty 1st Class with Swords (7 June 1943)
 * German Cross in Gold (31 March 1944)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
 * Knight's Cross on 29 September 1944 as Vizeadmiral and commanding admiral Ostland
 * 823rd Oak Leaves on 8 April 1945 as Admiral and commanding admiral eastern Baltic Sea