Gerhard Tschierschwitz

Gerhard Tschierschwitz (23 April 1920 – 17 January 1997) was a German tank commander and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross during World War II. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career
Gerhard Tschierschwitz had joined the Flak-Regiment "Hermann Göring" since the beginning of the war and would serve in this unit as it evolved. Not much is known about his career during most of this time, but it is known that at the beginning of the division's participation in the battles in East Prussia during October 1944 he was an Oberleutnant and company commander in the Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment Hermann Göring. Equipped with Panthers, Tschierschwitz led his company in a flanking maneuver and captured the village of Wirballen. He then began a rampage behind Russian lines without any infantry support, eventually establishing contact with a friendly infantry division. By the end he and his company had destroyed 16 tanks, 16 anti-tank guns, 6 artillery pieces and 13 machine guns, in addition to killing approximately 300 Soviet soldiers. For these actions he was later awarded the Knight's Cross.

Tschierschwitz was eventually promoted to Hauptmann, and followed his division until the general surrender in 1945. He fell into Russian captivity and was eventually released in 1953.

Awards & decorations

 * Sudetenland Medal
 * Iron Cross
 * 2nd Class
 * 1st Class
 * General Assault Badge
 * Anti-Aircraft Flak Battle Badge
 * Wound Badge in Black
 * Luftwaffe Panzer Battle Badge "25"
 * Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 December 1944 as Chef 2./Fallschirm-Panzer-Regiment Hermann Göring