Simon Grascher

Simon Grascher was a Unterscharführer, in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. This was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.

Biography
Simon Grascher was born in Klagenfurt (Austria) on the 18 December 1920 in Austrian-Carinthian Slovene family.

He volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the Das Reich, he was promoted to Unterscharführer and made a platoon commander in the 9th Company, SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Der Führer.

He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class for actions in the battles around Moscow and in 1943 he was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class.

He was awarded the Knight's Cross posthumously in July 1943, when his platoon attacked a strong Russian position near Belgorod. His unit was under heavy fire from Infantry weapons, mortars and anti tank guns which eventually defeated the German assault with the assistance of two T-34 Tanks.

Grascher, despite the heavy fire, managed to destroy the two tanks; the first-one with an anti tank charge and the second-one with a hand grenade He then took over command of the company and led another attack which achieved all there targets, but lead to the death of Graascher.