Adolf Peichl was a Untersturmführer

Untersturmführer

Untersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...

 (Second Lieutenant), in the Waffen SS during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...

; which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. He was also one of only 631 men awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp

Close Combat Clasp

The Close Combat Clasp is a German military award instituted on 25 November 1942 for achievement in hand to hand fighting in close quarters. The Close Combat Clasp was worn above the upper left uniform pocket...

 in Gold.

Adolf Peichl was born in Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 on the 8 December 1917. He volunteered to join the SS and was posted to the SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment Der Führer. He became one of the highest decorated NCO

Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...

's in the German armed forces.
Peichl survived the war and died in his home town of Vienna on the 4 June 1969.

Awards

• Iron Cross 2nd class, 23 August 1941
• Iron Cross 1st class, 28 October 1941
• Tank Destruction Badge in Silver, 6 September 1943
• Tank Destruction Badge in Silver, 6 September 1943 (Two awards for two tanks destroyed)
• German Cross in Gold, 16 September 1943 (Oberscharführer
  Oberscharführer
  Oberscharführer was a Nazi Party paramilitary rank that existed between the years of 1932 and 1945. Translated as “Senior Squad Leader”, Oberscharführer was first used as a rank of the Sturmabteilung and was created due to an expansion of the enlisted positions required by growing SA membership...
  
   and platoon commander, Der Führer Regiment)
• Tank Destruction badge in Silver, 20 September 1943
• Close Combat Clasp in Bronze, 22 October 1943
• Close Combat Clasp in Silver, 22 October 1943
• Close Combat Clasp in Gold, 26 October 1943 (Hauptscharführer
  Hauptscharführer
  Hauptscharführer was a Nazi paramilitary rank which was used by the Schutzstaffel between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank was the highest enlisted rank of the SS, with the exception of the special Waffen-SS rank of Sturmscharführer....
  
  , platoon commander,Der Führer Regiment)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, 16 October 1944

• Wound Badge in Gold
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Tank Destruction Badge in Silver
• Tank Destruction Badge in Gold (For destroying his fifth tank by hand)
• Tank Destruction Badge in Gold (For destroying his tenth tank by hand)
• Tank Destruction Badge in Silver (For destroying his eleventh tank by hand)

External links

• Adolf Peichl