Christian Tychsen
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the governor of the Danish Gold Coast
of the same name
Christian Tychsen was a Obersturmbannführer
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
. 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.
In February 1941 his command was absorbed by the Motorcycle Battalion and was renamed the 3rd Company, although Schafraanek still kept command.
In January 1942 he was given the command of the Motorcycle Battalion. After being wounded in February, 1942 he was posted to the SS Officers school at Braunschweig
until he had recovered.
In May 1942, he was given the command of II./Langemarck Regiment and retained in this position when it became the II./2nd Panzer Regiment in October 1942. In April 1943 he was awarded the Knight's Cross
.
Tychsen became 2nd SS Panzer Rgt commander on November, 1943, and held command until he replaced the wounded Heinz Lammerding
as temporary Commanding Officer of the Das Reich Division.
) when the Kubelwagen, which he was in with a driver and an NCO, was fired upon by an advancing American tank. He died of his wounds in American captivity. Looters took his tunic with all his decorations and all other types of identification, so he was buried as an unknown soldier, but was later identified.
Danish Gold Coast
The Danish Gold Coast was a part of the Gold Coast , which is on the West African Gulf of Guinea...
of the same name
Christian Tychsen was a Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer
Obersturmbannführer was a paramilitary Nazi Party rank used by both the SA and the SS. It was created in May 1933 to fill the need for an additional field grade officer rank above Sturmbannführer as the SA expanded. It became an SS rank at the same time...
(Lieutenant Colonel) in the Waffen SS who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
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...
. 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.
Early career
Tychsen joined the SS in December 1931 with 50.SS-Standarte. He was later transferred to the SS/VT in October 1934 and served with the Germania Regiment as a platoon leader from October 1936 until December 1938 when he became the Commander of the 1st Company 'N' Battalion.WWII
When 'N' Battalion was dissolved he was moved to command the 1st Motorcycle Company.In February 1941 his command was absorbed by the Motorcycle Battalion and was renamed the 3rd Company, although Schafraanek still kept command.
In January 1942 he was given the command of the Motorcycle Battalion. After being wounded in February, 1942 he was posted to the SS Officers school at Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
until he had recovered.
In May 1942, he was given the command of II./Langemarck Regiment and retained in this position when it became the II./2nd Panzer Regiment in October 1942. In April 1943 he was awarded the Knight's 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...
.
Tychsen became 2nd SS Panzer Rgt commander on November, 1943, and held command until he replaced the wounded Heinz Lammerding
Heinz Lammerding
Heinz Lammerding was aBrigadeführer in the Waffen-SS and a commander of 2...
as temporary Commanding Officer of the Das Reich Division.
Death
After being wounded more than nine times in total, he was killed in Normandy (Operation OverlordOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
) when the Kubelwagen, which he was in with a driver and an NCO, was fired upon by an advancing American tank. He died of his wounds in American captivity. Looters took his tunic with all his decorations and all other types of identification, so he was buried as an unknown soldier, but was later identified.