Friedrich Richter
Encyclopedia
Friedrich-Wilhelm Heinrich Richter was a Sturmbannführer
(Major) in the Waffen-SS
during World War II
. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany
during World War II
.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Richter was born on the 9 May 1911, in Picher
near Hannover. In 1936 he volunteered to join the SS-VT (SS number 17 560), and was posted to the SS Standarte Germania in Radolfzell
, he was selected to become an officer and by November 1939, had been promoted to Hauptsturmführer
(Captain). He served with the SS Totenkopf Division during the Battle of France
and was awarded the Iron Cross
II class in July 1940.
He later served with the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union
(Operation Barbarossa
) where he was awarded the Iron Cross I class in October 1941.
On the formation of the new division, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg he was transferred as commander of the I. Battalion, 22 Panzergrenadier Regiment and was awarded the German Cross
in Gold while in command. He was next given command of the II./21 Panzergrenadier Regiment at the beginning of 1945 and awarded the Knight's Cross on the 11 May.
Richter survived the war and died in Rheinbach
on the 30 August 1989.
Sturmbannführer
Sturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel...
(Major) in the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
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...
. He was a recipient of 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
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
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...
.
Friedrich-Wilhelm Richter was born on the 9 May 1911, in Picher
Picher, Germany
Picher is a municipality in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Picher's population is 748 .- Geography :...
near Hannover. In 1936 he volunteered to join the SS-VT (SS number 17 560), and was posted to the SS Standarte Germania in Radolfzell
Radolfzell
Radolfzell am Bodensee is a town in Germany at the western end of Lake Constance approximately 18 km northwest of Konstanz. It is the third largest town, after Constance and Singen, in the district of Konstanz, in Baden-Württemberg....
, he was selected to become an officer and by November 1939, had been promoted to Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer
Hauptsturmführer was a Nazi rank of the SS which was used between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank of Hauptsturmführer was a mid-grade company level officer and was the equivalent of a Captain in the German Army and also the equivalent of captain in foreign armies...
(Captain). He served with the SS Totenkopf Division during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
II class in July 1940.
He later served with the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and took part in the invasion of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
) where he was awarded the Iron Cross I class in October 1941.
On the formation of the new division, 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg he was transferred as commander of the I. Battalion, 22 Panzergrenadier Regiment and was awarded the German Cross
German Cross
The German Cross was instituted by Adolf Hitler on 17 November 1941 as an award ranking higher than the Iron Cross First Class but below the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross respectively ranking higher than the War Merit Cross First Class with Swords but below the Knight's Cross of the War Merit...
in Gold while in command. He was next given command of the II./21 Panzergrenadier Regiment at the beginning of 1945 and awarded the Knight's Cross on the 11 May.
Richter survived the war and died in Rheinbach
Rheinbach
Rheinbach is a town in the Rhein-Sieg-Kreis district , in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It belongs to the administrative district of Cologne .-Geography:...
on the 30 August 1989.