Gustav Altmann was a member of the Fallschirmjäger

Fallschirmjäger

are German paratroopers. Together with the Gebirgsjäger they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army....

 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...

 and 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...

  for his actions during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael

Battle of Fort Eben-Emael

The Battle of Fort Eben-Emael was a battle between Belgian and German forces that took place between 10 May and 11 May 1940, and was part of the Battle of the Netherlands, Battle of Belgium and Fall Gelb, the German invasion of the Low Countries and France...

. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Altmann was taken prisoner of war

Prisoner of war

A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...

 on 22 May 1941 during the battle of the Akrotiri peninsula

Akrotiri Peninsula (Cyprus)

The Akrotiri Peninsula is a short peninsula which includes the southernmost point of the island of Cyprus. It is bounded by Episkopi Bay to the west and Akrotiri Bay to the east and has two capes to the south-west and south-east, known as Cape Zevgari and Cape Gata...

.

Gustav Altmann was leader of Assault Group Steel (Sturmgruppe Stahl) of the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch" during the opening phase of 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 the attack on Fort Eben-Emael

Fort Eben-Emael

Fort Eben-Emael is an inactive Belgian fortress located between Liège and Maastricht, on the Belgian-Dutch border, near the Albert Canal, and designed to defend Belgium from a German attack across the narrow belt of Dutch territory in the region. Constructed in 1931–1935, it was reputed to be...

. Assault Group Steel was tasked with taking the Belgian bridge at Veldwezelt

Lanaken

Lanaken is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2007 Lanaken had a total population of 24,724. The total area is 59.00 km² which gives a population density of 415 inhabitants per km²....

 and holding out until reinforcements arrived. Altmann led a group of 91 men crammed into 9 DFS 230

DFS 230

|-See also:-External links:* http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/dfs230.html* http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/dfs/dfs230.htm...

 gliders in the assault. The attack succeeded at the cost of 8 dead, 16 heavily and 16 lightly wounded. Gustav Altmann and ten other German officers received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for this feat.

Awards

• 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....
  
   (1939)
  • 2nd Class (12 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (12 May 1940)
• Cuffband
  Cuff title
  A cuff title is a form of insignia placed on the sleeve, near the cuff of German military and paramilitary uniforms, most commonly seen in the Second World War but also seen postwar....
  
   "Crete"
• 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...
  
   on 12 May 1940 as Oberleutnant
  Oberleutnant
  Oberleutnant is a junior officer rank in the militaries of Germany, Switzerland and Austria. In the German Army, it dates from the early 19th century. Translated as "Senior Lieutenant", the rank is typically bestowed upon commissioned officers after five to six years of active duty...
  
  and leader of the Sturmgruppe "Stahl" in the Fallschirmjäger-Sturm-Abteilung "Koch"
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht
  Wehrmachtbericht
  The Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
  
   on 9 June 1941

Reference in the Wehrmachtbericht

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
Monday, 9 June 1941	In den Kämpfen um Kreta zeichneten sich die unter Führung von Major Koch, Hauptmann Altmann und Oberleutnant Genz stehenden Fallschirmverbände durch Kühnheit und Heldenmut aus.	In the battles in Crete parachute units under the leadership of Major Koch Walter Koch (Fallschirmjäger) Walter Koch was a member of the Fallschirmjäger during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his actions during the Battle of Fort Eben-Emael. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership... , Hauptmann Altmann and Oberleutnant Genz distinguished themselves through boldness and heroic courage.

External links