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Knight Cross Soldbuch Pz Rgt 11

Peter U

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Staff member
Today I'am proud to show you guys the newest addition to my collection, a Soldbuch of a holder of the prestigious knights cross, until last week A Soldbuch of a knights cross holder was still missing in my collection but this week I filled up that gap.


Hans-Günther Bethke (1913-1942) from Köningsberg was dramaturgy student but in 1934 he decided to pursue a career in the army.
As an enlisted man he served with motorcycle company of Aufklarungs Abteilung 1, in 1937 he went to Kriegschule in Potsdam for his officers training.
After he got his commission he followed additional training in the armoured warfare school in Wünsdorf.
After he completed his training in February 1938 he joined I/Pz Rgt 10 but soon he was transferred to the recently created 5th company of Panzer Regiment 11 (6 Pz Div), first as an ordnance officer (the officer in charge of maps, intelligence, the war diary,...etc), then as a platoon commander in the Polish campaign and finally just before the Westfeldzug as the company commander.
The 5th company of Pz Rgt 11 was equipped with the Czech made 35T Panzer, a light tank armed with a 37mm canon.
On May 10 1940 the 6th Panzer Division broke through the Ardennes, crossed the Meuse river in Montherme and then raced towards the sea.
On May 27 1940, after Hilters famous "Halt-order" was lifted 5/ Pz Rgt 11 attacked the BEF forces defending Cassel, after fierce fighting his company had destroyed 5 tanks, 4 bren carriers and two anti tank guns, also they made 700 POW's amongst those POW's was a Brigade commander and two Regimental commanders.
In the second phase of the Westfeldzug once again Hans-Günther Bethke proved himself, during the attack on fortress Epinal, according his KC citation he neglected his own personal safety, assaulted and destroyed two batteries so that the rest of his unit could cross the Mosel river without any losses thus speeding up the capitulation of fortress Epinal.
During the May 1940 campaign he was wounded by shrapnel twice, in the left foot and in the back; the wounds must have been light because he wasn't admitted to a hospital for them.
For his exploits in the Westfeldzug he was awarded the EKI on June 9 1940, the Panzerkampfabzeichen and the wounded badge in black, on August 18 1940 his superiors recommended him for the knights cross, which was awarded on September 4 1940.
In June 1941 the invasion of the Soviet Union follows and once again 5/Pz Rgt 11 with their Skoda tanks they are in the thick of the fighting, on July 11 1941 when they are fighting in Sagorje, he gets wounded for the third time, a piece of shrapnel in his left hip, this time the wound he sustained is more serious and he is admitted to a hospital, were he will stay till the end of September 1941.
After he is discharged from the hospital he doesn't return to his company, instead he becomes an instructor for officer candidates on the armoured warfare school in Wunsdorf.
On February 16 1942 he is transferred to I/Pz Lehr Rgt, in May 1942 this unit becomes Panzer Abt (zbv) 66, a tank unit equipped with a mix of German and Russian tanks.
He becomes the CO of the 1st company, which is equipped with the modern version of the Pzkw IV, there task is to participate in the invasion of the island of Malta.
There tanks are painted in dessert camouflage paint but when they depart to the front at the end of August 1942 it isn't to North Africa but to Northern Russia, the Leningrad front.
His company is attached to the 12 Pz Div that has sustained heavy losses, on September 12 1942 his company is ordered to attack the Red Army front line on the densely forested hills of Ssinjawino.
These thick forests are far from ideal tank country and the losses are high; also Hans-Günther Bethke is one of the many casualties of that day.
He is seriously wounded, the details in his Soldbuch tell that he sustained: smashed right upper arm, shot through right thigh, splinter wounds to left leg and right side of the chest; an amputation of his right arm was necessary but it didn't safe his life, two days later on September 14 1942 at 13.20 he died of his wounds in a field hospital in Solozubowka.
His remains are still buried in the Solozubowka cemetery but in unmarked grave.
After his dead his superiors recommended him for the Oak leaves to his Knights Cross but the German army seldom awarded this type of high award posthumously; instead of another award he was posthumously promoted to Major.
 
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Because he died in 1942 there is no picture in his Soldbuch but I also have his military driving license and on that is a picture of him taken in 1938.
I like that the Knights Cross is rather casually entered in his Soldbuch.
 

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The driving license which allows him to drive motorcycles, cars, trucks and also tanks until weight class 2.
 

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Two pictures of his KC award ceremony published in regimental history of Pz Rgt 11 written by M.Schadewitz.
 

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Some images I found of him online.
 

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Very interesting piece. That's a lot of period photos as well. I guess that they army would've been proud of him and taken a bunch of pictures for various purposes.

The cemetery that he is in, is it all unmarked graves?
 
Very cool Soldbuch, fascinating as always...

I love Soldbuch's since they really tell a personal story much better than a helmet, or a rifle...I probably have about a dozen Soldbuchs in my collection..

Do you seem to mainly get yours from dealers, your personal network, flea markets, antique shops?
 
Captivating as always!

And to think he was only 29 when he was killed.


What are the hats worn at his KC ceremony?
 
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Do you seem to mainly get yours from dealers, your personal network, flea markets, antique shops?

- I indeed mainly get these from dealers, online auctions and of course my personal network.
This one was for sale on a dealer website.
 
What a fantastic grouping!! You really bring the item and story to life with your translations!! Always a good read.
 
Thanks guys!
:thumbsup:


Yes Hambone, it is the icing on the cake in my humble Soldbuch collection.
 

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