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Block, Josef (Grenadier-Regiment 2)

    Date of birth:
    October 25th, 1912 (Mülheim an der Ruhr/Rhineprovince, Germany)
    Date of death:
    October 25th, 1996 (Nauort/Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany)
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Promotions:
    ?: Gefreiter;
    June 1st, 1942: Unteroffizier;
    March 9th, 1944: Feldwebel;
    ?: Oberfeldwebel.

    Career:
    October 1st, 1938: Wehrmacht;
    ?: 9. / Infanterie-Regiment 2;
    February 3rd, 1940: 5. / Infanterie-Regiment 2;
    September 1st, 1941: 11. / Infanterie-Regiment 2;
    December 8th, 1941: 2. / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 2;
    ?: 3. Genesenden-Kompanie;
    March 27th, 1942: Gruppenführer 5. / Infanterie-Regiment 2;
    September 6th, 1943: 2. / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 2;
    ?: 2. Genesenden-Kompanie;
    ?: Marsch-Kompanie / Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 2;
    February 10th, 1944: 2. / Marsch-Bataillon 11/8;
    February 11th, 1944: 5. / Grenadier-Regiment 2;"
    ?: Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 2;
    ?: Stab / Grenadier-Regiment 2;
    September 27th, 1944: 5. / Grenadier-Regiment 2.

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)
    Unit:
    Gruppenführer, 5. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 2, 11. Infanterie-Division, Heer
    Awarded on:
    June 30th, 1942
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)
    Unit:
    Gruppenführer, 5. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Infanterie-Regiment 2, 11. Infanterie-Division, Heer
    Awarded on:
    April 20th, 1943
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)
    Unit:
    Gruppenführer, 5. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 2, 11. Infanterie-Division, Heer
    Awarded on:
    June 6th, 1943
    The following wartime excerpt describes why Block would be awarded the Knight’s Cross…

    “Unteroffizier Josef Block… distinguished himself as a patrol leader in a Grenadier-Regiment during the fighting south of Lake Ladoga. Here he broke into the enemy position on his own initiative and rolled it up despite the bitter resistance offered by its garrison. After this he became the first one to report on the Bolshevik offensive intentions in the area.”
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

    Sources

    Photos