Date of birth:

January 18th, 1919 (Ettal/Garmisch/Oberbayern, Germany)

Date of death:

May 23rd, 2003 (Garmisch/Partenkirchen, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, German Reich)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

September 24th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 16th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant der Reserve (2nd Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

Zugführer 16. / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division / XXXXIV.Armee-Korps / 6.Armee / Heeresgruppe B

Awarded on:

July 19th, 1940

Action:
Here follows an abbreviated Knight’s Cross recommendation for Leutnant Pössinger…

“On 06.06.1940, following the attack of the 1. Gebirgs-Division over the Oise Canal at Coucy le Chateau and its own crossing of the canal, the Gebirgs-Jäger-Regiment 98 received the mission of securing the open left flank in anticipation of the main German attack the next day.

The Panzerabwehr-Zug under Pössinger was responsible for tank defense along the left wing of this security detail. On this day an enemy tank attack was met by Pössinger’s Zug alone and was thrown back here, with Leutnant Pössinger personally manning the first gun. Showing brave and exemplary behaviour, in the strongest of enemy tank fire he alone continued to serve the gun and in hindsight can be credited with both the leadership of the defense as well as the destruction of 6 enemy tanks.”

Note: The attacking enemy force consisted of 11 tanks.
Details:
142nd Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

6. / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division

Awarded on:

February 16th, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 18th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major der Reserve

Unit:

Kommandeur 1. / Grenadier-Regiment 1123 / 558.Volks-Grenadier-Division / XX.Armee-Korps / Heeresgruppe Nord

Awarded on:

February 28th, 1945

Action:
Here follows a Führer HQ telex, dated 07.03.1945, describing how Major Pössinger received the Oakleaves to his Knight’s Cross…

“The Battalion Pössinger had already thrown back an enemy battle group consisting of two companies in the area around Landsberg (East Prussia). Following this they continued to push north towards Hanshagen, from which they began to receive strong flanking fire.

In response to this Major Pössinger personally stormed into the heavily defended town at the head of his Grenadiers. In doing so he seized a cornerstone of the enemy break-in area here, and his Grenadiers managed to capture (among other things) 13 enemy anti-tank and infantry guns.

Major Pössinger was born on 18.01.1919 in Ettal (Upper Bavaria) as the son of a farmer. He has already been awarded the Knight’s Cross on 19.07.1940.”
Details:
759th Award

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur Grenadier-Regiment 1123

Awarded on:

May 1st, 1945

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

April 13th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 6th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 15th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 1st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

June 21st, 1943

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• Photo: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1993.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Ritterkreuztraeger 1939 - 1945
  - Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum