Date of birth:

July 17th, 1907 (Berlin-Charlottenburg/Brandenburg, Germany)

Date of death:

March 26th, 1996 (Odenthal/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Promotions:
April 1st, 1934: Leutnant (Polizei);
October 1st, 1935: Oberleutnant (Polizei);
January 1st, 1940: Hauptmann;
April 1st, 1942: Major;
April 1st, 1944: Oberstleutnant;
?: Oberst.

Career:
?: Berliner Landespolizeigruppe "von der Wecke";
October 1st, 1935: Luftwaffe;
1935: Fallschirmtruppe;
1938: Chef 2. Kompanie, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1;
1941: Kommandeur II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1;
January 22nd, 1944 - February 11th, 1944: Führer Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 (m.d.F.b.);
July 24th, 1944 - February 1945: Kommandeur Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15;
February 3rd, 1945 - April 1945: Führer 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division (m.d.F.b.).

Kurt Gröschke is being held responsible as commanding officer of II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1 and Kampfgruppe Gröschke for executing 12 Italians (10 policemen and two garbage collectors) in the city of Barletta on September 12th, 1943. The execution was a reprisal for the death of two German soldiers the day before.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

October 20th, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Kompanie, I. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

May 22nd, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

June 21st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, II. Bataillon, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1, 1. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

June 9th, 1944

Awarded for his actions northwest of Cassino on the 08.02.1944. Here Major Gröschke managed to prevent a potentially disastrous Allied breakthrough to the Cassino—Rome road and by extension the fall of Cassino itself.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15, 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe (Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15, 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe)

Awarded on:

July 27th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberst (Colonel)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 15, 5. Fallschirmjäger-Division, Luftwaffe

Awarded on:

January 9th, 1945

• Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - GAUL, ROLAND, The Battle of the Bulge in Luxembourg, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, United States, 1995.
  - KUROWSKI, F., Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger, Schiffer Publishing Ltd., Atglen, United States, 1995.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1997.
  - das-ritterkreuz.de
  - Barletta 12 settembre | NS-Täter in Italien