Plein, Josef

Date of birth:: September 2nd, 1909 (Mehren/Rhineprovince, Germany)
Date of death:: March 20th, 1945 (Danzig/Pommerania, Germany)
Nationality:: German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Obergefreiter (Corporal)
Unit:: Gruppenführer 6. / Grenadier-Regiment 545
Awarded on:: April 14th, 1945

During the final battles near Danzig in early 1945, Obergefreiter Plein proved to be one of the most outstanding German soldiers. Though the details are largely unclear, it is known that he developed a special attack/defense strategy with his handful of troops and executed it splendidly in crisis situations through his personally conducted counterthrusts. For this he would be awarded the Knight’s Cross and both classes of Iron Cross simultaneously.