Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann (Captain)

Unit:

Führer, XII. Festungs-Infanterie-Bataillon 999, Festungs-Brigade 964, Heer

Awarded on:

April 20th, 1945

Neumann’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“Independent action by Hauptmann Neumann: Recapture of the lost left-wing sector by stripping the right wing of all forces except for 1 light machine-gun (see the cross-hatched blue arrow in the sketch). During the counterattack (solid blue arrow in sketch) the right-wing position was pushed back. After the left attack succeeded he immediately launched a counterattack on the right wing, and he brought the entire position back into friendly hands (white/blue arrow in sketch). (14./15.03.1945)

This decision was particularly difficult to make, as strong enemy artillery fire was plastering the entire sector. Furthermore, our own forces had a combat strength of just 94 men to defend a 6 km wide sector. Enemy strength was no less than 800 men.

Neumann carried the attack onwards after all officers had fallen, and he led his weak forces from the front whilst under heavy fire from all manner of weaponry. Without his actions here a hostile breakthrough towards Sarajevo would have been impossible to stop, as reserves were unavailable at the time.

He served in Russia as a Kompanie commander for one-and-a-half years, and was awarded the German Cross in Gold for his repeated bravery. He went on to serve as a Bataillon commander in Russia for another one-and-a-half years, and has continued on in this capacity in the Balkans for 1 year so far.”