Johannes Bölter

Johannes Bölter
Born	19 February 1915(1915-02-19) Mülheim an der Ruhr, Kingdom of Prussia
Died	16 September 1987(1987-09-16) (aged 72) Mülheim an der Ruhr, West Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1933 – 1945
Rank	Hauptmann
Unit	schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Hauptmann Johannes Bölter (born February 19, 1915 in Mülheim an der Ruhr, North Rhine-Westphalia, died September 16, 1987 in Mülheim an der Ruhr) was a German Heer tank commander during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Johannes Bölter destroyed 139 tanks (some sources place his score as high as 144) during World War II. Together with Kurt Knispel, Otto Carius, Ernst Barkmann and Michael Wittmann he is considered to be one of the most successful tank commanders in history.

Awards

• Wound Badge
  • Black (2 July 1940)
  • Silver (8 February 1943)
  • Gold (3 August 1944)
• Panzer Badge
  • Silver (26 June 1940)
  • II Class (15 July 1944)
  • III Class (1 September 1944)
• Iron Cross
  • 2nd Class (30 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (15 July 1940)
• German Cross in Gold (29 March 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 16 April 1944 as Leutnant and platoon leader in the 1./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502
  • 581st Oak Leaves on 10 September 1944 as Leutnant and leader of the 1./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945 (in German). Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Kurowski, Franz (1992). Panzer Aces. New York: Ballantine Book. ISBN 0-345-44884-7.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• "Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45". Johannes Bölter. http://www.ritterkreuztraeger-1939-45.de/Infanterie/B/Bo/Boelter-Johannes.htm. Retrieved 30 November 2010. 
• "Tiger I Information Center". Johannes Bölter. http://www.alanhamby.com/aces.shtml. Retrieved 30 November 2010.