Josef-Franz Eckinger

Dr. Josef-Franz Eckinger
Born	17 December 1904 Steyr, Austria
Died	17 October 1941 (1941-10-18) (aged 36) near Mednoye
Allegiance	First Austrian Republic (to 1938) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1924 – 1943
Rank	Oberstleutnant (posthumously promoted)
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa †
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Dr. Josef-Franz Eckinger (17 December 1904 – 17 October 1941) was a German officer during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). 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.

Eckinger was killed on 17 October 1941 near Mednoye at the Volga River.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 May 1940)
  • 1st Class (13 June 1940)
• Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
• Honour Roll Clasp of the Army (20 September 1941)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 17 March 1941 as Hauptmann and leader of the II./Schützen-Regiment 1
  • 48th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 (posthumously) as Major and commander of the I./Schützen-Regiment 1

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945. Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 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.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2299-6.
• Helden der Wehrmacht III - Unsterbliche deutsche Soldaten (in German). München, Germany: FZ-Verlag GmbH, 2007. ISBN 978-3-924309-82-4.

External links

• "Lexikon der Wehrmacht". Dr. Josef-Franz Eckinger. Retrieved 25 January 2010.