Paul Conrath

Paul Conrath
Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring and Paul Conrath(left)
Born	(1896-11-22)22 November 1896 Rudow near Berlin
Died	15 January 1979(1979-01-15) (aged 82) Hamburg
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1914–1945
Rank	General der Fallschirmtruppe
Commands held	Flak-Regiment (mot.) "General Göring" Fallschirm-Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring"
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

General Paul Conrath (22 November 1896 – 15 January 1979) was a German General der Fallschirmtruppe during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Following the battle at Monte Cassino in Italy, he was honored for authorizing action, prior to the battle, that saved priceless Christian treasures. At the request of two of his division's officers, he authorized use of trucks, fuel, and drivers to remove books and other property from the Abbey to the Vatican and other safe locations in Rome. After a mass in the basilica, Abbot Gregorio Diamare formally presented General Conrath with signed parchment scrolls enscribed in Latin. The scrolls cited tribuno militum Julio Schlegel and Maximiliano Becker medecinae doctori "for rescuing the monks and treasures of the Abbey of Monte Cassino." (See citations at entry for battle of Monte Cassino.)

Awards

• Iron Cross (1914) 2nd and 1st Class
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd and 1st Class
• Cross of Honor
• Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. Klasse
• Cuffband "Afrika"
• German Cross in Gold (18 May 1944)
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (18 August 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 4 September 1941 as Oberst and commander of Flak-Regiment (motorized) "General Göring"
  • 276th Oak Leaves on 21 August 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of Fallschirm-Panzer-Division "Hermann Göring"

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.

External links

• Paul Conrath @ Ritterkreuzträger 1939–45
• Paul Conrath @ Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Military offices
Preceded by Major Walther von Axthelm	Commander of Fallschirm-Panzer Division 1 Hermann Göring 1 June 1940 – 14 April 1944	Succeeded by Generalmajor Wilhelm Schmalz