Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt

Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt (30 June 1915 – 19 June 2014) was a German officer (Major) in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany.

Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt
Born	30 June 1915 Markranstädt, Germany
Died	19 June 2014 (aged 98) Schmalfeld, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Allegiance	Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany  West Germany
Service/branch	Army Bundeswehr
Years of service	1934–45 1955–71
Rank	Major (Wehrmacht) Brigadegeneral (Bundeswehr)
Commands held	Panzergrenadierbrigade 16
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Other work	politician

Dennhardt served in the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein as a Christian Democratic Union politician after World War II.[1] He rejoined the military service in the West German Bundeswehr in 1955, retiring in 1971 holding the rank of Brigadegeneral. He commanded the Panzergrenadierbrigade 16 from 1 November 1965 to 31 March 1968 and was deputy commander of the 6th Panzergrenadier Division.

Awards and decorations

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (28 May 1938)[2]
• Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (2 June 1940) & 1st Class (8 September 1940)[3]
• Wound Badge (1939) in Black (26 August 1941); in Silver (29 August 1942); in Gold (5 October 1942)[2]
• Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze (1 May 1942)[2]
• Eastern Front Medal (3 August 1942)[2]
• German Cross in Gold on 12 February 1943 as Hauptmann in the III./Grenadier-Regiment 53 (motorized)[4]
• Close Combat Clasp in Bronze (6 December 1943) & in Silver (15 April 1945)[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 18 March 1942 as Major and commander of the II./Grenadier-Regiment 11 and regiment leader[5][Note 1]
  • (870th) Oak Leaves on 9 May 1945 as Major and leader of Grenadier-Regiment 1143[7][Note 2]
• Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany 1st Class (10 May 1971)[2]

Notes

1. According to Scherzer as leader of Grenadier-Regiment 11.[6]
2. Major Joachim Domaschk, who processed the nomination at the Heerespersonalamt (HPA—Army Staff Office) from the troop, had sent a message to the AOK Ostpreußen on 28 March 1945 requesting an approval from the Armeekorps and the Armee. This approval was never received before the end of hostilities. Oskar-Hubert Dennhardt is not listed in the book for the "nominations for the higher grades of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross" nor in the nomination book for Knight's Cross (starting with Nr. 5100). According to the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) the award was presented in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The sequential number "870" and the presentation date were assigned by the AKCR. Dennhardt was a member of the AKCR.[8]

References

Citations

1. Das braune Schleswig-Holstein, Die Zeit, 26 January 1990
2. Thomas & Wegmann 1998, p. 217.
3. Thomas 1997, p. 114.
4. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 82.
5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 159.
6. Scherzer 2007, p. 269.
7. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 103.
8. Scherzer 2007, p. 126.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• 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 [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1998). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil III: Infanterie Band 4: C–Dow [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part III: Infantry Volume 4: C–Dow] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2534-8.