Joachim Sander

Joachim Sander
Born	7 August 1898 Wernigerode
Died	Goldap, East Prussia
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918) Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1915–18 1934–44
Rank	Oberst
Commands held	Panzer-Regiment 23 Panzer-Regiment 31
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Siege of Leningrad Battle of the Caucasus Lower Dnieper Offensive Dnieper–Carpathian Offensive First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive Gumbinnen Operation
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Joachim Sander (7 August 1898 – 3 November 1944) was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht 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. Joachim Sander was killed on 3 November 1944 near Goldap, East Prussia. He was posthumously awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 5 February 1945.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (18 November 1916)
  • 1st Class (27 August 1919)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (8 October 1939)
• Panzer Badge
• Eastern Front Medal
• German Cross in Gold on 24 March 1943 as Oberstleutnant in Panzer-Regiment 201
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 19 September 1943 as Oberstleutnant and commander of Panzer-Regiment 23
  • 729th Oak Leaves on 5 February 1945 as Oberst and commander of Panzer-Regiment 31
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (9 November 1944)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
9 November 1944 (addendum)	Bei den Kämpfen um Goldap haben sich das brandenburgische Grenadier-Regiment 121 unter Führung von Oberst Neumann und das schlesisch-sudetendeutsche Panzerregiment 3 unter Führung des mit dem Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes ausgezeichneten Oberst Sander durch kühnen Angriffsgeist hervorragend bewährt und entscheidend zur Einschließung und Vernichtung des in Goldap kämpfenden Feindes beigetragen. Oberst Sander fand an der Spitze seines Regiments den Heldentod.	In the fighting over Goldap, the Brandenburg Grenadier Regiment 121, under the leadership of Colonel Neumann, and the Silesian-Sudeten German Panzer Regiment 3, under the leadership of the Colonel Sander who was awarded with the Oak Leaves with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, have proven itself by showing bold fighting spirit and decisively contributed in the containment and destruction of the enemy fighting in Goldap. Colonel Sander found a hero's death at the head of his regiment.

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• World War 2 Awards.com