Not long ago I was able to acquire the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse award document (Urkunde) of Unteroffizier Heinrich Nießen who served in the 3. Batterie/ Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 74. Most interestingly, the 3. Batterie, was the “Hummel” Batterie of the Regiment. The award document was signed by Generalleutnant und Kommandeur Vollrath Lübbe.
Unteroffizier Heinrich Nießen was born on June 12, 1916 in Neuwerk, Mönchengladbach and worked as a Schuhmachermeister before the war. During the war, he served with the 3. Batterie/ Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 74 and wore the Erkennungsmarke (Dogtag) -180- 3.A.R.74. On October 20, 1941, he would earn the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and would be awarded the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, posthumously, on January 23, 1944. Unteroffizier Nießen succumbed to his severe wounds (Artilleriegeschoss beide Arme, beide Beine) he received on October 28, 1943 in Uborok 35 km. südostw. von Retschiza (USSR). He would die at 0130 hours in Feldlazarett 4/582 in Retschiza as the results of multiple Granatsplitterverletzung, Oberschenkel Amputation. He’s currently still buried in his fieldgrave.
