Walter Gericke

Walter Gericke (23 December 1907 – 19 October 1991) was a German paratroop officer in the Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany during World War II and a general in the Bundeswehr of West Germany. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves.

Gericke took part in the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of Crete as a Fallschirmjäger battalion commander. He later commanded the Fallschirjäger-Regiment 11 (part of the 4. Fallschirmjäger-Division) and fought in the Battle of Anzio.

Gericke joined the newly formed Bundeswehr after the rearmament of West Germany and as a Generalmajor led the 1. Luftlande-Division from 1962 to 1965.

In 1974, Gericke supported the establishment of a war cemetery in Maleme which is the final resting place for 4,465 German soldiers who lost their lives on the island of Crete during World War II. Provided by Wikipedia