Knight's cross recipient Dr Bruno Sassen , 1941 Leningrad.
As a platoon leader in the 10th Company of the 3rd fallschirmjäger Regiment , he fought on the Leningrad Front during the Russian campaign. At the end of 1941, Sassen and his unit were in a defensive position at the Neva bridgehead near Vyborgaskaya. He successfully repelled all Soviet attacks over the course of 33 days.
On November 15, 1941, the Soviets occupied an anti- tank ditch just a few meters in front of the German lines. Sassen then independently decided to launch a counterattack. With only five paratroopers from his squad, he annihilated the Soviet forces in the anti-tank ditch, taking several prisoners. The defeat triggered a series of desertions to the German side the following day and led to the temporary cessation of Soviet attacks in that sector. For this action, Lieutenant Sassen was awarded the Knight's Cross of Iron cross.
He died in 2006.