Pickert Wolfgang General der Flakartillerie. RK Citation

March 3, 2016

Pickert Wolfgang - General der Flakartillerie.

He was born in Posen on the 3^rd February 1897. Became a field artillery officer and s served on the eastern and western fronts in the First World War. A career army officer he transferred in 1935 to the flak artillery arm of the Luftwaffe and became inspector of flak forces, Reich Air Ministry, 1937, until 1938 when he was made chief of staff of the XIII Air District Command. He was commander of the Rhine-Ruhr Air Defence District, 1939 to April 1940 and chief of staff, I Flak Corps in France. Until May 1942 he was chief of staff, Air Fleet Reich. In June 1942 he was commander of the 9^th Flak Division, in France. Pickert led the 9^th Flak Division in Russia, May 1942 to 1944, His division was positioned in the southern portion of the Eastern Front, and fought its way towards Stalingrad where it was encircled and decimated. Pickert was flown out, however, and reformed the division which later fought in the Crimea and the Kuban area. On the 28^th May 1944 he was made commanding general of the IIIrd Flak Corps, and from 20th March 1945 was the general of flak attached to the air ministry in Berlin.

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross: Awarded on the 11^th January 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 9. Flak-Division (mot.)

Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves: Awarded on the 5^th June 1944 as Generalmajor and commander of III. Flak-Korps . He was the 489^th recipient.