▁German ▁We hr macht ▁and ▁W affen - SS ▁- ▁to ▁ear n ▁the ▁cl asp ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II ). ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁very ▁few ▁to ▁receive ▁both ▁this ▁bra very ▁award ▁and ▁the ▁Knight ' s ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross . ▁ ▁Biography ▁K ämp fe ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Th ür ingen , ▁Germany ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁He ▁trained ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁typ ograph er ▁like ▁his ▁father ▁but ▁after ▁Hitler ▁took ▁power ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁Le ut nant ▁in ▁the ▁He er ▁before ▁transfer ring ▁to ▁the ▁W affen - SS ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁On ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁in ▁Russia , ▁he ▁commanded ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion , ▁ 4 th ▁SS - Pan zer gren ad ier ▁Der ▁F ühr er ▁Regiment , ▁the ▁Das ▁Reich ▁Division ' s ▁reconna issance ▁group . ▁K ämp fe ▁received ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁Cross ▁of ▁the ▁Iron ▁Cross ▁for ▁bra very ▁and ▁exempl ary ▁leadership ▁during ▁the ▁Zh it om ir – B erd iche v ▁Off ensive ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 - 4 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁Spring ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁Das ▁Reich ▁Division ▁had ▁been ▁with dra wn ▁from ▁Russia ▁and ▁sent ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁France ▁for ▁ref itting ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁the ▁anticip ated ▁Al lied ▁invasion ▁of ▁occupied ▁Europe . ▁While ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁France , ▁K ämp