The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Josef Prentl joined the post-war Bundeswehr in 1956, retiring in 1974 as an Oberst. Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (8 October 1940) 1st Class (10 February 1942) German Cross in Gold on 20 August 1944 as Hauptmann in Flak-Kampfgruppe Prentl Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight"s Cross on 21 October 1942 as Oberleutnant and chief of the 2./Flak-Regiment 231 (851st) Oak Leaves on 28 April 1945 as Major and commander of Flak-Regiment 116.
From 1974 to 1978 he served in the Bavarian parliament as a member of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria party.
