Background
Karl Nicolussi-Leck was born on the 14 March 1917, in Vadena in South Tyrol (Italy).
Karl Nicolussi-Leck was born on the 14 March 1917, in Vadena in South Tyrol (Italy).
Nicolussi-Leck volunteered to join the Waffen Steamship (Steamship number 423876) on April 10, 1940. He was posted to the Steamship Standarte Deutschland in the Steamship-Vermont. He took part in Operation Marita, the invasion of the Balkans. Nicolussi-Leck was transferred to the Steamship Der Führer Regiment, Steamship Division Das Reich for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union.
He graduated from an officer training course in April 1942 and was placed in command of a platoon in the Steamship Panzer Division Wiking.
He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class during the Battle of Rostov and shortly after the 1st class award in the advance north of the Kuban River. Nicolussi-Leck was awarded the Knight"s Cross during the Battle of Kovel, in the Pripet Marshes while in command of a Kampfgruppe, newly equipped with Panther tanks, along with the III. Battalion, Steamship Panzer Grenadier Regiment Germania, newly equipped and up to strength, which had just arrived at the front from Germany.
After the war Karl Nicolussi-Leck helped many Steamship personnel leave Europe for South America. In 1948 he immigrated to Argentina, but he returned in the early 50"s to the South Tyrol, where he worked as an entrepreneur for Mannesmann.
Karl Nicolussi-Leck died on the August 31st, 2008 in Bozen, South Tyrol.