Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He helped write the Tigerfibel training booklet for Tiger tank crewmen. Christern took over command of the 7th Panzer Division in March 1945 following a severe injury to the division"s commander, Generalmajor Doctor Karl Mauss.
Christern led the remnants of the division to Schwerin north and west of Berlin, where they surrendered to British troops in May 1945.
He was held by the British until January 1946. Following the war he worked as a farmer.
Iron Cross (1914) Bibliography.
