Career
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. Hans-Karl Stepp was born on 2 September 1914 in Gießen as son to a University professor Stepp studied eight semesters of law in Tübingen, Breslau and Munich before joining the Luftwaffe as Fahnenjunker in 1936.
He fought in the Invasion of Poland and Battle of France with Sturzkampfgeschwader 76.
He also served in the Reichsluftwaffenministerium in Berlin. Wehrmachtbericht reference Bibliography.