| Page Created |
| February 9th, 2026 |
| Last Updated |
| February 9th, 2026 |
| Germany |
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| Related Pages |
| Fall Gelb Unternehmen Eiche |
| Kurt Arthur Benno Student |
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| Fallschirmjäger |
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| Medals |
- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes: May 12th, 1940
- Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Nr. 305): September 27th, 1943
- Königlich Preußischer Hausorden von Hohenzollern, Ritterkreuz mit Schwertern: May 1917
- Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (1914): August 29th, 1915
- Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (1914): September 26th, 1914
- Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 1. Klasse (1939): September 20th, 1939.
- Spange zum Eisernen Kreuz 2. Klasse (1939): September 20th, 1939.
- Albrechts-Orden, Ritterkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern: June 15th, 1917.
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer: January 30th, 1935.
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 1. Klasse (für 25 Jahre): October 2nd, 1936.
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung 3. Klasse (für 12 Jahre): October 2nd, 1936.
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 mit Spange „Prager Burg“.
- Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (1939).
- Deutsches Heeres-Flugzeugführerabzeichen: February 27th, 1914.
- Flieger-Erinnerungsabzeichen: September 10th, 1919.
- Militär-Flugzeugführerabzeichen: May 21st, 1935.
- Frontflugspange für Aufklärer in Gold mit Brillanten.
- Ärmelband „KRETA“.
| Biography Kurt Arthur Benno Student |
Kurt Arthur Benno Student is born on May 12, 1890, at Birkholz in the Neumark. His father is Oskar Rudolph Reinhardt Student, born in 1850. He is the owner of a manorial estate and a local public prosecutor at Reppen. He dies in 1914. His mother is Clara Karoline Auguste Student, born Schoeppke. She is born in 1855 and dies in 1902.
At the age of eleven, Kurt Student enters the Potsdam Cadet House in 1901 and transfers in 1906 to the Hauptkadettenanstalt at Groß-Lichtenfelde.
On March 3rd, 1910, he joins Jäger-Bataillon “Graf Yorck von Wartenburg” (Ostpreuß.) Nr. 1 at Ortelsburg as a Fähnrich. On May 1st, 1910, he is detached to Berlin-Johannisthal for flying training.
He returns to Ortelsburg on March 1st, 1911, and is promoted to Leutnant on March 20th, 1911. On August 8th, 1913, he receives his Flugzeugführer licence.
On February 1st, 1914, he is detached to Flug-Station Posen and Flieger-Bataillon 2, serving there as a pilot from June 2nd to August 1st, 1914. On June 2nd, 1914, he is posted to Feldflieger-Abteilung 17. On June 18th, 1916, he is promoted to Oberleutnant.
On February 10th, 1916, he becomes a Flugzeugführer in Kampfstaffel 19 of Kampfgeschwader 4, subordinated to the Armee-Ober-Kommando. On May 17th, 1916, he transfers to the Armee-Fokkerstaffel of 3. Armee.
In mid-October 1916, he moves to Jagdstaffel 9 and on October 16th, 1916, becomes its Kommandeur. On May 2nd, 1917, he is severely wounded in an air combat, forced to relinquish command, and admitted to a Lazarett.
After recovering, he takes command of the Jagdgruppe of 3. Armee on July 12th, 1917. On February 25th, 1918, he is transferred to Flieger-Ersatz-Abteilung 3 at Gotha, becoming its Flugführer on March 2nd, 1918.
From 14 June 1918 to 30 September 1919, he serves as Abteilungsleiter for research and development within the Kommando der Flug-Lehrer of Fliege-Abteilung A at Adlerhorst. On 20 June 1918, he is promoted to Hauptmann.
On October 1st, 1919, he is transferred to the Abwicklungsstelle of the Inspektorat für Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung at the Reichskriegsministerium. On April 1st, 1920, he becomes Referent for Flugtechnologie.
On 1 October 1921, he is appointed Kommandant of training troops in the Arys area and is simultaneously detached to the Armee-Friedens-Kommission. On October 30th, 1921, he is injured in a sport glider accident. After recovery, he is transferred on May 1st, 1922 to the Inspektorat für Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung, and on December 1st, 1922 becomes Referent and Gruppenleiter for aircraft development.
On November 1st, 1928, he joins the staff of the Ausbildungs-Bataillon of 2. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment and in 1929 becomes Chef of 10. Kompanie of the same regiment. He is promoted to Major on January 1st, 1930 and on February 1st, 1931 takes command of I. Bataillon, 3. (Preuß.) Infanterie-Regiment.
From May 19th to October 6th, 1931, he attends specialist flying courses at Würzburg. After completing them, he is transferred on 1 February 1933 to the Kommandantur in Berlin.
On September 1st, 1933, Student transfers to the Luftwaffe and becomes Offizier z.V. at the Reichsluftministerium. On October 1st, 1933, he is appointed Kommandeur of the Technische Ausbildungsschule der Luftwaffe at Jüterbog. He is promoted to Oberstleutnant on January 1st, 1934 and to Oberst on January 20th, 1935.
He then assumes command of the Erprobungszentrum für Flugausrüstung and becomes Militärkommandeur of Flughafen Rechlin. On September 8th, 1935, he is appointed Kommandeur of Flieger-Regiment 3. On October 1st, 1936, he becomes Kommandeur of the Waffenschule der Luftwaffe and Chef des Stabes of the Kommando der Flugschulen.
On March 1st, 1937, he is appointed Inspekteur of the Kommando der Flugschulen. On October 1st, 1937, he becomes Höherer Luftwaffenkommandeur IV. On April 1st, 1938, he takes command of 3. Flieger-Division.
On July 4th, 1938, he becomes Kommandeur of the Fallschirm- und Luftlande-Truppen and is promoted to Generalmajor on April 1st 1938. On September 1st, 1938, he is appointed Kommandeur of 7. Flieger-Division, which contains all Luftwaffe parachute formations.
From February 1st, 1939, to May 31st, 1941, he also serves as Inspekteur of the Fallschirm- und Luftlandetruppe. He is promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 January 1940.
| Fall Gelb |
Student is promoted to Generalleutnant on January 1st, 1940. In early May 1940, he takes part with his troops in the attack on Belgium and the Netherlands. His formations receive the important task of seizing strategic objectives. These include bridges and airfields.
After the capitulation of Rotterdam, Student attempts to order a Waffen-SS unit to cease its indiscriminate fire. During this action, he is struck in the head by a ricochet. He is severely wounded.
Because the German Fallschirmtruppe plays a decisive role in capturing Belgian and Dutch bridges and frontier fortifications, including Fort Eben-Emael, Student receives the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on May 12th, 1940. Two weeks later, he is promoted to General der Flieger.
Hermann Göring also awards him the Flugzeugführer- und Beobachterabzeichen in Gold mit Brillanten on September 2nd, 1940.
| Unternehmen Merkur |
Operational planning for the attack on Crete on May 20th, 1941 lies with Student. The plan calls for 10,000 men to jump by parachute. A further 750 men are to land by Lastensegler. After the capture of the main airfields, another 5,000 men are to arrive by Junker 52. This reinforcement includes Gebirgsjäger under General Julius Ringel.
Adolf Hitler considers Crete suitable as a British base for bomber aircraft. From the island, he believes the Romanian oilfields could be attacked. On Crete, 42,640 Allied troops are available. This total includes 11,000 Greek soldiers.
Heavy German losses, and the intervention of partisans supported or tolerated by the civilian population, intensify the conflict. As the first and provisional island commander of occupied Crete, Kurt Student contributes to an escalation of violence and counter-violence.
On May 31st, 1941, Student issues an order concerning reprisal measures. He states that all measures are to be carried out with the greatest speed. He orders that formalities are to be set aside. He also orders the deliberate exclusion of special courts. He declares that the matter is for the troops, not for ordinary courts. He states that ordinary courts are not appropriate for ‘beasts and murderers’.
Student also orders that reprisals should, wherever possible, be carried out by the same unit that has suffered the attacks. The measures range from imposed contributions to shootings and the burning of villages. They extend to the stated aim of the extermination of the male population of entire areas. For the last two measures, approval from the general is required.
In accordance with this order, the village of Kandanos is destroyed. In the village of Kondomari, many male civilians are arbitrarily seized and shot.
After attacks by Greek partisans, Student orders collective liability in Greece. He states that punishment is to be directed against the partisans who carry out attacks, or against the ‘guilty civilian population’. In internal Wehrmacht discussion, if any distinction is made between ‘guilty’ and ‘innocent’, it is defined almost exclusively by tactical considerations.
On August 1st, 1940, he is promoted to General der Fallschirmtruppe. After recovering, he becomes Kommandierender General of XI. Fliegerkorps in January 1941, the new designation for the formation previously centred on 7. Flieger-Division. From June 1st, 1941, he also serves as Kommandierender General der Fallschirmtruppe.
| Unternehmen Eiche |
One day after the fall and arrest of Benito Mussolini on July 25th, 1943, Adolf Hitler issues instructions to Student for Unternehmen Eiche. A commando operation is planned using German Fallschirmjäger. The aim is to free Mussolini.
Operational planning is placed under General Student. Execution is assigned to the Fallschirmjäger-Lehrbataillon and its Kommandeur. SS-Hauptsturmführer Otto Skorzeny receives permission to join the operation.
The operation is carried out on September 12th, 1943. Mussolini is freed from a hotel on the Gran Sasso. He is then flown out.
On September 14th, 1943, Mussolini arrives with Skorzeny at Hitler’s headquarters at Rastenburg.
For this operation, Student receives on September 27th, 1943, he is awarded the Eichenlaub to the Ritterkreuz. He is the 305th soldier of the Wehrmacht to receive this award. On March 1st, 1944, he is appointed Oberbefehlshaber of 1. Fallschirmarmee.
He is promoted to Generaloberst on July 13th, 1944. From October 27th, 1944, he also commands Armeegruppe Student, and from November 7th, 1944, becomes Oberbefehlshaber of Heeresgruppe H.
On January 25th, 1945, he relinquishes this command and is appointed Befehlshaber der Fallschirmtruppen. On January 28th, 1945, he is transferred to the Führerreserve of the OKL. On April 1st, 1945, he again becomes Kommandeur of Armee-Gruppe Student.
On April 10th, 1945, he assumes command of 1. Fallschirmarmee. On April 29th, 1945, he is appointed Befehlshaber of Heeresgruppe Weichsel, a post he can only take up on May 2nd, 1945.
One day later, his headquarters is overrun by American tanks, and he narrowly escapes capture.
| Post War |
After the war, Kurt Student is arrested on May 28th, 1945. He is tried by a military court and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. In the autumn of 1947, Greece requests his extradition. In 1948, Student is released from custody after a successful appeal.
A separate account states that in May 1946, a British military court at Lüneburg conducts proceedings against him for war crimes. On May 10th, 1946, the court sentences him to five years in prison. However, the responsible confirming authority, General Galloway, refuses to confirm the sentence. He does so because Student is regarded as being known for irreproachable personal conduct.
In the Nuremberg war crimes trials, and specifically in the proceedings against the German generals of the ‘South-East’ case, no charges are brought against Student.
In the post-war years, Student becomes involved in the creation of the Traditionsverband Bund Deutscher Fallschirmjäger. He serves as its president from 1952 to 1954. Through this work, he becomes one of the leading figures in the tradition associations linked to the Wehrmacht and later the Bundeswehr.
When former members of the Wehrmacht commemorate the Kreta-Tag each year on May 20th at Altenstadt, Student is among the honoured guests.
At the funeral of the convicted war criminal Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke in 1968, Student delivers the eulogy.
Student dies on July 1st, 1978. He is 88 years old.