Facts: - alt: '' bundesgrenzschutz '' -lrb- '' bundeswehr '' -rrb- 18px '' luftwaffe luftwaffe '' -lrb- '' wehrmacht '' -rrb- '' bundesgrenzschutz '' -lrb- '' '' bundeswehr '' -rrb- 18px -lrb- '' wehrmacht '' -rrb- '' - battles: world war ii - death date: 10 march 2000 - allegiance: nazi germany -lrb- to 1945 -rrb- west germany - rank: hauptmann -lrb- wehrmacht -rrb- oberst -lrb- bundeswehr -rrb- - awards: knight 's cross of the iron cross - birth date: 22 february 1920 - serviceyears: 1937-45 1951-79 - name: helmut corts - branch: 18px - unit: flak-regiment 64 -lrb- mot . -rrb- - death place: koblenz - birth place: osnabruck Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of helmut corts .
helmut corts -lrb- 22 february 1920 -- 10 march 2000 -rrb- was a highly decorated hauptmann in the luftwaffe during world war ii .he was also a recipient of the knight 's cross of the iron cross .the knight 's cross of the iron cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership .helmut corts was captured by soviet troops may 1945 and escaped from captivity later that month .in 1951 he joined the bundesgrenzschutz -lrb- federal border guards -rrb- and later the bundeswehr .he retired in 1979 with the rank of oberst .