Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant der Reserve (1st Lieutenant of Reserves)

Unit:

12. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 407, 121. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

March 27th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Hauptmann der Reserve (Captain of Reserves)

Unit:

Führer II. Bataillon, Grenadier-Regiment 407, 121. Infanterie-Division, Heer

Awarded on:

July 18th, 1944

The following press excerpt (written by war correspondent Hanns Piffl and dated 28.08.1944) describes why Paukner was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“The Knight’s Cross for Hauptmann Paukner / His Strongpoint was the Cornerstone of his Division:

On the 18.07.1944 the Führer awarded the Knight’s Cross to Hauptmann Paukner (who hails from Vienna). After being assigned command of a Bataillon this officer had a decisive share in the defensive success of the East Prussian Division that was named in the OKW Report of the 29.06.1944. He personally led several counterthrusts from the foremost line while defending his strongpoint, and by defending it successfully he upheld a bulwark that prevented the rolling up of the Division’s frontline from the right wing.

PK. ‘Herr Hauptmann, the enemy are in the trenches to the right!’ The messenger gave this cry before he had fully entered the doorframe and as he hastily adjusted his helmet. The words hung like an alarm cry in the dark space, one which was being shaken up constantly by the fury of exploding shells.

The earth shook under the waves of explosions. The impacts were infuriatingly close.

‘Get on the radio!’ ordered the Bataillon commander. Everyone was looking at him with fascination. He took up his helmet, belt and machine-pistol from its rack, giving further orders to his aides as he did so. Short, clear and confident, just like his style. Then he rushed from the bunker.

Hell had been unleashed outside. The Soviets were advancing through the rain and mud along a broad front after they had pounded our positions for two hours long with artillery fire. Smoke covered their attack, and their approach was further aided by the tall grass in front of the defenses.

The earth-brown shapes suddenly stood in ranks before our trenches, almost as if they had sprouted out of the ground. And they fell like ripe wheat. However it mattered not that the attacking groups of the Bolshevik penalty companies fell. They were followed by unceasing waves of regular troops, battalions and regiments. And so they succeeded in penetrating the line.

The Bataillon command post is the heart of the strongpoint. The Soviets had overrun the Pak and infantry gun position and were now already on the hill to the forward right. They had also pushed into the communications trenches. The Hauptmann perceived everything with one glance. He regrouped, secured the torn apart new flank and launched a counterthrust against the trenches at the head of two reserve squads. He managed to clear the trenches piece by piece, dealing with every threatened point until the enemy had been completely ejected from the area. The fighting continued until the conditions had been cleared for the penetration in the sector of the right neighbour to be eliminated. A great danger was thereby resolved.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)