Date of birth:

July 5th, 1914 (Stuttgart/Württemberg, Germany)

Date of death:

August 20th, 1997 (Stuttgart/Baden-Württemberg , Germany)

Nationality:

German

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 1st, 1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

May 28th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)

Unit:

Zugführer 13. / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division

Awarded on:

December 21st, 1940

The following wartime excerpt describes why Spindler received the Knight’s Cross…

"On the afternoon of the 17.05.1940 the 13. Kompanie (including the Bataillon commander) fought bitterly for possession of the village of Mondrepuis against the attacking French forces. From here they could potentially strike out towards and cut off the major Hirson—La Capella road, the supply route of the advancing Panzer divisions. In this battle Leutnant Spindler was able to foil an attempted enemy outflanking maneuver by an extraordinarily brave and timely intervention of his own. He thereafter put the extremely tough opponent to flight through his unusually skillful leadership."

252nd Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

1.Gebirgs-Division

Awarded on:

February 8th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

13. / Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 98 / 1.Gebirgs-Division

Awarded on:

July 15th, 1942

1075th Award.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

December 22nd, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Major

Unit:

Führer Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99 / 1.Gebirgs-Division

Awarded on:

January 31st, 1945

In the fighting south of Lake Balaton in late 1944 the Soviets were able to capture a commanding height in a divisional strength attack. Following this move Major Spindler, on his own initiative, rallied his Gebirgsjäger and threw the Soviets back off the hill in a counterattack. For this achievement he was awarded the Oakleaves to his Knight's Cross and was mentioned along with his Regiment in a supplement to the Wehrmachtbericht of the 22.12.1944.

718th Award.

• Photo 1: Igor Poul
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
  - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
  - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001, ISBN 3-931533-45-X
  - Axis History Biographical Research via Axis History Forum