Brüggemann, Karl

Date of birth:: December 1st, 1915 (Kreckow/Pomerania, Germany)
Date of death:: June 19th, 1987 (Düsseldorf/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:: German

Biography

Karl Brüggemann finally reached the rank of Leutnant.

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Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Unteroffizier (Junior Officer)
Unit:: Gruppenführer Stabskompanie / Infanterie-Regiment 5 / 2. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:: November 28th, 1940

The following wartime excerpt describes why Brüggemann was awarded the Knight’s Cross…

“During the forward march on the 18.06.1940, Unteroffizier Brüggemann and his motorcycle squad suddenly encountered a halted French motorized unit at the entrance to St. Fraimbault. Acting with swift wit, Brüggemann ordered his driver to step on the gas and drive right up next to a French armoured vehicle. He opened up the hatch and forced the crew to get out with his machine-pistol. Along with the squad of Unteroffizier Wolf, which had arrived in the meantime, he drove into the village that contained a strong motorized unit with both artillery and tanks at hand. The surprised Frenchmen tried to bring their weapons to bear against the Germans, but Brüggemann again succeeded in forcing the enemy tank crews to get out of their vehicles and surrender.”