Funck, Freiherr von, Hans
- Date of birth:
- December 23rd, 1891 (Aachen/Rhine Province, Germany)
- Date of death:
- February 14th, 1979 (Viersen/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
- Nationality:
- German
Biography
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1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberst (Colonel)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 5 / 3. Panzer-Division / 6. Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd
- Awarded on:
- May 15th, 1940
Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on June 12th 1915.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Oberst (Colonel)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 5 / 3. Panzer-Division / 6. Armee / Heeresgruppe Süd
- Awarded on:
- May 29th, 1940
Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on December 2nd 1917.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalmajor (Brigadier)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 7.Panzer-Division / XXXIX.Armee-Korps / Panzergruppe 2 / Heeresgruppe Mitte
- Awarded on:
- July 15th, 1941
“Already on the 22.06.1941 Generalmajor Freiherr von Funck punched through all the staunchly defended Soviet fortifications near the border, and made it to the gates of Olita as early as the afternoon of the first day. Here both bridges over the Njemen fell undamaged into his hands. Heavy enemy counterattacks launched by a hostile tank division collapsed against Funck’s forces with heavy losses for the foe.
On the second day of battle the Division reached the heights west of Vilnius despite the difficult road conditions. The strongly defended Waka river was attacked on the same day. The crossings over it were forced amidst a sea of fleeing enemy forces, and the great Wake bridge fell undamaged into our hands. In the early morning hours of the next day combat elements of the Panzer-Division entered the city and captured it while encountering only minor enemy resistance. The capture of Olita and the subsequent swift occupation of Vilnius were of decisive importance for the continuation of operations in the area.”
356th Award.
Submitted on July 6th 1941.
Preliminary document and decoration on July 16th 1941 to Heeresgruppe Mitte.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalleutnant (Major-general)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 7.Panzer-Division / 1. Panzerarmee / Heeresgruppe Süd
- Awarded on:
- March 14th, 1943
Award 331/2
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Generalleutnant (Major-general)
- Unit:
- Kommandeur 7.Panzer-Division / III.Panzer-Korps / 4.Panzerarmee / Heeresgruppe Süd
- Awarded on:
- August 22nd, 1943
“Generalleutnant Hans Freiherr von Funck, commander of a middle-German Panzer-Division, has already decisively contributed to the conduct of combat during the beginning of the campaign against Russia, specifically during the forcing of the enemy border fortifications, the capture of Vilnius, the encirclement of the Soviet armies in the Bialystok—Minsk area and the battle of Vyazma.
During the thrust into the enemy assembly areas around Belgorod he has again outstandingly participated in the success of our arms. He broke through the Soviet positions south of Belgorod and thrusted deep into the defensive positions of the enemy, all while leading his men from the foremost line with flexible leadership. On the 15.07.1943 he broke through to the north in a bold thrust even though the bulk of his Division was still engaged in heavy combat with its front facing the east. Despite being threatened in both flanks by the numerically superior enemy, he captured several villages in the face of heavy resistance and completed the encirclement of a strong enemy group (this action was reported in the Wehrmachtbericht of the 16.07.1943). After bitter combat he and his Division crushed the desperate breakout attempts of the encircled Soviets.”
278th Award.
Submitted on August 7th 1943.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Medalla de la Campaña de España 1936-1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Sources
- Photo 1: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
- Photo: Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv
- - WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 2009.
- 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
- Federl, C., Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Panzerdivisionen 1939-1945, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, Germany, 2000
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
- Manteuffel, von H., Die 7. Panzer-Division – Bewaffnung, Einsätze, Männer, Nebel Verlag GmbH, Eggolsheim, Deutschland, 2001
- Kursietis, Andris J., The Wehrmacht at War 1939-1945, Aspekt, The Netherlands, 1999
- Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
- Axis Biographical Research
Photo
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