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Frankewitz, Bruno

Date of birth:
December 8th, 1897 (Tiefensee/Kreis Heiligenbeil/East Prussia, Germany)
Date of death:
August 11th, 1982 (Straelen/North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)
Nationality:
German

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Artillerie-Regiment 161/61. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
September 21st, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 2nd Class on August 7th 1915.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 2er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant-colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Artillerie-Regiment 161/61. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
October 3rd, 1939

Had already received the Iron Cross 1st Class on January 27th 1918.
1939 Spange zum Eisernes Kreuz 1er Klasse 1914
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberst (Colonel)
Unit:
Kommandeur Artillerie-Regiment 161 / 61.Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
April 1st, 1942

Award 98/12.
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalmajor (Brigadier)
Unit:
Kommandeur, 215. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:
March 29th, 1943

Awarded with swords.
Vapaudenristin 2.luokka (VR 2)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 215. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
February 6th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 215.Infanterie-Division / L.Armee-Korps / 18.Armee / Heeresgruppe Nord
Awarded on:
February 29th, 1944
Awarded for the leadership of his Division during the fighting around Puschkin (15.-24.01.1944), Wyriza, Ossmino and Luga. The fighting at Ossmino in particular was singled out in a Wehrmachtbericht report of the 06.02.1944, which stated that during this battle the 215. Infanterie-Division bought three days of time for a new defensive line to be constructed.

2725th Award.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 215. Infanterie-Division
Awarded on:
December 29th, 1944
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Generalleutnant (Major-general)
Unit:
Kommandeur 215.Infanterie-Division / XXXVIII.Panzer-Korps / 18.Armee / Heeresgruppe Kurland
Awarded on:
March 16th, 1945
Awarded for his outstanding leadership of the 215. Infanterie-Division during the fighting in Courland, specifically south of Frauenburg. A Wehrmachtbericht supplement of the 29.12.1944 stated that…

“In the defense battle of Courland the … and the Württembergisch-Badische 215. Infanterie-Division under the command of Generalleutnant Frankewitz have particularly distinguished themselves in attack and defence. The latter repelled 111 enemy attacks (mostly in battalion and regimental strength) during the time period 21.-27.12.1944.”

The following press article, dated 27.03.1945, further details his Knight’s Cross actions as follows…

“Generalleutnant Frankewitz had already especially distinguished himself in the fighting around Dünaburg and south of Riga. During the Third Battle of Courland he and his Division stood in the midst of the defensive battle against 6 Soviet divisions that assailed his lines for a whole week, and with strong tank support at that. In this week the 215. Infanterie-Division fended off 111 enemy attacks, and for this was named in a supplement to the Wehrmachtbericht on the 29.12.1944.”

790th Award
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)

Silver version
(Allgemeines) Sturmabzeichen

Sources

  • Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
  • - WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 2010.
    - 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, 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
    - Kurowski, F., Bridgehead Kurland – The six epic battles of Heeresgruppe Kurland, J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing Inc., Winnipeg, Canada, 2002
    - Patzwall K., Scherzer V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Geschichte und Inhaber Band II, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001
    - Axis Biographical Research

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