Date of birth:

June 2nd, 1907 (Hamburg-Altona/Wesphalia, Germany)

Date of death:

March 16th, 1945 (Sakeresztes, Székesfehérvár/Stuhlweißenburg, Hungary)

Buried on:

War Cemetery Sopron
Grave: UNK.

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 7.939 // NSDAP-Nr.: 401.687

Nationality:

German

Franz Kleffner was killed on March 16th, 1945 in Sakeresztes located 10km north of Stuhlweißenburg/Székesfehérvár, Hungary, as Kommandeur SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 6 "Theodor Eicke".

Promotions:
01.12.1930: joined the NSDAP
15.12.1930: entered the SS - SS-Anwärter
20.05.1931: SS-Mann
21.09.1932: SS-Scharführer
24.10.1932: SS-Truppführer
08.12.1933: SS-Obertruppführer
15.02.1934: SS-Hauptscharführer
20.04.1935: SS-Untersturmführer
30.01.1936: SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1936: SS-Hauptsturmführer
04.01.1942: SS-Sturmbannführer - effective on 30.01.1942 (Dienstlaufbahn gives 30. Mai 1942)
09.11.1943: SS-Obersturmbannführer

Career:
15.12.1930: 1. Sturm, I. Sturmbann, 20. SS-Standarte in Düsseldorf
00.03.1935: SS-Hascha, 3. Sturm, SS-Standarte „Deutschland", SS-Verfügungstruppe
01.04.1935-31.01.1938: SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig then stayed as Junkerschaftsführer
01.02.1938: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 10. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 „Oberbayern"
01.07.1938: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 2. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 4 „Ostmark"
01.07.1939-01.08.1939: Kompanie-Führer-Lehrgang - Infanterie-Schule Döberitz
01.09.1939-01.10.1939: SS-Hstuf, Führer, I. Standarte / SS-Totenkopf-Standarte „Ostmark"
01.10.1939-12.09.1941: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2 - Western campaign
00.12.1939: Stabsoffizier-Lehrgang - 29. Infanterie-Division
12.09.1941-25.10.1941: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 5. Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Kradschützen-Bataillon 'Thule', SS-Totenkopf-Division
25.10.1941-00.10.1942: SS-Hstuf, Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon 'Thule', SS-Totenkopf-Division - distinguished himself as Führer, Kampfgruppe „Bjakowo" (later Kampfgruppe „Kleffner") ivo Wassiljeschtschina, where he defended and held with success one of the cornerstone of the Demjansk pocket
18.01.1943-26.01.1943: Lehrgang für Abteilungskommandeure - Panzerlehrgang Wünsdorf
27.01.1943-01.02.1943: Schießschule der Panzertruppe in Putlos
01.02.1943-28.02.1943: Abteilungs-Führerschule für Schnelle Truppen in Paris
01.02.1943: SS-Stubaf, Kommandeur, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
02.09.1943-11.04.1944: SS-Stubaf, Kommandeur, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
12.04.1944: SS-Ostubaf, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 22, 10. SS-Panzer-Division „Frundsberg"
23.05.1944: arrested for excessive drunkenness
02.06.1944-07.09.1944: imprisoned in the General-Pape-Straße prison in Schöneberg, Berlin
24.09.1944: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division „Wiking"
09.10.1944: SS-Ostubaf, Kommandeur, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiments 6 „Theodor Eicke", 3. SS-Panzer-Division „Totenkopf"
16.03.1945-20.03.1945: KIA north of Lake Velence in Hungary when the armoured personnel carrier he was travelling in was hit by a Soviet shell ivo Sakeresztes located 10km north of Stuhlweißenburg / Székesfehévár, Hungary and buried in Ödenburg / Sopron, Hungary

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!

Awarded on:

1931

Awarded on:

February 1934

Awarded on:

1935

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 10. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 1 „Oberbayern“

Awarded on:

1939

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 2. Hundertschaft, SS-Totenkopf-Standarte 4 „Ostmark“

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2, SS-Totenkopf-Division

Awarded on:

June 22nd, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 13. (Kradschützen-)Kompanie, SS-Totenkopf-Infanterie-Regiments 2, SS-Totenkopf-Division

Awarded on:

July 13th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)

Unit:

Kommandeur, SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon "Totenkopf", SS-Totenkopf-Division

Awarded on:

February 19th, 1942

The following telex contains the second forwarding of Kleffner’s Knight’s Cross recommendation. It reads as follows…

“SS-Sturmbannführer Kleffner, commander of Kampfgruppe Bjakowo, has been fighting at the head of a weak motley of forces at a decisive position for more than two weeks against a much superior foe. Throughout this time he has distinguished himself by his brave and exemplary devotion to duty. Despite being encircled multiple times, he has up until now repelled all enemy attacks (even those supported by heavy armour) and inflicted heavy losses in men and materiel upon the enemy.

I support this recommendation.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon, SS-Totenkopf-Division

Awarded on:

June 12th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Sturmbannführer (Major)

Unit:

Kommandeur, Kradschützen-Bataillon, SS-Totenkopf-Division

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1:
• Photo 2:
• Photo 3:
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Pub Ltd, 2008.
  - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.

Helaas geen map gevonden.