Franz Danowski

Franz Danowski
Born	18 February 1917 Berlin
Died	10 October 1944 (aged 27) Western Front
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1937–45
Rank	Hauptmann (Posthumously)
Unit	Panzergrenadier-Regiment 111
Battles/wars	World War II Annexation of the Sudetenland Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) Battle of Moscow Battle of Kursk Siegfried Line Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Franz Danowski (18 February 1917 – 10 October 1944) was a highly decorated Hauptmann in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Franz Danowski was severely wounded on 10 October 1944 on the Western Front. He died at the field hospital near Saint-Dié-des-Vosges the same day. He was posthumously promoted to Oberleutnant on 15 November 1944 and Hauptmann on 15 December 1944.

Awards and decorations

• Anschluss Medal (1939)^[1]
• Sudetenland Medal (1939)^[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (5 September 1939)^[1]
  • 1st Class (23 December 1940)^[1]
• Infantry Assault Badge (9 September 1940)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (15 March 1942)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (1 September 1942)^[1]
• War Merit Cross
  • 2nd Class with Swords (29 October 1943)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold (30 May 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 October 1944 as Oberleutnant and leader of the 10./Panzergrenadier-Regiment 111^[2]
• Mentioned in the addendum of the Wehrmachtbericht on 3 October 1944

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
3 October 1944 (addendum)	Bei den Kämpfen im Raum südlich Chateau-Salins hat sich Leutnant Danowski, Kompanieführer in einem Panzergrenadier-Regiment als Stoßtruppführer besonders ausgezeichnet.[3]	In combat in the area south of Chateau-Salins, Second Lieutenant Danowski, company commander in a mechanized infantry regiment has especially distinguished himself as a shock troops leader.

References

Citations

1. Scherzer 2010, p. 71.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 133.
3. Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 3, pp. 273–274.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Scherzer, Veit (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil XI: Pioniertruppe—Band 1: A–K (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2398-4.
• Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939-1945 Band 3, 1. Januar 1944 bis 9. Mai 1945 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 3, 1 January 1944 to 9 May 1945] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Ritterkreuztraeger 1939-1945