Franz Hofbauer

Franz Hofbauer
Born	25 March 1921 Horn, Austria
Died	11 February 1994 (aged 72) Horn, Austria
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	1938–45
Rank	Leutnant of the Reserves
Unit	3./Divisions-Füslier-Bataillon 72
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) Battle of Kursk Cherkassy Pocket
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Franz Hofbauer (25 March 1921 – 11 February 1994) was a highly decorated Leutnant of the Reserves 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 and was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He was also awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold one of only 631 awards.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Wound Badge
  • in Black
  • in Silver
• Infantry Assault Badge
• Crimea Shield
• Close Combat Clasp
  • in Bronze (Winter 1943)^[1]
  • in Silver (1 January 1944)^[1]
  • in Gold (28 June 1944)^[1]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 January 1944 as Feldwebel and Zugführer (platoon leader) in the 3./Divisions-Füslier-Bataillon 72^[2]

References

Citations

1. Berger 2004, p. 188.
2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 174.

Bibliography

• Berger, Florian (2004). Ritterkreuzträger mit Nahkampfspange in Gold [Knight's Cross Bearers with the Close Combat Clasp in Gold] (in German). Vienna, Austria: Selbstverlag Florian Berger. ISBN 978-3-9501307-3-7.
• 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.
• 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.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com