Franz Graßmel

Franz Graßmel
Born	8 January 1906 Mochow
Died	30 June 1985 (aged 79) Stade
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Luftwaffe
Years of service	1928–35 (Landespolizei) 1935–40 (Heer) 1940–45 (Luftwaffe)
Rank	Oberstleutnant
Commands held	Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4 Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 20
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Battle of Crete Eastern Front Battle of Monte Cassino Operation Veritable
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Franz Graßmel (8 January 1906 – 30 June 1985), was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (10 June 1941)^[1]
  • 1st Class (10 June 1941)^[1]
• Ground Assault Badge of the Luftwaffe (20 September 1942)^[1]
• Cuff title "Kreta" (20 May 1942)^[1]
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black (18 December 1942)^[1]
  • in Silver (10 February 1945)^[1]
• German Cross in Gold on 22 July 1943 as Hauptmann in the III./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 8 April 1944 as Major and commander of the III./Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 4
  • (868th) Oak Leaves on 8 May 1945 as Major and commander of the Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 20^{[Notes 1]}

Notes

1. The original nomination was not retained. The Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest (OB Nordwest) had sent the nomination to the Oberkommando der Luftwaffe/Auszeichnung und Disziplin (OKL/AuD—Air Force High Command/Award and Discipline). The accompanying letter is presented by Franz Thomas. Franz Thomas is author of Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Teil II Die Ritterkreuzträger der Fallschirmjäger, Osnabrück 1986, page 88. No further information prevailed. A presentation cannot be verified. The Order Commission of the Association of Knight's Cross Recipients (AKCR) processed this case in 1974 and decided: 868th Oak Leaves, 8 May 1945. According to the AKCR the award was present in accordance with the Dönitz-decree. This is illegal according to the Deutsche Dienststelle (WASt) and lacks legal justification. The sequential number "868" and date were assigned by the AKCR. Graßmel is listed by the OB Nordwest for the "Nomination for the presentation of war awards" in May 1945. This list, which was to be presented to Karl Dönitz, holds 12 names. These nominations had all been submitted by the OB Nordwest via the command chain and must be considered not finalized. Dönitz has never signed this list and most likely has never seen this list. Graßmel was a member of the AKCR.^[3]

References

Citations

1. Thomas & Wegmann 1986, p. 86.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 146.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 134.

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.
• Kurowski, Franz (1995). Knights of the Wehrmacht Knight's Cross Holders of the Fallschirmjäger. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military. ISBN 978-0-88740-749-9.
• MacLean, French L (2007). Luftwaffe Efficiency & Promotion Reports: For the Knight's Cross Winners. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Military History. ISBN 978-0-7643-2657-8.
• 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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz; Wegmann, Günter (1986). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil II: Fallschirmjäger [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the German Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Part II: Paratroopers] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-1461-8.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.