Allegiance Nazi Germany Battles/wars World War II Battles and wars World War II Rank Obersturmfuhrer | Years of service 1935–45 Name Kurt Franke Service/branch Waffen-SS | |
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Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
German Cross in Gold
Iron Cross 1st Class
Iron Cross 2nd Class
Close Combat Clasp in Gold
Infantry Assault Badge in Bronze
Wound Badge in Silver
Eastern Front Medal 1941/42
Demyansk Shield Died January 19, 1945, Budapest, Hungary Unit 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf | ||
Wilhelm Hermann Kurt Franke (13 June 1915 – 19 January 1945) was an Obersturmfuhrer (First Lieutenant) in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II. He was also one of only 631 men to be awarded the very rare Close Combat Clasp in Gold.
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Career
Kurt Franke was born on the 13 May 1915, in Wurzen, Saxony. In 1935 he volunteered to join the SS and in 1938 served in the concentration camp service of the SS until 1940 when he was transferred to the new SS Division SS Totenkopf as a platoon commander.
During the Battle of France Franke was awarded the Wound Badge and the Iron Cross 2nd class.
In 1941 Franke participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). Franke, now an Unterscharfuhrer (The Waffen-SS use of Unterscharfuhrer was as a junior squad commander, one of several attached to company and platoon sized formations. The rank was considered the equivalent to the first Waffen-SS Officer Candidate rank of SS-Junker), and was awarded the Eastern Front Medal for service on the Eastern Front during the 1941 to 1942 winter and the Demyansk Shield awarded to all troops involved in the battles for the Demyansk Pocket, thereafter he, along with the rest of the division was withdrawn to France to recover.
Franke returned to the Eastern Front, for the Battle of Kharkov, where Franke was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class.
In August 1943, his unit was involved in the fighting on the Mius-Front where he was awarded the Close Combat Clasp in Silver, followed in October 1943 by the award of the Knight's Cross. In April 1944 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
In December 1944, the Totenkopf was sent to Hungary, together with the SS Wiking Division. On 19 January 1945, he was mortally wounded and died in the hospital. In March 1945 Franke was posthumously awarded the Close Combat Clasp in Gold.