Gotthard Frantz

Gotthard Frantz
Born	5 May 1888 Berlin
Died	21 January 1973 (aged 84) Bad Homburg vor der Höhe
Allegiance	German Empire (to 1918)  Weimar Republic (to 1921)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Deutsches Heer (1907–18) Reichswehr (1919–21) Heer (1935–37) Luftwaffe (1937–45)
Years of service	1907–21 1935–45
Rank	Generalleutnant
Commands held	12. Flak-Division 19. Flak-Division
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Defense of the Reich Operation Barbarossa Battles of Rzhev Tunisia Campaign
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Gotthard Frantz (5 May 1888 – 21 January 1973) was a highly decorated Generalleutnant in the Luftwaffe 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. Gotthard Frantz was captured by American forces at the end of the Tunisia Campaign on 13 May 1943. He was held until February 1945 when he was released due to ill health. He was later captured by Soviet troops in April and held until 1949.

Awards and decorations

• Iron Cross (1914)
  • 2nd Class (15 September 1914)
  • 1st Class (17 June 1915)
• Wound Badge (1914)
  • in Black (14 April 1918)
• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (21 January 1935)
• Sudetenland Medal (14 September 1939)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (13 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (7 July 1940)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Silver
• Anti-Aircraft Flak Battle Badge
• German Cross in Gold (1 September 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 18 May 1943 as Generalleutnant and commander of 19. Flak-Division^[1]
• Ärmelband Afrika

References

Citations

1. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 155.

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 Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Gotthard Frantz @ Axis Biographical Research at the Wayback Machine (archived November 17, 2010)