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Albert Praun
__NOTOC__ Albert Praun (11 December 1894, Bad Staffelstein – 3 March 1975) was a German general who became the Chief Signals Officer of the Wehrmacht during World War II. Biography Praun served during World War I. He was retained in the Reichswehr and then served in the Wehrmacht; between 1935 and 1940 he commanded signals units. In 1940 he was then appointed Chief Signals Officer of Panzer Group Hoth and Panzer Group Guderian in France. He was then posted to the Eastern Front where he served as Chief Signals Officer of the 2nd Panzer Group. He later was the commanding officer of the 4th Panzer Grenadier Brigade and then of the 18th Panzer Division, and the 129th and the 277th Divisions. When General Erich Fellgiebel and then his deputy Fritz Thiele were arrested and subsequently executed for their roles in the 20 July plot, Praun was appointed to succeed them on 1 November 1944 as Chief Signals Officer at the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht and Oberkommando des Heeres and was pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bad Staffelstein
Bad Staffelstein is a small town in the Bavarian Administrative Region of Upper Franconia in Germany. It has around 10,000 inhabitants. Bad Staffelstein is known for several landmarks, such as the Basilica of the Vierzehnheiligen designed by Balthasar Neumann, the former monastery of Banz Abbey, now Banz Castle, and the 540 meter high Staffelberg. Most recently, it has been the thermal salt water spa, for which the town received the title ''Bad'' (spa) in 2001, that has made Staffelstein a tourist attraction. Geography Location The municipal territory of Bad Staffelstein extends on both banks of the Main river. It is located northeast of Bamberg in the district of Lichtenfels. Subdivisions Bad Staffelstein consists of the following ''Stadtteile'': History Staffelstein was first mentioned around 800 and received its town status in 1130. In 1846, with the construction of the Ludwig South-North Railway, the town was connected to the Bavarian rail network. The status of spa w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Panzer Grenadier
''Panzergrenadier'' (), abbreviated as ''PzG'' (WWII) or ''PzGren'' (modern), meaning '' "Armour"-ed fighting vehicle " Grenadier"'', is a German term for mechanized infantry units of armoured forces who specialize in fighting from and in conjunction with infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) – that is, armoured troop carriers designed to carry a mechanized squad of six to eight soldiers into combat while providing direct fire support for those troops. Panzergrenadier combat is conducted in close cooperation with IFVs. Each Panzergrenadier squad has its own designated IFV during battle. Combat can be conducted either from within the vehicle (so-called ''"mounted combat"'') using portholes in the walls or hatches on the roof, etc, or from outside the vehicle in its vicinity (so-called ''"dismounted combat"'') using dismount-hatches at the back of the vehicle. Combat missions consist of ambushing, fire support, reconnaissance, spearhead attacks, etc. Depending on the armament, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sudetenland Medal
The 1 October 1938 Commemorative Medal (german: Die Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938), commonly known as the Sudetenland Medal was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded during the interwar period, and the second in a series of Occupation Medals. Description Instituted on 18 October 1938, the medal was awarded to participants in the occupations of Sudetenland in October 1938 and Czechoslovakia in March 1939. The medal was awarded to all German State officials and members of the German Wehrmacht and SS who entered the Sudetenland on 18 October 1938, and to Sudeten Nazis who had worked for union with Germany. Later a special bar for attachment to the ribbon was introduced for participation in the occupation of the remnants of Czechoslovakia on 15 March 1939, and to others who rendered valuable support. Last awarded on 31 December 1940, a total of 1,162,617 medals and 134,563 bars were bestowed. The wearing of Nazi era awards was banned in 1945. The Sudetenland medal w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Anschluss Medal
The ''Anschluss'' Commemorative Medal () was a decoration of Nazi Germany awarded during the interwar period, and the first in a series of Occupation Medals. Description Instituted on 1 May 1938, the medal commemorated the annexation of Austria by the German Reich, the so-called ''Anschluss''. German troops crossed the Austrian border on 12 March 1938 without any resistance. The medal, known as the "''Anschluss'' medal", was awarded to those, both military and civilian, who contributed to or participated in the annexation. This included German State officials and members of the German Wehrmacht and SS who entered Austria. Local Nazis who had worked for union with Germany also qualified, including the widows of those who had been killed for their cause. Last awarded on 31 December 1940, a total of 318,689 medals were bestowed. The wearing of Nazi era awards was banned in 1945. The Anschluss medal was not among those awards reauthorized for official wear by the Federal Republic o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wehrmacht Long Service Award
The Wehrmacht Long Service Award () was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a number of years in military service. History On 16 March, 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered the institution of a service award in four classes, each class reflecting the completion of a select number of years of military service. The award was bestowed by each branch of the Wehrmacht (army, navy, and air force) and was issued for four years service (fourth class – silver medal), 12 years (third class – gold medal), 18 years (second class – silver cross), 25 years (first class – gold cross), and 40 years (special class). The 40 year special class was introduced on 10 March 1939. Recipients of the higher level awards wore the decoration simultaneously with one lower year award. The manner they were worn was: *3rd Class with 4th Class (gold medal with silver medal) *2nd Class with 4th Class (silver cross with silver medal) *1st Class with 3rd Class (gold ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Honour Cross Of The World War 1914/1918
The Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918 (german: Das Ehrenkreuz des Weltkrieges 1914/1918), commonly, but incorrectly, known as the Hindenburg Cross or the German WWI Service Cross was established by Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, President of the German Weimar Republic, by an order dated 13 July 1934, to commemorate service of the German people during the First World War. This was Germany's first official service medal for soldiers of Imperial Germany who had taken part in the war, and where they had since died it was also awarded to their surviving next-of-kin. Shortly after its issuance, the government of Nazi Germany declared the award as the only official service decoration of the First World War and further forbade the continued wearing of German Free Corps awards on any military or paramilitary uniform of a state or Nazi Party organization. The Honour Cross was awarded in three forms: * - for front-line veterans, with swords * - for non-combatant veterans, witho ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wound Badge
The Wound Badge (german: Verwundetenabzeichen) was a German military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was first awarded to soldiers of the German Army who were wounded during World War I. Between the world wars, it was awarded to members of the German armed forces who fought on the Nationalist side of the Spanish Civil War, 1938–39, and received combat related wounds. It was awarded to members in the ''Reichswehr'', the Wehrmacht, SS and the auxiliary service organizations during World War II. After March 1943, due to the increasing number of Allied bombings, it was also awarded to civilians wounded in air raids. It was awarded when the wound was the result of enemy hostile action. In 1957, the West German government authorized a denazified (Swastika removed) version of the basic (black, silver, & gold) badges for wear on the Bundeswehr uniform, among other certain Nazi-era wartime awards. Classes The badge had three classes: * B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia established it on 17 March 1813 during the Napoleonic Wars (EK 1813). The award was backdated to the birthday (10 March) of his late wife, Queen Louise. Louise was the first person to receive this decoration (posthumously). Recommissioned Iron Cross was also awarded during the Franco-Prussian War (EK 1870), World War I (EK 1914), and World War II (EK 1939). During the 1930s and World War II, the Nazi regime superimposed a swastika on the traditional medal. The Iron Cross was usually a military decoration only, though there were instances awarded to civilians for performing military functions, including Hanna Reitsch, who received the Iron Cross, 2nd class, and Iron Cross, 1st Class, and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, who received ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bad Hersfeld
The festival and spa town of Bad Hersfeld (''Bad'' is "spa" in German; the Old High German name of the city was ''Herolfisfeld'') is the district seat of the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district in northeastern Hesse, Germany, roughly 50 km southeast of Kassel. Bad Hersfeld is known countrywide above all for the ''Bad Hersfelder Festspiele'' (festival), which have taken place each year since 1951 at the monastery ruins. These themselves are said to be Europe's biggest Romanesque church ruin. In 1967, the town hosted the seventh ''Hessentag'' state festival. Geography Location The town lies in the Hersfeld Basin formed here by the forks of the Fulda and the Haune. The inner town lies on the Fulda's left bank. Furthermore, the Geisbach and the Solz empty into the Fulda in the municipal area. In the southwest lie the Vogelsberg Mountains, in the northwest the Knüll and in the northeast the Seulingswald (ranges, the latter visible in the background of this image). The town's lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Neustadt, Hesse
Neustadt is a town in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location Neustadt lies in the Middle Hessian ''Bergland'' ("Highland") at the eastern end of Marburg-Biedenkopf district. Neighbouring communities Neustadt borders in the north on the community of Gilserberg, in the east on the town of Schwalmstadt and the community of Willingshausen (all three in the Schwalm-Eder-Kreis), in the southeast on the community of Antrifttal, in the south on the town of Kirtorf (both in the Vogelsbergkreis), and in the west on the town of Stadtallendorf (Marburg-Biedenkopf). Town divisions Neustadt has, as well as the core community known as Neustadt, centres known as Mengsberg, Momberg and Speckswinkel. Politics Town council After municipal elections on 26 March 2006, the town council is arranged thus: Coat of arms Neustadt's coat of arms, like many throughout western Germany, depicts Saint Martin of Tours cutting off a piece of his cloak for a poor man a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oberkommando Des Heeres
The (; abbreviated OKH) was the Command (military formation), high command of the German Army (1935–1945), Army of Nazi Germany. It was founded in 1935 as part of Adolf Hitler's German rearmament, rearmament of Germany. OKH was ''de facto'' the most important unit within the German war planning until the Battle of Moscow, defeat at Moscow in December 1941. During World War II, OKH had the responsibility of strategic planning of Field army, Armies and Army Groups. The General Staff of the OKH managed operational matters. Each German Army also had an Army High Command ( or AOK). The Armed Forces High Command () then took over this function for theatres other than the Eastern Front (World War II), Eastern front. The OKH commander held the title of Commander-in-chief of the Army (). After the Battle of Moscow, the OKH commander Field marshal Walther von Brauchitsch was removed from office, and Hitler appointed himself as Commander-in-Chief of the Army. From 1938, OKH was, togeth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
