Fritz Arndt (soldier)

Fritz Arndt
Born	(1910-06-01)1 June 1910
Died	12 March 2003(2003-03-12) (aged 92)
Place of birth	Zehdenick
Place of death	Mildenberg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Heer
Years of service	?–1945
Rank	Oberfeldwebel
Unit	Panzer-Pionier-Battalion 32
Battles/wars	World War II Invasion of Poland Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battle of Białystok–Minsk Siege of Leningrad Battle of Kursk Operation Bagration Bobruysk Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Fritz Arndt (1 June 1910 – 12 March 2003) was a highly decorated Oberfeldwebel in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a one of only four conscripted soldiers to receive the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German language: 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 and decorations

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (1 December 1941)
  • 1st Class (10 March 1943)
• Wound Badge (1939)
  • in Black
  • in Silver (25 July 1944)
• Eastern Front Medal (28 August 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 31 March 1943 as Obergefreiter and MG-Schütze (machine gunner) in Stabskompanie / Panzer-Pionier-Battalion 32
  • 678th Oak Leaves on 9 December 1944 as Feldwebel and platoon leader in 1. / Panzer-Pionier-Battalion 32

References

Citations

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) (in German). Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 – Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtsteile [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]. Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2007) (in German). 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]. Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
• Scherzer, Veit (2010). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939–1945 Teil XI: Pioniertruppe—Band 1: A–K (in German). Bissendorf, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2398-4.
• Thomas, Franz (1997) (in German). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K]. Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 
• Huß, Jürgen (2009). Ritterkreuzträger im Mannschaftsstand 1941 - 1945. Zweibrücken: VDM Nickel. ISBN 978-3-86619-042-9. 

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht
• Ritterkrueztraeger 1939-1945