Date of birth:

May 13th, 1912 (Waldegg/Lower Austria, Austria)

Date of death:

November 9th, 1984 (Arnsberg/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Service number:

SS-Nr.: 275.960 // NSDAP-Nr.:

Nationality:

Austrian (1938-1945, Reichsgau)

Promotions:
01.05.1934: SS-Anwärter
01.10.1936: SS-Mann
01.04.1938: SS-Junker
09.11.1938: SS-Standartenjunker
01.02.1939: SS-Standartenoberjunker
20.04.1939: SS-Untersturmführer
01.06.1940: SS-Obersturmführer
09.11.1941: SS-Hauptsturmführer
20.04.1944: SS-Sturmbannführer
00.03.1945: SS-Obersturmbannführer

Career:
00.10.1930: SA, Austrian Legion
01.05.1934: entered the SS, 11. SS-Standarte, Wien
01.10.1936: SS-Mann, 7. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Deutschland', SS-Verfügungstruppe
00.03.1938: Anschluss - Austria
01.04.1938-31.01.1939: SS-Junker, 6. Friedenslehrgang, SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig
00.02.1939: Zugführer, 3. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Der Führer', Wien
15.03.1939: campaign in the Sudetes
00.09.1939: SS-Ustuf, 7. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Der Führer', Reserve, Abschnitt Westwall
10.10.1939: SS-Ustuf, 7. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Der Führer', SS-Verfügungs-Division
00.05.1940: SS-Ustuf, Ordonnance-Offizier, III. Sturmbann, SS-Regiment "Der Führer", SS-Verfügungstruppe-Division - campaign in the West
00.06.1940: SS-Ostuf, Zugführer, 7. Sturm, SS-Standarte 'Der Führer', SS-Verfügungs-Division
00.04.1941: SS-Ostuf, Führer, 7. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment 'Der Führer', SS-Verfügungs-Division - campaign in the Balkans, Operation Marita
00.06.1941: SS-Ostuf, Führer, 7. Kompanie, SS-Infanterie-Regiment 'Der Führer', SS-Division 'Reich' - campaign in Russia, Operation Barbarossa
00.11.1941: SS-Hstuf, Adjutant, SS-Infanterie-Regiment 'Der Führer', SS-Division 'Reich'
00.02.1942: Lehrgang, Panzertruppenschule
00.06.1942: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 2, SS-Division (mot) 'Das Reich'
00.04.1943: Kompanieführerlehrgang, Panzertruppenschule Wünsdorf
21.06.1943: SS-Hstuf, Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Regiment 2, 2. SS-Panzer-Division 'Das Reich' - Kharkov
02.09.1943: fightings in Poltava, Dnjepr
12.09.1943: fightings in Kolomak, Hill 188.3, Nikolajevka
25.09.1943: Krementschug
06.11.1943: WIA region Fastov and sent to a Lazarett
00.12.1943: SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs- und-Ersatz-Regiment, SS-Truppenübungsplatz Seelager, Kurland
00.01.1944: SS-Hstuf, Führer, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 2, 2. SS-Panzer-Division 'Das Reich'
04.03.1944: severe fightings region Starokonstantinov
18.03.1944-25.03.1944: SS-Hstuf, Führer, Kampfgruppe, XXIV. Panzerkorps - Kamenez-Podolski Pocket
00.04.1944: SS-Hstuf, WIA and evacuated
00.05.1944: SS-Stubaf, SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs- und-Ersatz-Regiment, SS-Truppenübungsplatz Seelager, Kurland
00.08.1944: SS-Stubaf, SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs- und-Ersatz-Regiment, SS-Truppenübungsplatz Paderborn
00.03.1945: SS-Ostubaf, Kdr, SS-Panzer-Ausbildungs-und-Ersatz-Regiment, SS-Panzer-Brigade 'Westfalen'

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Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Awarded on:

1939

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 25th, 1940

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

July 28th, 1941

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

April 10th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Obersturmführer (Lieutenant)

Unit:

Kompanieführer, 7. Kompanie, II. Bataillon, SS-Infanterie-Regiment Der Führer, SS-Division "Reich", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

February 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

November 1942

in silver

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 2, SS-Division (mot) 'Das Reich'

Awarded on:

April 10th, 1943

WIA 10.04.1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Chef, 1. Kompanie, SS-Panzer-Regiment 2, 2. SS-Panzer-Division 'Das Reich'

Awarded on:

November 1943

WIA 10.04.1943 + 06.11.1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Awarded on:

1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Kompaniechef, 1. Kompanie, I. Abteilung, SS-Panzer-Regiment 2 "Das Reich", 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich", Panzer-Armeeoberkommando 4, Heeresgruppe Süd

Awarded on:

December 10th, 1943

Holzer’s Knight’s Cross recommendation reads as follows…

“SS-Hauptsturmführer Holzer has especially distinguished himself as a decisive and far-sighted Panzer-Kompanie commander, often also serving as the leader of a small, independent Panzergruppe.

On the 12.09.1943 Holzer received the order to proceed with the 7 Panthers of his Kompanie with all haste from Kolomak to Kraschanitschen. From there they were to stand as a ready-reserve behind the boundary between the SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung ‘Das Reich’ and the Grenadier-Regiment 344.

At 16:30 Holzer reached Kraschanitschen and at the same time spotted a group of 28 T-34s near Point 188.3. They had broken through the German line and were continuing their advance towards Nikolajewka.

Holzer made the decision to engage the much superior enemy from the march. He directed some of his Panzers towards the east in order to frontally engage and tie down the enemy, meanwhile he would take the rest and attack the enemy’s right flank while personally leading at the front of his formation. The result was a very heavy firefight, partially fought at close range.

Through this decisive attack, and the commander’s demonstrated personal bravery shown while conducting it, all enemy tanks were destroyed in 40 minutes without any friendly losses. Holzer and his Panzer crew were personally responsible for 7 enemy tanks in this engagement.

As a result of this total defensive success (made possible by Holzer’s swift and independent action, prudent handling and superior leadership) not only was the broken-in enemy eliminated, but the otherwise unavoidable breakthrough was prevented and the restoration of the old battlefield situation enabled.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain)

Unit:

Kompaniechef, II. Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 4 Der Führer, 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich", Waffen-SS

Awarded on:

April 1944

• Photo 1:
• - FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
  - MOONEY, PETER, Waffen-SS Knights and their Battles, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012.
  - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Dörr M., Die träger der Nahkampfspange in Gold, Heer- Luftwaffe- Waffen-SS 1943-1945, Biblio Verlag Bisendorf, 2006.
  - das-ritterkreuz.de
  - Microfilm Publication A3343. US National Archives.