Date of birth:

July 15th, 1916 (Segensdorf/Warthegau, Germany)

Date of death:

February 4th, 1998 (Wiepenkathen/Stade, Germany)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Viktor Bruck was born on July 15th 1916 in the place of Segenshof/Warthegau in the community of Gnesen, former Western Prussia. After the First World War his family was forced to move and they went to Stade in Germany. It was her where he went into military service on November 4th 1937 with the Provincial Police force and after this with the 47.Infanterie-Regiment van 22.Infanterie-Division at Lüneburg.

From October 4th 1940, he served on the Western Front with the 14.Infanterie-panzerabwehr-Compagnie, 58.Infanterie-Regiment/6.Infanterie-Division. His Company was transferred to the 154.Infanterie-Regiment/58.Infanterie-Division on November 12th.
On January 1st 1940 Bruck was promoted to Reserve-Feldwebel and from March 9th he served with the 2nd and the 1st Company of the 154.Infanterie-Battailon. On April 8th he was promoted to Reserve-Leutnant. June 3rd Viktor Bruck was transferred to the field units and eventually ended with the 14.Infanterie-panzerabwehr-Compagnie/377.Infanterie-Regiment/225.Infanterie-Division. From March 20th 1941 he served at the headquarters of the 377.Infanterie-Regiment.

Bruck was transferred to the 225.Feldpolizei-Battailon on February 1st 1942, where he was promoted to Reserve-Oberleutnant on May 15th 1942. He took command of that same 225.Feldpolizei-Battailon on August 7th. However he was transferred to the 14.Panzerabwehr-Compagnie on December 25th to act as their Commander. Here he served until July 10th 1943, after which he was transferred to the headquarters of the 376.Grenadier-Regiment and was promoted to Reserve-Hauptmann (31-07-1943). As acting Commander, he served with the 225.Battailon/225.Infanterie-Division and the 1.Battailon/376.Grenadier-Regiment, where he was wounded by a grenade in the Hills of Sinyavino on September 16th 1943. Back with his unit, he was again wounded, this time in his foot by a bullet, on March 1st 1944, near the Island of Permisküla. He was treated on his wounds at the Dorpat field hospital.

For his bravery, Viktor Bruck was recommended for the Knights Cross on September 10th 1944. On September 19th he was again wounded by a grenade near Riga, this time in his knee. Not severely wounded, he took command again of the 1.Battailon/376.Grenadier-Regiment. As commander he and his unit were able to hold of fierce attacks by the Soviet forces on September 20th, but had to withdraw to the lake of Lejas, due to sheer numbers. In the Riga area he was wounded on the head by a grenade on September 22nd and was transported to the Reserve Hospital II in Dresden and after that to the Reserve Hospital Oberschlema.
The recommendation for the Knights Cross was denied on September 23rd. He resumed his post on October 15th near Pukini. Finally he received the Knights Cross on October 20th for the actions on September 22nd.
His final promotion as Reserve-Major followed on November 15th.
However his wounds prevented him being the same man he was before. Eventually Viktor Bruck died on February 4th 1998 as a result of his wounds. He was buried on February 11th in his residence Wiepenkathen/Stade.

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• Photo: Wehrmacht-awards.com
• - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Osnabrück, 1993.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht
  - Lyne-Gordon D., KNIGHT'S CROSS GERMAN & AXIS ARMED FORCES 1939-1945, Volume II, Military Axis Books
  - Deutsche Ritterkreuztrager