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Spranz, Bodo

Date of birth:
January 1st, 1920 (Nordhausen/Thuringia, Germany)
Date of death:
September 1st, 2007 (Bremen, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Promotions:
?: Fahnenjunker;
April 1st, 1939: Gefreiter;
August 1st, 1939: Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier;
January 26th, 1940: Fahnenjunker-Wachtmeister;
?: Leutnant;
April 1st, 1942: Oberleutnant;
?: Hauptmann;

Career:
November 16th, 1938: Geschützführer, 8. Batterie, Artillerie-Regiment 12;
?: Waffenschule Jüterborg;
?: Zugführer,, IV. Abteilung, Artillerie-Regiment 209;
July 21st, 1940: IV. Artillerie-Lehr-Regiment, Jüterborg;
?: Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185;
September 30th, 1941: Batterieoffizier, Sturmgeschütz-Ersatz- und Ausbuildungs-Abteilung 200;
January 15th, 1942: Zugführer/Batterichef, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185;
?: Sturmgeschütz-Ersatz- und Ausbuildungs-Abteilung 200;
June 2nd, 1943: Batteriechef, Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 237;
April 2nd, 1944: Hörsaalleiter, Sturmgeschütz-schule, Magdeburg;
1945: Ordonnanzoffizier, Chef Generalstab des Heeres

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Unit:
Batterieführer, IV. Abteilung, Artillerie-Regiment 209, 209. Infanterie-Division, Heer
Awarded on:
June 23rd, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
July 2nd, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Leutnant (2nd Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
September 4th, 1941
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Schwarz
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
2. Batterie, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
May 6th, 1942

Awarding 114/26
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
July 27th, 1942
Medaille
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
August 27th, 1942
Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
August 27th, 1942
Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
August 27th, 1942
Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
August 27th, 1942
Panzervernichtungsabzeichen in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
September 2nd, 1942
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Silber
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)
Unit:
Zugführer, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185, Heer
Awarded on:
December 8th, 1942
Verwundetenabzeichen 1939 in Gold
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Chef, 1. Batterie, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 237, 2. Armee, Heer
Awarded on:
October 3rd, 1943
Awarded for having destroyed 50 enemy tanks since the start of the war up until September 3rd,1943, as well as for his company's outstanding performance in the sector of the 330. Infanterie-Division as part of Heeresgruppe Mitte. In six days of battle near the end of August/start of September 1943 his company destroyed 61 enemy tanks.

2182nd Heer Award
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Hauptmann (Captain)
Unit:
Chef, 1. Batterie, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 237, 2. Armee, Heer
Awarded on:
October 3rd, 1943
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Awarded for the continued count of tanks destroyed by himself and his company. In the middle of September he and his company crushed a fierce Soviet tank attack, knocking out 27 tanks in this one engagement alone. By September 17th,1943 Spranz had raised his total of tanks destroyed to 76 (of which 4 were in close combat). On this same day he was wounded for the ninth time.

308th Award

Sources

  • Photo 1: Willi Schumacher Collection
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
    - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Heukemes F., The General Assault Badge, A Definitive Guide to the German Award of World War II, Volume 1
    - Ingo Kiefel
    - Bodo Spranz