Date of birth:

April 30th, 1919 (Breslau/Lower Silesia, Germany)

Date of death:

February 1st, 1944 (Italy)

Nationality:

German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Posthumously promoted to Major.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant

Unit:

3. / Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 58

Awarded on:

May 25th, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Oberleutnant (1st Lieutenant)

Unit:

Führer Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 58 / 7.Panzer-Division / 1. Panzerarmee / Heeresgruppe Don

Awarded on:

February 12th, 1943

The following newspaper excerpt (dated 20./21.02.1943) describes why Baranek received the Knight’s Cross…

“Oberleutnant Baranek launched a deliberate counterattack on the middle Donez in which he plunged into the enemy with 3 SPWs. By doing so he halted their advance, and over the course of 5 days he proceeded to hold off powerful hostile attacks. 58 enemy tanks fell by the wayside in this time.”

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• - SCHERZER, VEIT, Die Ritterkreuzträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht 1939-1945, Biblio Verlag, Bissendorf, 2010.
  - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
  - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
  - Manteuffel, von H., Die 7. Panzer-Division – Bewaffnung, Einsätze, Männer, Nebel Verlag GmbH, Eggolsheim, Deutschland, 2001
  - Axis History
  - Die Grenz-Zeitung (Edition 50/51).